By Shruti Mungi ’19
Handmade Vietnamese bracelets, melodies of South-Asian music, and broad spreads of cultural meals had been simply a few of the issues attendees skilled at Knox Faculty’s Worldwide Honest 2019.
The week-long gathering of cultures at Knox culminated in a cubicles honest, flag parade, cultural showcase and worldwide meals honest on Saturday, February 2. This 12 months, college students celebrated the theme “Arts & Tradition: Present Us Your Colours.”
At Knox, 17% of the coed inhabitants hails from outdoors the USA, representing 51 totally different international locations on campus. President Teresa Amott echoed Knox’s tradition of range on the flag parade. “Knox Faculty,” she stated. “The entire world is welcome right here.”
In the course of the week, college students demonstrated their cultural identities on Conventional Outfit Day and took half in Kala Pola: Sri Lanka’s Annual Artwork Honest that brings consideration to numerous cultural, ethnic, spiritual, and socioeconomic points by way of artwork.
“Folks are likely to know fundamental, standard artwork varieties from totally different international locations however hardly ever know the importance behind them in these cultures,” stated Poorva Anand ’19, co-president of Worldwide Membership. “This 12 months, we wished to offer college students the prospect to focus on distinctive artwork varieties that different folks won’t find out about.”
I-Honest’s cultural showcase included dances and performances by scholar organizations and people corresponding to a conventional Korean drum dance, a poem about homeland, and a salsa efficiency.
“It is nice how college students are given a chance to showcase their tradition, not solely in entrance of the coed physique, but in addition college members, college students’ households, and the Galesburg neighborhood,” stated Deandra Mazaya ‘19, who participated within the meals honest and cultural showcase with M.E.Ch.A. “This can be a house the place college students are capable of categorical themselves.”
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For Anand, who has lived in six international locations, Worldwide Honest has been a celebration that brings collectively all her experiences. As part of Worldwide Membership, initially as a member of the cultural showcase committee after which as co-president, she was concerned with coordinating the occasion due to the significance of range in her life.
“I’ve been fortunate sufficient to stay in several international locations and see a large number of cultures come collectively,” Anand commented. “That is one thing I’ve completed my complete life, but it surely won’t be the identical for different folks.”
The worldwide meals honest included 24 totally different dishes corresponding to Jägerschnitzel cutlets by German Membership, Yakitori by Japanese Membership, and spicy shrimp by A.B.L.E. Lengthy Le ’21 participated within the cubicles honest as part of UNICEF Membership and later served meals on behalf of Asian Scholar Affiliation.
“That is my second 12 months collaborating in I-Honest, and I discover myself coming again as a result of it introduces quite a lot of totally different cultures to everybody,” stated Le. “The meals honest is particularly my favourite as a result of it helps me recognize the exhausting work that everybody places into the occasion to make it successful.”
Eryn Jackson ’18 commented that she regretted not collaborating in I-Honest throughout her first three years at Knox. She got here again this 12 months to have a good time the occasion together with her associates.
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“Occasions like this are what makes Knox a superb place to find out about totally different cultures,” she added. “Everyone seems to be at all times excited to inform you about their very own background.”
Printed on February 19, 2019
