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Chasco Fiesta rift creates rocky relations
By ALISA ULFERTS © St. Petersburg Times, published January 16, 2001 Peter Altman wants to improve relations between the organizers of the annual Chasco Fiesta and the American Indians it attempts to honor. And he thinks the county could help. The county commissioner will ask his colleagues on Wednesday to consider kicking in some more money to bring additional authentic American Indian groups to the festival. (The festival already gets tourist tax dollars from the county Tourist Development Council.) But a local American Indian advocacy group said Altman's pitch won't go far enough to erase the hurt it says is inflicted each March when Chasco Fiesta participants dress up in traditional garb and dance about. "We would like the Chasco Fiesta to change its theme," said Ruby Beaulieu, the Pasco director of the American Indian Movement (AIM). Angered by Chasco's Christmas parade portrayal of American Indians that they say is "stereotypical and racist," AIM members earlier this month called for a boycott of Pasco County as a tourist destination and for sponsors of Chasco Fiesta to revoke their support of that spring event. AIM, which filed a complaint last year with the attorney general, objects to the March event, which it says is based on the belief that "traditional indigenous culture and spirituality is savage, barbaric and heathen." The Chasco Fiesta's float in the Christmas parade "was even more outrageous and racist than previous actions by the chamber," AIM said this month in a statement. "What it promotes is whooping and hollering in the audience and that is very hurtful to any Native Americans there," Beaulieu said last week. But Altman said the Chasco Fiesta has improved its portrayal of American Indians in recent years. And rather than heed calls for Chasco to change or disappear, Altman said the county should consider "improving the authenticity" of the event. "I'm just saying, I think we're better off doing a better job of holding up our Native American heritage," Atman said. But he doesn't want to see the county's support of cultural affairs end with Chasco. Altman said he'll also ask county commissioners to consider some funding for other county festivals. County commissioners meet at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Historic Pasco County Courthouse in Dade City. - Alisa Ulferts covers Pasco County government. She can be reached in west Pasco at 869-6244 or (800) 333-7505, ext. 6244. Her e-mail address is ulferts@sptimes.com.
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