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December 5, 2007
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O bservador
St. Johns to Host Las Posadas Celebration
Tradition
inspired by
Christmas story
The St. Johns Posada, an annual
event now in its third year, is being
planned for Saturday, Dee. 15.
A candlelight procession will
begin at 4:30p.m. at St. Johns Plaza
at North Burlington and Lombard.
Visitors can expect live Latino mu­
sic, dancing, piñata play, flower-
making, face-painting and free tra­
ditional Latino and North Ameri­
can food and beverages.
Celebrate St. Johns' diverse cul­
ture and atmosphere, hosted by the
businesses and organizations of
St. Johns.
“Everyone will find something
to enjoy," said Sarah Anderson, a
key event organizer and owner of
the local c o ffe e shop A nna
Bannanas.
The event is inspired by a unique
holiday tradition of Las Posadas. In
Latin America, the posada proces­ Söderström.
sion, a symbolic representation of
This joint effort is further sup­
Joseph and M ary's search for shel­ ported by downtown St. Johns
ter, is held during the eight nights businesses, which will play the role
leading up to Christmas.
of refusing shelter to the carolers,
Processions of children wind but will offer them treats instead.
through village streets, stopping at
houses and asking for posada, or
shelter, and are turned away. Even­
tually a door is opened to them and
they are invited in for a wonderful
party.
The participants in the St. John’s
Posada procession are a choir from
north Portland’s George Middle
School. The children - about 40 of
them - are practicing a tuneful va­
riety of Spanish and English holi­
day songs over the coming months,
as part of a SUN schools after­
school program . They will be
adorned in costumes ereated by
Pattie Dietz, the proprietor of St.
Johns dining institution Pattie’s
Home Plate, and will be led by a
volunteer choir director and George
Middle School intern from the Uni­
v e rsity o f P o rtla n d , L aurie
Families, friends and onlookers are pihata - one of several that will be
invited to join the parade and par­ handmade by kids w ith the support
take of the holiday treats as well.
of NW Family Services, a sponsor
Festive musicians will serenade of the event.
the crowd, and children of all ages
It’san important Latin American
will have a chance to break open a tradition with a light-hearted North
American twist. “Anyone who
wants to celebrate the holidays in a
unique way should come out tojoin
the party,” said Cornelius Swart,
publisher of the St. Johns Sentinel,
another event sponsor.
The Miracle Theatre Group presents Posada Milagro, a Christmas celebration with theatre, music and dance for the whole family.
Theatrical Christmas Celebration for Whole Family
M iracle Theatre G roup invites tors of M iracle T heatre's Pluma
the whole family to enjoy the Nueva program — together with
Posada M ilagro, to be celebrated mem bers o f the Teatro Espanol
Sunday, Dec. 16 between noon ensem ble.
and 5 p.m. at El Centro Milagro,
The afternoon’s entertainm ent
525 S.E. Stark St.
will also include feature music,
The com m unity celebration, dance, as well as arts and crafts
reflecting upon the journey of w o rk sh o p s, a p ih a ta and, o f
Mary and Joseph in their search c o u rse , d e lic io u s tra d itio n a l
for refuge, will include youth ac­ foods.
Due to last year’s overw helm ­
ing dem and, this year's celebra­
tion will include two Spanish lan­
guage performances (2 and 4 p.m.)
of the pastorela.
Admission is free, but limited
to ticket-holders only. Tickets will
be distributed on a first-come,
first-served basis beginning at
noon on Sunday Dec. 16. Al-
though the event is free, dona­
tions of canned food will be ac­
cepted for the Oregon Food Bank.
The Miracle Theatre Group has
been dedicated to bringing the
vibrancy of Hispanic theatre to
the Northwest community and
beyond for more than 20 years.
F or m ore in fo rm a tio n , v isit
milagro.org or call 503-236-7253.
Glass Artist Featured at Onda
Boss Hogg Christmas Tree Lot
XMAS TREES
E very D oug F ir 5-7 ft. - $20.00
Every N obel F ir 5-7 ft. - $30.00
6500 N E M L K Jr. B lvd.
On the corner o f M L K Jr. & Rosa Park B lvd.
Have you seen me?
Missing and Exploited Children
1-80Ö-THE-LOST
Endangered-Missing
Lost, Injured, Missing
Onda Gallery, 2 2 15 N.E. Alberta
St. hosts an exhibit through Dec. 24
by Ecuadorian glass artist Ana
Maria Torres.
Torres designs sculptural and
decorative pieces with elements
from pre-Columbian motifs. She
finds inspiration in her cultural tra­
dition and creates contemporary
fused glass art, uniting the past and
present. Natural elements - earth,
wind, fire and water - and religious
images are also recurring themes in
her work.
Ana Maria Torres was born in
Esmeraldas, Ecuador, in 1968. After
completing a program in graphic
design from the Metropolitan De­
sign School in Quito (1990), she
started working in her family's busi­
ness CeramiCarma, where she de­
veloped her techniques in design
and decoration.
After nearly 20 years of working
in decorative arts - ceramics, deco­
rative painting on wood and
silkscreen on textiles, she decided
to focus her creative energy on
fused glass. Building her technical
knowledge through research and
finding her creative path in con­
junction with other artists, she has
developed her own distinctive
style.
A Nativity scene made of
glass by Ecuadorian
artist Ana Marie Torres.
Liberal Leader Accepts Venezuela Vote
ANITA H ERRERA
Current Age: 15
DESTINY 7AJBIA
Current Age: 11 months
(1st birthday on Nov. 25th)
Date Missing October 27,2007
Missing From: Coolidge, AZ
Anita anti Destiny were last seen in the company o f an unknown
a t h t ll male anti adult female. The ptiliee believe they max have
been taken to Mexico.
(AP) — Humbled by his first
electoral defeat ever, Venezuela
P resid en t H ugo C havez said
Monday he may have been too
am bitious in asking voters to let
him stand indefinitely forre-elec-
tion and endorse a huge leap to a
socialist state.
“ I understand and accept that
the proposal I made was quite
profound and intense." he said
after voters narrowly rejected the
sw eeping constitutional reforms
Hugo Chavez
by 51 percent to 49 percent.
O pposition activists were ec­
static as the results were an ­
nounced shortly after midnight
with 88 percent of the vote
counted, the trend was declared
irreversible by elections council
chief Tibisay Lucena.
Some shed tears. Others be­
gan chanting: “And now h e's go­
ing aw ay!"
W ithout the overhaul. Chavez
will be barred from running again
in 2 0 1 2.
Foes of the reform effort
including Roman Catholic lead­
ers, m edia-freedom groups, hu­
man-rights groups and prominent
business leaders — said it would
have granted Chavez unchecked
power and im periled basic rights.
Chavez told reporters at the
presidential palace that the out­
come of S unday's balloting had
taught him that "V enezuelan de­
mocracy is maturing." His respect
for the v e rd ic t, he asserted ,
proves he is a true dem ocratic
leader.
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