Anthropology graduate student Alexxandra Salazar, left, and CSEAS Director Judy Ledgerwood (center) talk to gamelan instructor Ngurah Kertayuda
at the 2014 Area Studies Open House.
NIU’s four area studies centers will be out in force with food, music and dance from three regions of the world from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 27, at this year’s International Area Studies Open House.
The annual event, held outdoors on College View Court on east campus, will be hosted by the Center for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS), the Center for Latino and Latin American Studies (CLLAS), the Center for Burma Studies and, new this year, the Center for Black Studies.
“This is the first time the Center for Black Studies in association with the African Student Alliance will participate,” said Joy Coates, associate director of the center, which was established at NIU in 1971.
During the open house, students, staff and faculty are invited take a turn on the Balinese gamelan with gamelan instructor Ngurah Kertayuda (no experience necessary), learn a few salsa steps and taste something different for lunch. On the menu is food from Southeast Asia, Mexico, and Africa, including Filipino lumpia, Indonesian entrees, Vietnamese egg rolls, quesadillas, taquitos, Mexican sweet bread, African rice and plaintains. There will be music from all three parts of the globe, salsa with the Tumbao dance group and dance by the African Student Alliance.
Student clubs affiliated with all four centers will also be on hand to share information on upcoming activities. “It’s a great opportunity to meet new people and to learn about area studies programs here at NIU,” CSEAS Director Judy Ledgerwood said.
The Center for Black Studies offers a minor in African or African American studies including a one-year language sequence in Swahili. CSEAS, CLLAS and the Center for Black Studies offer undergraduate minor and graduate study programs in Southeast Asian and Latino and Latin American studies. CSEAS also offers one-year language sequences in Burmese, Indonesian, Khmer, Tagalog and Thai.
In case of rain, the open house will be held in Room 100 and the atrium of the Campus Life Building.
For more information, call (815) 753-1771 or email cseas@niu.edu.
