The Student News Site of Northern Michigan University

The North Wind

The North Wind

The North Wind

Meet the Staff
Hannah Jenkins
Hannah Jenkins
Copy Editor

Hi! My name is Hannah Jenkins, and I am one of the copy editors here at the North Wind. I am a sophomore at NMU, and I love all things writing and editing-related. I am proud to be a part of this great...

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About us

The North Wind is an independent student publication serving the Northern Michigan University community. It is partially funded by the Student Activity Fee. The North Wind digital paper is published daily during the fall and winter semesters except on university holidays and during exam weeks. The North Wind Board of Directors is composed of representatives of the student body, faculty, administration and area media.

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Katarina RothhornMarch 28, 2024

BRIEFS

African dance troupe visits Marquette

The Saakumu Dance Troupe, led by internationally known percussionist Bernard Woma, will be performing traditional music from West Africa this Saturday at NMU. The dance troupe is committed to exposing new audiences to the music of Ghana and to Ghanaian culture. “We are inviting the community to be a part of this celebration of life through the music of Saakumu,” said Emmanuel Awuah, an American Council on Education Fellow, who invited Woma and his dance troupe to come to NMU. Woma plays the gyil, an African xylophone instrument made of materials native to West Africa. Woma is known around the world, and especially in West Africa, for his skill with the instrument. He has toured all over the globe as a member of the National Dance Company of Ghana, and has performed with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. The performance will be held at the Forest Roberts Theater on Saturday, March 14, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets will be $15 for the general public, $12.50 for NMU faculty and staff, and $3 for students. “We’re also doing stuff with classes with these performers and that’s the cool part of it,” said Louise Bourgault, who teaches Communication and Performance in Africa courses at NMU. “I think it’s important for students to actually experience African performance.” Bourgault will be helping develop a production by the student group “Standing O” about Woma. It will be part interview and part performance, to be aired on WNMU-TV. The event is being sponsored by the King Chavez Parks Initiative Visiting Professors Program, the Office of the President, Office of the Provost, the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Professional Studies, and the CAPS Department.

– Alex Belz

U.P. Folk festival in its second year

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The Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center invites students to come and get a taste of folk life. The second Upper Peninsula Folklife Festival starts today, March 12, with events scheduled through Sunday, March 22. The festival will include music, dancing, craft demonstrations, workshops, a folklore symposium and regional cuisine. This year the festival has been greatly expanded, said Daniel Truckey, director and curator of the center. “This time around we are hoping for a great turn out,” Truckey said. “The whole point of this festival is to get students in touch with traditional arts and culture.” An opening concert featuring Celtic style music duo John Williams and Dean Magraw, along with local talent, will kick off the festivities on March 12 at 7 p.m. in the Forest Roberts Theatre. Other activities and presentations, including ethnic dance lessons, crafts presentations such as chain saw carving and ski making are scheduled over the next 10 days. Truckey recommended students attend one event in particular, the “Kick Your Heels Funky-Folk Dance.” The concert will be from 7 – 11:30 p.m. on Friday, March 20, in the Explorer Rooms of the University Center. Featured bands include Grass Monkey, Conga Se Menne and The Pasi Cats.The Heritage Center is a U.P. history and culture museum located in the Cohodas building at Northern. A full schedule for the U.P. Folklife Festival can be found under events at http://www.nmu.edu/beaumier. All events are free except for the opening concert which is $6 for students, $15 for NMU faculty and staff and seniors over 60 and $20 for the general public.

– Jay Tomlinson

Job fair to give opportunities to students

Though the economy is currently facing problems, students will have an opportunity to meet with hiring companies to find a job next week. The annual Upper Great Lakes Collegiate Job Fair will be held on March 18 from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.in the Great Lakes Rooms. Students will be able to speak to 50 companies who will be attending, including Wells Fargo, Target stores, the Appleton Police Department. According to John Frick, director of Career Services at Northern, some companies are continuing to hire during the recession. He said that hiring is down 20 percent in the Midwest, and likewise, he saw about a 20 percent decrease in the number of companies who will be attending. Frick said that though technology is increasingly important in finding employment, job fairs offer an important opportunity to meet the employer face-to-face. “Employers still tell us they like coming to job fairs,” Frick said. A workshop is available on March 12 for people who are interested in learning how to be successful at a job fair. The workshop will answer questions about wardrobe, what to say and other information and will be held in 2303 Hedgcock from 6:30 – 7 p.m.

– Lucy Hough

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