Battalion
Aggielife
Page 3 • Friday, April 23, 1999
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of cultural diversity to be held at Simpson Field
Story by Stephen Wells
Graphic by Michael Wagener
M any Aggies accept multi
cultural programs in the
same manner as a child
going to the doctor’s office to get a
flu shot — they know it will be
good for them, but they would
rather it not be a pain in the, well,
arm.
This Saturday on Simpson Drill
Field, Whoopstock will be dishing
up courses of culture combined
with a spoonful of contests and ac
tivities to help the multiculturalism
go down.
Whoopstock is a relatively new
tradition. Holly Doughty, a senior
entomology and agricultural devel
opment major and chair of Whoop
stock, said the first Whoopstock
was arranged quickly in response
to a rally held by the Ku Klux Klan.
“The first Whoopstock was in
1993,” Doughty said. “We started
it because there was going to be a
KKK rally in the Bryan-College Sta
tion area that the organizers thought
would bring negative attention to the
community. The organizers didn’t
want a whole lot of people to go to
the rally, so they started Whoopstock
as an alternative place to go and
spend time away from the KKK rally. ”
In the years since its debut,
Whoopstock has grown in populari
ty.
“In the first year, it got started with
just a few people,” Doughty said.
“The [KKK] rally doesn’t have any
thing to do with it now, but we still
see the need to continue to expose the
diversity of the students on this cam
pus. The first year was just a really
quick get-together with a few people
and musical groups. Now it takes a
year and a lot of people to plan.”
For those who have questions to
ask about another culture or simply
want to experience another culture,
Whoopstock creates a relaxed atmos
phere.
“Attitudes on campus have gotten
much better,” Doughty said. “I’ve
been involved with Whoopstock
since I was a sophomore and I’m a
fifth year senior now, but I’ve really
seen it grow. I think more people re
alize the need to see another culture,
but they are afraid to ask a question
because they are nervous they might
offend somebody or look dumb. This
is a chance for people to come and
ask those questions without being
afraid of those things.”
Students will not suffer from a lack
of things to do during the festival.
Throughout the day, students will be
entertained by musical acts, step rou
tines, acts from ’Magination Station,
the High Youth Group of Bryan and
demonstrations from various A&M
student organizations.
In between acts, students can en
ter a six man volleyball tournament
or create a wax sculpture. There will
also be a coloring contest for chil
dren, mehndi art from the Hindu Stu
dent Association and a cricket spit
ting contest put on by the
Entomology Club.
Hungry students can sample foods
from around the globe as well as the
standard festival fare like cotton can
dy.
Ryan Searight, activities director
for Whoopstock and a sophomore
agricultural journalism major, said
the day’s activities will be light on the
pocketbook.
“Most of the stuff people can do
and the contests they can enter are
free,” Searight said. “Except for the
face painting and concessions, stu
dents can have a day of activities for
no money at all. Even for the stuff
you pay for, nothing will be more
than $1.50.”
Students have found Whoopstock
a relaxing way to pass the time dur
ing the most stressful period of the
school year. Jamal Walsh, a junior
electrical engineering major, said stu
dents should attend Whoopstock to
eliminate pre-finals stress.
“Last year, we stumbled across
Whoopstock on the way to the library
to finish up on a project,” Walsh said.
“So, on the way back from doing the
work, we decided we needed to
spend some time relaxing. We asked
the people at Whoopstock what was
going on, and could we come in. We
just sat there on the grass drinking
Coke and listened to music for a cou
ple of hours forgetting about the
stress of that final project. It helped
me relax a lot.”
In addition to the volleyball tour
nament, strengh tests and face paint
ing will go on all day. There will also
be a japapeno eating contest. Other
possibilities for entertainment in
clude a suitcase race, a three-legged
race a joust and a bunjee run. Two
autographed Big 12 footballs will also
be given away.
“Most people just walking by from
their dorms, see the festival and de
cide to stay and enjoy it,” Doughty
said. “They can set out some beach
towels or chairs and just take in the
sun while they listen to good music
all day. We’re not here to press our
thoughts on anybody. We want peo
ple to come and experience another
culture on their own and enjoy them
selves.”
Students may just make a new
friend by attending Whoopstock.
“We need more events like this,”
Searight said. “My roommate got me
involved and I’ve liked meeting new
people so much I’ve stayed with it.
We need to interact with each other
more, especially with people who we
might not get to talk to every day. I’ve
met the coolest people from the
coolest places at Whoopstock.”
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