Enjoy Seattle Center Festal's Hmong New Year Celebration on Saturday Nov. 6 from 10AM to 5PM

Seattle Center Festal: Hmong New Year Celebration, Saturday, Nov. 6, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., in Center House, helps to preserve the unique traditions of this Southesast Asian highland culture that originates in the mountains of China, Laos and Thailand. Dance, traditional music, historical exhibits and the customary courtship ritural of ball tossing demonstrate this culture"s compelling legacy.

The Lunar New Year is a time to welcome the prosperity of the coming year and the passing of the previous year. This year's celebration features:

*New Breed, a young and upcoming band from California, who has performed at various New Years throughout the country.
*Toucer and his band from North Carolina performing with guest singer Yee Khang.
*The famous Hmong actor Nuj Nplaib (Kue Lee), who is known for his leading role in many Hmong movies.
*Ntxhais Thaj Yeeb cultural dancers from California. They have competed in several competitions in that state, taking 1st place at the Fresno Hmong International New Year.

The festival features a special exhibit in the Harrison Gallery by Hmong artist SeeXeng Lee of Minnesota. SeeXeng is an art teacher at Minneapolis South High School. He strives to preserve the Hmong culture through his art while inspiring the youth to identify what is Hmong. He will also give a lecture in Center House Conference Room H.

The 22 Festál cultural celebrations highlight the common forms of tradition and expression among ethnic communities in the Pacific Northwest, while underscoring their unique creative contributions, customs, foods and ideals.

Did you know? Purple and green are the colors of the culture. Beef salad or "Laab" is a favorite food, and the staple is white rice, eaten with variety of vegetables, hot peppers and boiled or fried meat. Soy, fish, hoisin sauce, garlic, lemongrass and cilantro are common ingredients.

The greatest source of cultural pride is derived from the Hmong kinship and clan system, where regardless of geography, members are welcome within the same clan. The Hmong people produce intricate clothing patterns or "flower clothes." Integrated cultivation of dry rice, maize, and opium poppy, silverwork and handmade woven clothing also contribute to the Hmong livelihood.

Seattle Center Festál: Hmong New Year Celebration is presented by Seattle Center in partnership with the Hmong Association of Washington.

For a full event schedule, visit www.hmongassociationofwa.org, and for more information on this cultural series and other Seattle Center programming, click on www.seattlecenter.com/festal or call 206 684-7200.

More Information: www.seattlecenter.com