Cultural Bazaar Benefits Natives

Colorful shawls and exotic necklaces replaced students’ laptops at the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies (DRCLAS) this weekend during a benefit bazaar sponsored by Cultural Survival, a non-profit organization that advances the rights of indigenous people across the globe.

The smell of Tibetan curry permeated the air against the backdrop of cool Caribbean rhythms as locals weaved through the stalls staffed by 38 vendors from around the world.

Agnes Portalewska, the special events and membership coordinator of Cultural Survival, said that the merchants donate 40 percent of their sales to the organization, amounting to between $20,000 and $60,000 in profits per bazaar.

“This event gives an opportunity for people to learn about other cultures through crafts,” Portalewska said. “They see something tangible, and they are more eager to value it.”

Subhash Sehgal of Framingham is a proud supporter of the event and has participated as a vendor since 1993. Every year he displays henna blocks, saris, and Hindu figurines from his childhood home in India.

“One design isn’t always used in one piece or one form of art. Cultural Survival allows us to express this diversity to the rest of the world,” Sehgal said.

Timothy Swallow of the Oglala Sioux Tribe came all the way from South Dakota’s Pine Ridge reservation to help raise money for the organization.

“It’s about the world and keeping culture alive, saving it,” said Swallow, who proudly displayed his handmade dream catchers.

The funds raised from the weekend’s bazaar will be used to implement various development programs for indigenous groups. This year’s plans involve an assistance project for reindeer herders in southern Siberia and Mongolia and a radio station upgrade project in Guatemala, according to Kathleen Kilgore, Cultural Survival’s development officer.

“The Mayans are so proud of this [radio] program. They say, ‘We don’t need to fight for our rights anymore. We will struggle for democracy with a microphone,’” Kilgore said.

The bazaar, which has been held at Harvard for the last 28 years, traditionally took place at Harvard Law School’s Pound Hall. This year’s event was at the Center for Government and International Studies, where DRCLAS has offices. Organizers expressed concern about the location change, but that did not seem to detract from the crowd—organizers estimate that 3,000 visitors attended the event.

“I love the bazaar. You can never feel like you’re spending money in a bad way,” said Regina Durga, an energy efficiency program manager from Boston.

And youngsters agreed. “I like the designs on the masks and the jewelry,” said eight-year-old Drew Butler, who was there with his grandfather. “It’s really hard to make these, but they’re so cool.”

In addition to food and crafts, the event featured a wide range of musical performances, including Nipmuc flute playing, traditional Lakota singing, and Senegalese drumming.

David H. Maybury-Lewis, emeritus Henderson research professor of anthropology, founded Cultural Survival in 1972 after he conducted research on the indigenous people of Brazil with his wife Pia Maybury-Lewis.