Copyright © 2001 NLThomas
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Can you imagine a "Sambo Festival" in which the key African-American character joins with the slave traders and is hailed as a hero because she abandoned the less human African culture for that of the dominant society? Or a "Holocaust Festival" in which a Jewish girl joins with the Nazi's emphasizing the good of the NAZI regime and showing how bad Jewish culture is?

Probably not. But this is exactly the premise of New Port Richey and the West Pasco Chamber of Commerce's Chasco Fiesta.

The festival is based and celebrates racist former New Port Richey Postmaster Gerben Devries novella in which the mythical Queen Chasco (Indigenous societies were not based on European Monarchies) of the Calusa (a people wiped out in genocidal attacks by the Spanish) abandons her people, and eschews the ways of her people for the "better" way of the dominant society. Terms such as "heathens", "savages" "brutes" and the "people who betrayed Christ" are used to refer to Indigenous peoples, culture and spirituality. In this mythical portrayal the Chasco Fiesta celebrates the genocide of the Calusa, after all they are heathens, savages, etc.; and dehumanizes and devalues traditional Indigenous spirituality and cultural practices while glorifying the values and colonialism of the dominant society.

Beginning in 1995 AIM-Florida State Executive Director Sheridan Murphy, State Information Director Mark Madrid, and State Field Director Jennifer Smith began attempting dialogue with the West Pasco Chamber of Commerce in an effort to address the racism and stereotypical portrayal of Indigenous peoples. Their sole response has been to increase Native participation in the pow-wow portion of their festival. Shouldn't there be Indian people involved in a pow-wow anyway? In 1999 the Chamber met with Sheridan Murphy, North Florida Director David Narcomey and Pasco Director Ruby Beaulieu in a last-ditch effort at dialogue. The result has been no substantive change from the Chasco Fiesta. Further Chasco organizers have stated they are unable to see what's offensive about their celebration trumpeting wanabee's that have endorsed this festival and its revolting message.

AIM-Florida can, and will no longer tolerate this disgraceful, and offensive celebration of genocide and assimilation. AIM-Florida will now use any means necessary to bring a halt to this festival's pageant and parade. We ask all our supporters to continue to urge an international tourist boycott of Pasco County (New Port Richey), to continue to contact the sponsors of this festival and urge them to withdraw sponsorship.

We also ask that you join AIM-Florida's protest of the revoltingly racist pageant on March 22 at 7pm in Sims Park-New Port Richey, FL and our March 24th protest beginning at 1pm of the Chasco Fiesta Parade.

As we know you would not tolerate a Sambo Festival or a Holocaust Festival we know you will join us in putting a stop to this disgraceful and shameless display of racism in the 21st century