The Muslim Student Association and South Asian Cultural Alliance collaborated in hosting Mehndi Night on Thursday Nov. 17. Allen Hall room 101 was filled with energy as over 50 people gathered in celebration.
Mehndi, also known as henna, is a dye used in various cultures for the stain it leaves on one’s skin. It is often used as part of joyous events such as weddings and birthdays. In South Asian cultures it is used in the celebration of Diwali, also known as the festival of lights. In Islam it is used in the celebration of Eid, which occurs twice yearly to celebrate the end of Ramadan and the beginning of the Qurbani ceremony. Henna symbolizes good health, a successful marriage, happiness, and new beginnings.
“Mehndi is used as part of community,” Nayantara Arora, the secretary of SACA, said, “a form of adding extra significance to already significant events.”
The event was a welcoming space for people of all backgrounds to learn about Mehndi and try using it. Students divided into small groups and took turns applying henna to each other. Many students have used henna for many years but tutorials were provided on how to apply the henna and create various designs.
Some students believe that whether you appreciate or appropriate a culture depends on your intention, the setting, and the purpose. For this reason some believed attending Mehndi night is a sign of appreciation, but applying henna for Coachella is not.
“Henna is a part of South Asian culture that is very aesthetic and easy to pick out and want to try out,” Arora said, “but when you’re looking at a culture you can’t just pick and choose aspects of it.”
Karina Autar, the public relations chair of SACA, pointed out that appropriating a culture can even be dangerous. “A lot of these false hennas have dangerous chemicals in them,” she explained. The dye in traditional Mehndi is extracted from the henna plant. As SACA and MSA prepared for the event they read the ingredients of each product to ensure the henna was safe.
MSA and SACA provide spaces for students to explore their cultures and religion and connect with people from similar backgrounds. They host a variety of events focusing on creating connections through mutual backgrounds.
“It’s nice to be able to hang out with people who understand you,” Alaa Elamin, the vice president of MSA said. Elamin was born in Egypt and experienced culture shock as she moved to Oregon. “I’ve never been a minority before so that also had its own challenges,” she explained. Through MSA, various classes and Greek life she has been able to find community.
Khushi Singh grew up in Portland and feels that she has always lacked a big South Asian community. At the University of Oregon she was able to find that space through SACA. “SACA has helped me rediscover myself, my identity, through my culture and also just linked me to a community of people who also share that culture,” Singh said. She enjoys practicing her culture and sharing it with the wider campus community.
These safe and welcoming spaces are extremely important, especially in predominantly white institutions. “In this PWI it’s really easy to not feel valid, not feel important, not feel of significance,” Autar said. She has been able to find that validation through SACA. “Places like this allow us to feel all those things that we should feel on a daily basis,”.
Students looking to get involved can find information for upcoming events on the MSA and SACA Instagram pages.
