Art is a universal language. If you were one of the thousands at the Bowling Green International Festival at Circus Square on Saturday, consider yourself multilingual if you didn’t already.

Native African children danced and sang sweetly, and Asian girls in silk regalia put on a fashion show.

The aroma of barbecue, funnel cakes, Greek food and Bosnian cevapi sausages tooth-picked to fluffy bread drifted across the park, successfully snagging many passers-by. This also is true art.

Ghana native Kwame Miller brought his knowledge of his nation’s art to the International festival.

“Most of it is very hard wood, very hard to carve; it’s a little bit expensive,” he said, referring to the abundance of ebony statues of different sizes and shapes lying on the table.

One unusual rendition of Jesus on the cross portrayed his arms lying vertically on the cross, kind of like a pitchfork cross, instead of the traditional T shape.

On the table sat a carving of a bird whose head was craning around and backwards, which symbolizes looking into the past and learning from your ancestors, Miller explained.

At the Pakistan booth there were several examples of Mughali art which is so fine a regular paintbrush cannot be used.

Instead artists use a match stick to paint on a cloth, said Khan, native Pakistani and Russellville doctor, who said his first name was too hard to pronounce or spell.

Among the abundance of intricate items in Khan’s tent was a richly ornate sheshem (similar to teakwood) wood table with intricate designs typical of Middle Eastern art. This table would take a day of work, Khan said.

When it comes to the people of the world, art is not just sculptures and paintings. Some believe that because food is an art form, dishes should be a piece of art as well.

At the Thailand and China booths, carefully hand painted sushi dishes and china sets waited to be claimed into homes.

One very large, square china plate depicted a large mountain overlooking a village hut; it was something your grandmother would never allow you to eat on.

At the Native American booth, Standing Horse, or Sam Talley, a member of the intertribal council in the Bowling Green area, explained the Indian’s regalia.

The tradition of the ribbon shirt came from the Trail of Tears (or the Death March, as the Indians know it) because the Indians didn’t have time to bury their loved ones, so they would tear off a piece of their raiment.

“The ribbons remind us of our ancestors who died,” Standing Horse said.

Most tribes wear a headdress of feathers while the Cherokee wear turbans reminiscent of bandanas.

A woman jingled by in a sky blue dress covered with silver cones. The jingle dress comes from a Jibway legend where a grandmother was praying to the Great Spirit for her sick granddaughter.

In a dream, the Great Spirit told the grandmother to add a cone each day she prayed; after 365 days, her prayers were answered, Standing Horse said.

At another booth, Western students helped children create their own art.

Little girls made fairy tale princess outfits complete with the wizard-like cone hat and flowing material coming out of it and other children decorated coasters made from CDs.

Sharday Evans, a senior corporate communications major from Nashville, came with a class two years ago and enjoyed the festival so much she decided to come again and volunteer for the “Free Kids’ Stuff” booth this time.

“We’re making card books,” she chuckled. “It’s a lot of fun.”

Reach Tabitha Waggoner at diversions@chherald.com.