04/17/2012
La Familia Latina (LFL) of SUNY Cortland will host an Areito celebration of Caribbean Latino culture on Saturday, April 21.
The event, which takes place at the Lynne Parks ’68 SUNY Cortland Alumni House, will begin at 4:30 p.m. Tickets are $6 each and the event is open to the public.
The Areito, which is a ceremony associated with ancestor worship that is performed by the Taíno people of the Caribbean, will celebrate Latino heritage through scholarship, food and music. Traditionally, the Areito ceremonies involve dancing and music. The Areito is an important component in the social, political and religious lives of the Taíno people.
Boyd Servio-Mariano, an anthropologist and philanthropist, will give a presentation titled “Tronar Tambore (Thunderous Drum Roll): Channeling and Nurturing Our Indigenous Culture.” The discussion will be followed by a workshop with Servio-Mariano’s family and friends who are a part of the Lumalali Garifuna Drummers.
Other activities include a cultural Latino dinner and music featuring DeeJay Javila from 8 to 11 p.m.
LFL focuses on educating the campus about the Latino culture and seeks to create a support system and a sense of "family" for students on the campus.
For more information, contact Jonathan Rodriguez.