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Folkloramaqueen lamentsend of traditionBy Carreen MaloneyFOLKLO RAMA'S f INALfestival queen says she is sad to be the end of alegacy.It’s an honor, but there’s something sad about it around the edges, because I’m the last,” said Shyamala Dakshinanamurti, 21.Dakshinanamurti, queen of the India pavilion, was crowned Folklorama queen Sunday night. Chosen as first princess was Lynda Balneaves from the Great Britain Mug Pub pavilion. Second princess honors went to Theresa Almonte from the Pearl of the Orient Philippine pavilion. Awarded Miss, Congeniality was Marlene Gail Sawa from the Japanese pavilion.Pavilions at next year’s festival will be required to nominate a male and female ambassador, instead of the traditional mayors and queens.PageantryDakshinanamurti said this will give the guys a chance,” to be more involved in Folklorama. Under the current system, men could be excluded from a pavilion’s official representation if both the queen and mayor were women.She says she hopes next year’s ambassador titles won’t take the magic out of representing Folklorama pavilions.I’m hoping they don't lose the pageantry,” said the Dakshinanamurti, 21, a second-year medical student at the University of Manitoba. “It gave the festival a littie bit of panache. I suspect the title is a littie more straight-laced now.The festival will probably have a different flavor to it.”While next year’s crop ofrepresentatives may not wear tieras and participate in pageants, she said the job description will stay the same.Some things are going to change but a lot isn’t,” said Dakshinanamurti. The message you have to carry about multiculturalism won’t change.” Dakshinanamurti said she finds nothing sexist about a Miss Folklorama pageant because it isn’t a beauty contest.FeministInstead, contestants are judged by how well they represent their culture.”I’m a feminist myself, the only sexist thing is that only a girl can run for it — I can't think of any guy who would want to run for Miss Folklorama.” Dakshinanamurti said working with Folklorama has changed her personality.I think now I’m a lot more enthusiastic. There’s something about Folklorama that you can't be cynical or laid back about it. If you are, by the end you’re jumping up and down with enthusiasm.Jaw dropped“There’s something about it that makes you proud of being Canadian.”She said she was surprised when she won the 44-contestant pageant,My jaw just about dropped and hit the floor.” Dakshinanamurti, who was bom in Winnipeg and lives in St.James, works part-time at the Indian School of Dance, Music and Theatre, teaching East Indian classical dance.The Indian pavilion also won the Folklorama queen title two years ago.
Newspaper Details
Winnipeg Free Press
Winnipeg, Manitoba, CA
Tue, Aug 22, 1989
Page 35
Full Page
Clipped by
Jay F.
CA 27 Jul 2020
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