Portland, Maine is a city founded by immigrants, yet little of the city’s immigrant heritage is widely known throughout the Portland community. Welcoming the Stranger provides a forum for community groups, arts-related organizations and individuals to explore the theme of immigration and belonging – both past and present. The stories of Welcoming the Stranger: Building Understanding Through Commun
ity Based Art will be told through a site-specific art installation using audio recordings, artifacts, and textiles. The exhibit is designed to illustrate the rich cultural heritage that develops from multicultural contributions to the community. To build bridges of understanding between the “old and new” immigrant populations, the events will be woven together over a two-month period. The installation for visitors to explore includes:
Abraham’s Tent, an installation comprised of textiles, sound recordings, calligraphic and symbolic writing and floor coverings. Abraham’s Tent greets visitors at the entrance to the Museum. Members of the Portland community will create a weaving at local green spaces. Visitors will be able to read the history of House Island and the impact of the 1924 Immigration Law. Sarah’s Generosity presents the history of seven Jewish women who created a kosher kitchen on House Island in Casco Bay to provide food for the immigrants of the 1920’s. Each woman’s story is told through images such as photos, tax records, obituaries, gravestone images, tzitiyot and family trees transferred onto aprons. Habeas Corpus presents the modern-day stories of immigrant cab drivers in Portland. Often these individuals were professionals - teachers, engineers or physicians - in their homeland. Audio interviews document their struggles to achieve the better life in America for which they sacrificed everything. Their ‘voices’ will tell the story of all immigrants – current and past – and be shared from within a taxi cab. Additional events include guest speakers, music and community forums:
• City wide ‘weaving’ events to create “Abrahams Tent”
• Reading and book signing of the children’s book “I’m New Here.” Children from after care programs will attend. Participating organizations will receive signed copies of the book.
• Performance and community forum presented by Color of Community – young immigrants and asylum seekers who strive to open people’s minds and hearts by telling their stories.
• Conference to be held in conjunction with Colby College in which students will present research papers and contribute to the Maine Jewish Museum’s collection on Maine Jewish immigration.
• Collaborative Weaving Workshops and Tea to teach traditional rug making techniques to members of the Portland community.
• Cross-cultural Concert by the Casco Bay Tummlers Klezmer band and Burundi Drummers. This exhibit is ideally suited for student groups, civic and service organizations, people of all faiths and recent immigrants. Each audience will discover the true meaning of the Jewish, Islamic and Christian tenet that they all share to ‘welcome the stranger. ‘
