Student groups showcase holiday traditions for cultures around the world

Did you know that different states in India have different days that they celebrate the New Year on? How about that umoja means "unity" in Swahili? Do you know why Muslims celebrate Eid? You would, if you came to the 9th-annual "Holidays Around The World" sponsored by the Office of Multicultural Affairs, held Thursday night in the Elliot University Center Auditorium. The event showcased a selection of the holidays and traditions of the many different cultures represented at UNCG.

Around 7 p.m., the evening's masters of ceremonies stepped out from behind the curtain. Esther Milanzi and Gerson Sanchez traded witty, and sometimes silly banter, as they introduced the experience the audience was in store for. Later, Sanchez recalled the event this way: "Events like this are important, because a lot of times we fail to realize how big this world is and that the United States is a huge melting pot," he said. "We need to step out and show our different cultures."

The first performance of the night was put on by the Asian Student Association. They showcased a traditional Hmong ball tossing game that is part of the Hmong New Year celebration, which is celebrated at the end of harvest season, usually in November or December. The game is a traditional way for young men and women to meet. The Hmong are an ethnic group in the mountainous regions of Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar, originating from China. After the game, the students proceeded to show off a traditional Hmong dance. "The most important thing for me about my presentation is being able to demonstrate the beautiful message that was in the songs through our creative traditional dance movements," said Ever Xiong, of the Asian Students Association.

"When I came to UNCG, I associated myself with the organization …and this is when I fell in love with our traditional Hmong dance." They wore traditional clothing that she said symbolizes something in Hmong culture in every pattern.

On two occasions during the evening, Christopher Mayo represented the UNCG poetry group, Well Versed Xpressionz. His first poem evoked a mother's love, and left the audience moved. His second inspired the audience to "Wake up!" as he described the plight of the African-American people against forces outside and inside their culture.

The UNCG Chapter of the NAACP prepared a skit about Kwanzaa, which celebrates African heritage and culture through the making of gifts, celebration of values, and the lighting a kinara. The first Kwanzaa was held in 1966. In the skit, a pair of grandparents humorously reminisced about Kwanzaa to their granddaughters.

The Saudi Student Club and Muslim Student Association took the stage in a wide variety of colorful traditional clothing, to explain the different ways Muslims celebrate Eid around the world. Sanya Khan explained that Eid-al-Fitr is a festival celebrating the end of the holy month of Ramadan, when Muslims fast from dawn until sunset. Students from Pakistan, Egypt and Gambia shared the different ways the holiday is celebrated in their countries.

Native American harvest festivals are celebrated by Native American groups all over North America, according to The Native American Student Association. They demonstrated the difference between traditional, and older harvest celebrations, and more modern ones.

A film highlighting India's growing economic and urban profile started YUVA's presentation. YUVA is the India Student Organization. The group took a look at five major holidays, Holi Durga Puja, Diwali, Bhaisaki, and Sankranti/Pongal. It was important for the students of YUVA to show the audience the many sides of India. "It is true we are poverty stricken, but that is a small part of something we are fighting," said Rajiv Pamidimukkala, president of YUVA. "What you see in Slumdog Millionaire is not India, just a part of it." A Kuthu dance from southern India followed.

Boxing Day is celebrated all over the world. It is a day for families to shop and give what they can to the needy and homeless. The African Student Union's skit depicted the holiday.

Long ago, in the Bahamas, African slaves were given three days of freedom between Dec. 26 and Jan. 1. The slaves spent those days dancing and celebrating all night. The Black Student Union presented an interesting skit, set to poetry, about this little known holiday called Junkanoo.

As the evening wound to a close, the Neo-Black Society Gospel Choir took the stage to sing traditional holiday songs. Their melodious voices filled the auditorium, and the audience even sang along at some points. The audience cheered for an encore, but the award for best skit had to be given. After a judgment by rounds of applause, the Neo-Black society won.

Backstage, helping with the transitions and getting performers ready was Jeffrey Coleman, Assistant Director of Multicultural Affairs. He has organized the Holidays Around the World Event for four years. "I thought that each presentation was engaging, educational, and fun. I loved the creativity that NAACP, Black Student Union, and African Student Union put into their skits. They were funny, yet educational," he said. Coleman also enjoyed the costumes showcased in some of the other presentations. He thought all the presentations were entertaining and well done. As an organizer, he enjoyed watching the students work together. "They really take so much pride in what they present, and how they present it." He continued, "Everyone who attended this event must have walked away with some new knowledge or awareness of a cultural holiday, observance, or custom!"