Tis the festival for trees and harps
BY CASEY JOHNSON
Christinas time for many
means a lot of tradition, and
perhaps the most famous tra
dition is decorating a
Christmas tree.
In accordance with that
tradition, the First Plymouth
Church will be the site of the
second-annual “Festival of
TYees,” a fundraising event
benefiting Abendmusik:
Lincoln. Abendmusik, which
means “night music” in
German, is a non-profit
organization that supports a
concert series emphasizing
choral and orchestral works.
' The festival includes three
events over two days, starting
on Friday night withapreview
< of the decorated trees,
wreaths, gaiiands and gift bas
kets that will be auctioned off
during the festival.
Proceeds from the event
will go to benefit the organiza
tion, helping the chorus travel
to various places around the
country and the world.
Sue Buss, executive direc
tor of Abendmusik: Lincoln,
said her favorite part of the
event is the trees and wreaths.
“If you can imagine walk
ing into a room with 26
uniquely decorated trees all
with different themes, it is
truly spectacular," she said
The themes of the trees
will range from wine to nut
crackers. The preview will cost
$15 per person and will
include holiday music, wine
and snacks. On Sunday, the
Abendmusik: Lincoln concert
series will present “Harpening
Concert” A harp quartet will
play traditional religious car
ols and holiday favorites.
Kathy Glenn, a member of
the organizational committee
for the “Festival offtees” and a
member of the Abendmusik
choir, said being involved with
Abendmusik has been a great
addition to her life.
"I enjoy music, and I enjoy
singing, and I enjoy being able
to give something back to the
community,” she said.
Buss said die would like to
see the festival continue
annually, which may happen
depending on this year's pop
ularity. "We are carrying on a
tradition that, hopefiilly, we
expect to continue to kick off
the holiday season for years to
come,” she said
Buss said she appreciates
the efforts of the people
involved with die festival
“It is wonderful - the gen
erosity that people have
shown for this festival,” she
said. “Everything that goes
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into the festival is donated.
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talent and money to help us
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“It is a good reminder of
what Christmas means.”
Homecoming 2000
Overall Winnners
Follow the Red Brick Road to Victory
Sorority Division Residence Hall
Kappa Alpha Theta Neihardt
Fraternity Division Office Display
Sigma Nu Office of Admissions
Student Organization
Innocents Society
Sponsored by ASUN Homecoming Steering
Committee—472-2581
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12th & O - Gateway Mall
www.sartorhamann.com
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-
Courtesy photos
LEFT: In the movie
"Vertical Limit,*
Peter (Chris
O'Donnell) and
Monique (Izabella
Scorupco) attempt
to pull their fellow
climbers to safety
nearly 26,000feet
above sea level.
BELOW: Kate (Tea
Leoni) and Jack
Campbell (Nicholas
Cage) discuss their
marriage in the
movie "The Family
Man."
Holiday movies grasp for awards
MOVIES from page 6
Michelle Yeoh that has rewritten
the genre in terms of acrobatics
and sheer epic drama. Director
Ang Lee (of die beautiful “The Ice
Storm”) returned to his roots and
has crafted a film that basically
drew raves everywhere it has
played, irkirk
“Thirteen Days” (Dec. 22)-A
retelling of the Cuban Missile
Crisis finds Kevin Costner in his
second of audience-approved
roles - a government insider of
sorts that is a little-known adviser
to John F. Kennedy (Bruce
Greenwood) named Kenny
O’Donnell, who may have been a
key player in defusing the crisis.
After slight accuracy problems
doomed “The Hurricane” last
year, one assumes getting the
story right is die premium, kkk
“O Brother, Where Art Thou?”
(Dec. 22) - Joel and Ethan Coen
put a good year into a Depression
era epic that mirrors Homer’s
“Odyssey” and stars George
Clooney in the tide role that will
likely stretch his acting dollar.
John Turturro and Tim Blake
Nelson co-star. This opened to
lukewarm reviews at Cannes ear
lier this year, kkk
“Traffic” (Dec. 22) - Steven
Soderbergh might get two best
director nods in one year for
“Brockovich,” and this effort,
which stars Michael Douglas,
Catherine Zeta-Jones and Dennis
Quaid in a rise-and-fall epic of a
drug lord, kkk
“Cast Away” (Dec. 22) -Tom
Hanks is the lone survivor of a
crash in the middle of the ocean,
marooned on an open island.
There are no pirates and no
damsel in distress - just a mostly
silent Hanks, a volleyball that
floats ashore, becoming his lone
friend, and nature. It could work,
or it could flop miserably as some
sort ofweirdo nature film, kkk Vi
“All the Pretty Horses” (Dec.
