In case your grip on reality has been completely decimated by the boob tube, here's a quick reminder: Survivor contestants are not Maroons. Morons, occasionally, yes -- but not Maroons. The term refers to runaway slaves from 16th- and 17th-century Guiana and the West Indies, as well as their descendants, whose history and culture comprise the "Creativity and Resistance: Maroon Cultures in the Americas" exhibit that opens today at the Museum of Lifestyle and Fashion History (322 NE Second Ave., Delray Beach). Shortly after the Spanish stumbled upon the Americas, the African slaves they'd brought began escaping from mines and plantations. These slaves actively resisted the plantation system, opting out altogether and setting up their own communities -- away from their slave-driving Euro masters. Some made it; some did not. But the communities that survived gained autonomy and continue to thrive to this day. "Creativity and Resistance" is an account of contemporary Maroon lifestyle, featuring ceremonial objects, pottery, photos, historical drawings, maps, and a time line tracing the culture's evolution. Four hundred years ago, the Maroons were fleeing slave masters; in the 1990s, a Maroon community in Suriname elected its first female village leader. And to think we're stuck with a president who balks at global warming and thinks stem cell research is murder. That's civilized? The exhibit runs through October 17. Call 561-243-2662. --Jason Budjinski
No Bull
Country Night in the city
SAT 8/21
It's time to scour the depths of your closet for your neglected lasso, your fringed boots, and your padded spandex. You'll need the lasso and boots to compete in the Best Cowboy or Cowgirl costume contest, and you'll need the spandex for attempting to set the record for the Longest Mechanical Bull Ride. It's "Country Night" at Montella Park (1231 N. 69th Way, Hollywood). To celebrate, teenager Amber Leigh (who's been called a female Charlie Daniels) will take the stage with her purple fiddle, the Hollywood Jaycees will peddle barbeque dinners (including sweet tea and baked beans), and two-steppers will compete for Best Line Dancer and Best Country Dancer. The event wraps up Hollywood's summer concert series, and it's free. Yee-haw! Call 954-921-3404. --Deirdra Funcheon
