FallFest 2006: Retro ‘80s

-- Vickie Evans-Nash

The seventh annual FallFest celebration was held on Saturday, Sept. 16 at Metropolitan State University’s St. Paul Campus. Strong winds announced the season’s approach but did nothing to discourage students, faculty and community members from enjoying the sun and festivities.

While the DJ spun tunes from the ‘80s, including The Rolling Stones, Prince and Guns and Roses, children enjoyed themselves on the many bouncing, jumping, sliding and climbing inflatables that littered the St. Paul Campus lawn. Children and adults alike ate snow cones, popcorn and piping hot slices of Green Mill pizza while blustery winds often blew cups and plates from tables.

Several student groups were in attendance at the school’s “homecoming.” Nursing student Miriam Inguitia vied for the attention of those nearing the Student Nursing table and encouraged self-breast or self-testicle exams for cancer awareness. She explained that monthly self-exams ensured that a person could more easily recognize changes and seek medical advice.

Similarly Danielle Black, also a nursing student, encouraged children to be health conscious by taking their blood pressure and allowing them to participate.

At the invitation of The Latinos student organization, Danza Mexica Cuauhtemoc performed a Spanish dance. "'Aztec' is a name given to us by the Spanish," one of their dancers explained. "The Mexican people had no true written language, so the Spanish gave them a name that conformed to their alphabet."

Not only was the audience presented with ceremonial dancing accompanied by the assiduous beat of a single drummer, but the group gave a brief, though impassioned, history of oppression, which they argued continues in Mexico today.

Between dances, a member of Danza Mexica Cuauhtemoc urged listeners to remember and take responsibility for the planet and global warming, and with a spiritual approach—by giving thanks to the earth and its elements. He also implored members of the audience to take better care of themselves by avoiding fast food and drugs.

Then he called attention to books he found on Metropolitan State University’s own campus in 1995, which referred to his people as "worshippers of many gods" and he vehemently stated that this was not true. He ended his impromptu speech by apologizing, not for his words, but for those who may have taken offense. He then thanked Metropolitan State University for their invitation and its commitment to educating the community.

Suggestions were given for next years’ theme while the first band set up in the early evening.

Helping to wind down the festivities, local band The Rule entertained the audience with their musical fusion of R&B, Raggae and Pop sounds, while children escaped the wind inside Founders Hall to play "Ms. Pac Man," "Centipede" and other ‘80s arcade games.

Along with greeting attendees, President Wilson Bradshaw thanked students and the community for their participation, extending a special thanks to Amy Keenan, the events coordinator for Metropolitan State University’s Student Senate, who he described as a "driving force" in the event’s planning stages.