\
25) - Billy Bob Thornton’s third
movie has been pushed back and
back, all the way since June. Is that
a good sign? Matt Damon stars as
a cowboy drifter who runs across
his Mexican dream (Penelope
Cruz), whose love will cost him
everything, his freedom included.
★★★
"Requiem for a Dream”
(before Jan. 1) - It has already
opened in most major American
cities, but not in Omaha or
Lincoln. It will likely get a play in
the River City before the year is up.
Darien “Pi” Aronofsky’s follow-up
has been described as such an
unflinching look at heroin and pill
addiction that it could play as a
full-length public service
announcement ★★★★
Other movies that are open
ing before Jan. 1 in major cities,
but, uh, not around here - “The
Gift,” David Mamet’s “State and
Main,” “The House of Mirth” and
"Shadow of the Vampire.”
The leisurely or action
packed fare:
“102 Dalmatfons” (Nov. 22) -
Cruella DeVille (Glenn Close) is
back. So are the dogs. ★★
"Proof of Life” (Dec. 8) -
Russell Crowe attempts life after
“Gladiator” as a hostage negotia
tor in a foreign country. It is Meg
Ryan’s husband being held. This
would be die movie that basically
broke up Ryan and Dennis
Quaid’s marriage, as she fell into
Crowe’s arms. ★★
“Vertical Limit” (Dec. 8) -
Chris O'Donnell went from possi
ble matinee idol to taking on a
mountain avalanche of
Himalayan snow in an attempt to
save his stranded climbing sister
(RobinHinney). Did I see a Scott
Glenn sighting in the trailer? ★★
“What Women Want” (Dec.
15) - Mel Gibson drops by in the
comedy genre by suddenly
becoming aware of all thoughts of
all women. It should have been
called “Look Who's Ruminating.”
★★★
“Miss Congeniality” (Dec. 22)
- Sandra Bullock goes undercover
from the FBI to the beauty queen
circuit to catch a crook. She’s gruff
to start and demure to end. And
she’s got a crush on Benjamin
Bratt. ★★★
“The Family Man” (Dec 22) -
Nicolas Cage is in one of those “It's
a Wonderful Life” deals where he
gets to lead a different life with
wife (Tea Leoni) and kids. Can you
Capra? Can you say probably not?
★★
*0
S • *
Recycle your
Nebraskan
.or else.
African
pieces fill
Rotunda
BYJILLZEMAN
Patrons strolling through the
Rotunda Gallery today and
Tuesday may think they’re
halfway across the world.
The gallery has been trans*
formed into a showcase of African
clothing, art and cultural pieces.
Representatives from the
African Students Association
brought items from their home
countries in Africa to make up the
exhibition.
African flags hang from the
ceiling, each denoting a country
that is represented by students
who attend the University of
Nebraska-Lincoln.
Traditional clothing, sculp
tures and posters are displayed on
the walls of the gallery, while
African music and videos will be
played from 8 am. to 8 pm
Senior environmental studies
major Natasha Sekitoleko said die
exhibition provides a virtual tour
of Africa for students.
“Alot of them will never have a
chance to go to Africa,” she said.
“ (The exhibition) is a good way to
expose people to different cul
tures.”
buck Kinyungu, a junior bio
chemistry major, brought masks
from the Giriama tribe in Kenya to
display. There are several other
objects on display that reflect cul
tures of each individual country,
he said.
The traditional clothing also
represents differences between
African countries, he said.
For example, in more mod
ernized countries such as Kenya,
traditional clothing is rarely worn.
But in West-African countries
such as Ghana, it’s common to see
people wear the clothing that's on
display in the gallery.
The objects displayed are only
the tip of die iceberg, Kinyungu
said.
“This may look like a lot, but
it’s only a small iota of what Africa
is," Kinyungu said. "We want to
prove we also have a culture,
something we can be proud o£”
Courtney Yilk, a graduate stu
dent in museum studies, said the
African exhibition differs from a
typical exhibit in many ways.
For example, in a museum,
there’s no person behind the
object on display, she said.
“We’re lucky because we have
the voices of people to interpret
the pieces,” she said.
Lucien Solefack, a senior
computer engineering major and
president of ASA, said he’s been
pleased so far with contributions
to the exhibition.
Solefack said he thought the
exhibition gives people a broader
perspective of what African cul
ture is like. The pieces on display
show off the creativity of African
artists and designers, he said.
“It brings people a little closer
to the human nature (of Africa),”
he said.
Ami Traore, a junior agricul
tural economics major from Mali,
said she thought students could
learn a lot from the exhibition.
"These are things you don’t
see only” she said.
