Cultural Unity Fair: Wapato Middle School

In 1982, a group of teachers and school leaders decided to organize an event to combat the perception that gangs dominated the Wapato community. The event has become an annual tradition in which many of the school clubs such as European (CUB) Movimiento Estudiantil Chican@ de Aztlan (MEChA), Asian Youth Organization (AYO), and Native American (NA) would make some of the cultural foods to sell to the community.

This is one of the schools major events as it allows the whole community to gather at a special event in which it showcases many of the different cultures in the Wapato community. Wapato is probably one of the most diverse cities in the lower Yakima Valley as its residents include Native Americans, Caucasians, Japanese, Filipinos, Hispanics, and African Americans. 

I think that one of the important features of this event is the ability for the community to be exposed to the diversity of foods from all ethnicities. For example: CUB club would sell pizza, hotdogs, fries and cupcakes. MEChA club would sell enchilidas, ceviche, nachos, and flan. AFAS club would sell pansit, lumpia, fried rice and fortune cookies. NA club would sell smoked salmon and fried bread. Each year these clubs switch foods; these were just some of the examples from the year I experienced the event.

Not only does the event help create a connection with food, but also with entertainment. Many of the clubs perform traditional dances that have been a part of their culture for many years. From balancing glass cups on their heads to bashing machetes and everything in between these students perform to entertain the community. Many of the dances have been passed down by older students and have remained a part of the school for many years.

This event has created a way for many of the ethnicities to gather in the same place and have the ability to share the diversity the town has to offer. This is something that will always be important in the community and will continue raising its standards to connect everyone, even if it is with food or entertainment.