At a time when even one of the most iconic American traditions – the immigrant experience – is politically controversial, it’s comforting to see my local community offering international students an opportunity to experience another iconic American tradition – carving pumpkins for Halloween. This story in today’s newspaper features a pumpkin-carving event sponsored by the Reves Center for International Studies, which was established in 1989 with a give from Wendy Reves in memory of her husband Emery. The Reves Center supports and promotes the internationalization of learning, teaching, research, and community involvement at the College of William & Mary.
Last Friday, the Reves Center sponsored its 18th annual Pumpkin Carving. For an hour, over 50 participants -- international students, their families, and some local residents – came out to carve pumpkins. The carvers combined traditional Halloween themes with images from their own cultures, creating one-of-a-kind carvings that garnered admiration and awards.
The contest’s judge was the college Provost, Peggy Agouris, who was an international student from Greece in her early years. This contest features a different judge every year, and each judge is free to interpret the carving categories – most international, most creative, and most traditional – in her own way. The event organizers provide pumpkins, carving tools, themed design suggestions, and lots of apple cider and candy. Winners of the competition received swag bags containing Reves Center mugs, stress balls, and – yes – more candy.
The article describes some of the pumpkin carvings. A student from India carved the Hindu symbol “Om” on one side of the pumpkins and a traditional jack-o-lantern face on the other side. A student from China combined the Chinese zodiac symbol for the Year of the Rabbit with an actual rabbit. I think you had to be there to understand exactly what this was.
On Monday, I attended an Osher class at the Campus Center, which is next door to the Reves Center. I saw the pumpkins but didn’t stop to look at them. I’ll be there again today, and I expect to see the remains of the carved pumpkins.
I like newspaper articles like this one. Amid all the sturm und drang (international reference there), simple events like this are happening across the world. People are people, and who doesn’t like to carve a pumpkin? Although one student, when asked what was different about this experience, responded “the inside.” We can all relate.
🎃😎