The eclectic cultural complexion that is the modern East End is too rich and diverse to possibly represent in a single event, nonetheless, the Parrish Art Museum, in cooperation with the Rogers Memorial Library, presented a stellar afternoon celebrating the Native American, Mexican, Greek, Irish and African American elements of it with glorious music and dance.
Appropriately, the event opened with a celebration of the East End’s original inhabitants as Autumn Rose Williams and Mattah Wright, Miss Shinnecock Nation Teen and Junior Teen, respectively, represented the indigenous people and culture that against all the odds of occupation, immigration and development have preserved their way of life through the evolution of the Hamptons from unspoiled wilderness to affluent society playground. The next scheduled group was described in the program as “Scottish Bagpipers featuring Carol Price.”
Unfortunately, particularly for this son of Scotland, the bagpipers scheduled to participate had to cancel due to a “conflict” according to the event’s organizer Jennifer Duque, the Parrish Art Museum’s gracious Director of Family Programs. Well shame on the Scots and, truly, their loss! Thankfully, Grupo Folklorico Xochipilli from Mexico expanded their performance to two appearances filling the void left by my fellow Caledonians. The troupe gave an endearing performance, both in their scheduled time slot and later on in the show, which proudly celebrated their Mexican heritage in beautiful traditional costumes, music and dance.