On Scene: Thai Elephant Day sings and dances at the Denver Zoo  
| 04 April 2011 |
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The zoo's second celebration of the day included a traditional elephant buffet for their two Asian elephant residents, Dolly and Mimi, who gobbled down fresh fruits and vegetables on long tables. The buffet for the elephants is an annual event in parts of Thailand. Activity stations surrounded the elephant habitat introducing the zoo's new Asian Tropics exhibit, highlighting important conservation efforts and interpreting the relationship between Asian elephants and humans.Individuals from Denver's Thai community were invited to share their culture at the event. In addition to the traditional dancing, fruit carvers shared the Thai art of turning fruits and vegetables into works of art. "I love sharing the traditions of my country with the Colorado community, especially if it is for a good cause" said Hongsunirundon, a University of Colorado at Boulder graduate from Bangkok. "Elephants are very important animals in Thailand and must be protected." The dances were accompanied with a live band complete with old-fashioned Thai instruments. The performers wore brightly colored costumes. Head scarves, intricate headdresses and bold gold jewelry transported the crowd to the Far East. Elaine Rowland, the zoo's events specialist, said the day-long event was to stress the importance of conservation efforts and showcase the new Asian Tropics expansion, a 10-acre facility that is scheduled to open in spring 2012. "We wanted to bring the cultural experiences to the zoo," she said. For more information about the Denver Zoo’s Asian Tropics exhibit, visit www.denverzoo.org/AT. |
Clad in traditional Thai dancing attire, Varita Hongsunirundon and Rattawit Angkhasakulkiat glided barefoot across the ground of the Denver Zoo. They are a part of the dance group from Wat Buddhawararam in Denver invited to share their talents in celebration of National Thai Elephant Day on March 13.