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Students seek new Frontier 

Petitioners want more multicultural name for Fiesta

Daily Cougar Staff

Saying that the nature of Frontier Fiesta, the traditional UH festival, excludes minorities, several members of ethnic student organizations at UH circulated a petition Wednesday seeking to change the eventis name to include multicultural participants. 

"I signed the petition to change the name of Frontier Fiesta to something that represents the entire University population," junior advertising major Torri Bryant said. "The name just doesnit represent me."

Many students who said they signed the petition cited the connotation of the word "frontier" ? and thus "the wild west" ? as being negative.

"The term ‘frontieri denotes a time of enslavement for minorities; why not have something like ‘UH Fiestai?" Bryant asked.

Frontier Fiesta staff members who were approached with the idea of changing the eventis name said they denied the request because of time restrictions.

"When it was presented to us, we were too far along to help them," said Robin Lewis, director of productions. 

About 40 days before Fiestais opening, the Council for Ethnic Organizations helped to organize a meeting between several students who were concerned about the eventis name and members of the Frontier Fiesta Association, said David Dalton, chairman of Frontier Fiesta. Between seven and 10 students attended the meeting, he said.

The students circulating the petition are doing so as individuals, not as members of their organizations, and they have not officially presented it to the Frontier Fiesta Organization, Dalton, a junior architecture major, said.

However, he said he does know about the issue, and he is open to the idea of changing the name. The reason it couldnit happen this year is that the idea was presented when Fiesta was too far into the planning stages.

"When the event starts planning in the Fall, that is the time," he said, adding that making the change so "late in the game" would be too costly. Frontier Fiesta is funded in part by student fees, and changing Fiestais name would put a lot of money spent on letterheads and flyers for the event down the drain, he said.

When asked about speculations surrounding racism and Frontier Fiesta, Lewis, who is black, said, "If racism is going on, I have no idea."

She did acknowledge that she understood why people are putting together the petition.

"Some people might feel that the event is racist because the groups that participate in variety shows are traditionally white sororities and fraternities," Lewis said.

But she also said she does not perceive it to be a problem.

"Itis a new day. If I saw blatant racism going on I would have that taken care of," she said.

"This is a showcase for the University of Houston students to show their talent," Lewis said.

The event is open to all UH student organizations. 

"Because it has this western theme, people assume that itis a white event. (But) look at the Houston rodeo," Lewis said. "Frontier Fiesta is here for students, alumni, staff, everyone."

Fiesta City, the town built by UH student organizations to facilitate the event, officially opens today at 5 p.m.

? with additional reporting by Tiffany Dean

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