Students celebrate culture through MALAINA carnival

By Annabelle Himes, HC28

Students no longer have to travel far to experience an international festival of food and dance. This fall, the front lawn of Fok Hall was transformed into the MALAINA carnival, an event which celebrates cultures from around the world. MALAINA, which stands for Middle East, African American/Black, Latino/Latina, Asian/Pacific Islander, International, and Native American, is an initiative of the Sokolov Honors College which aims to educate, unify and empower students of all cultures and backgrounds. During the carnival, students were invited to learn about the initiative, try new foods, and learn different cultural dances.

More than ten countries were showcased at the festival, including Egypt, Yemen, Turkey, Nigeria, the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Vietnam, India and Pakistan. Students represented their countries by sharing information and experiences with fellow honors students while wearing their cultural attire. Additionally, students in MALAINA prepared food to share with everyone in attendance. There were many cuisines to sample, including butter chicken from India, Spanish rice, pastelitos, flan, falafel, fried rice and baklava. “The exposure and new awareness of what else is out there might be the biggest takeaway of the event. Now that I know what I did not know, I have a richer life experience,” MALAINA leader and event organizer Oluwatumininu Adeeko said.

“Students participating shared that it was great to experience a new culture and be part of something they never thought they would be part of,” coordinator for student enrichment and diversity programs Johnny Ware said.