Performers shone at the stage expressing their cultures. From Taiko drum performances to singing and dancing, students found ways to share their cultures on the stage of the EMU Ballroom on Sunday, April 13.
The International Student Association hosted its biggest event of the year – “I-Night.” Performances entertained the crowd of approximately 80 with the theme “Royal Soiree.” Some guests and staff dressed up in sparkling dresses and heels while others wore traditional dress, such as saris from India or traditional Mexican dress.
The sound of drums kicked off the night of performances with rich cultures. Ahiru Daiko, UO’s Japanese drumming ensemble, performed three pieces. Each piece had different meanings, according to Makayah Bernal, a junior at UO who joined Ahiru Daiko her freshman year.
For example, “Asobi” means “playing,” which adds some playful movement and joyful rhythm to the piece. The next piece is titled “Matsuri,” which is the Japanese word for “festival.” Bernal said that matsuri features some traditional aspects of Japanese culture. The last piece was titled “Maru Batsu,” meaning circle and cross. Bernal and another team member, Maxwell Seguritan, co-composed the piece. “We composed the piece first and named it afterwards,” Bernal said, adding that the movement of the piece was more dynamic, which led to the title.
“I love the supportive team environment,” Bernal said. She said she enjoys being part of the club. The club also includes some international students.
Mio Ohashi is an exchange student from Japan, and she joined Ahiru Daiko wanting to know and experience more about her own culture. She started off by joining the workshops. Club members picked her as a new member of the team.
“Joining Ahiru Daiko has had a big impact on how I think about sharing my culture,” Ohashi said. She said that taiko is not only about drumming, but “about community, discipline and storytelling.”
As some traditional cultures tend to fade away, Ohashi said, “I feel like I’m contributing to keeping those traditions alive.”
ISA represents both domestic and international students at UO. The association has several executive members as well as interns who run multiple events per term. During the week of I night, ISA hosted an event each day for the entire week, calling it “I-Week”.
During I-Week, ISA collaborated with other clubs and organizations including the Thai Student Association, Duck Street Dance Club and the Manga Club. Events provided students ways to explore different resources and communities on campus.
Batafing Soumano joined ISA as an intern last year out of interest in the club’s concept. Soumano is from Mali in West Africa and moved to Eugene when she was about six years old. “I know how hard it is to learn a new language and fit in, and even make friends,” Soumano said. Her experience as an immigrant has inspired her to help people who might have similar challenges.
Soumano is the outreach intern this year and was in charge of the food at I-Night, which included meals from multiple cultures. There were yakisoba, spring rolls, biryani and more. Soumano said that she wanted to represent countries where international students are from through food.
Attendees went around the tables to take small portions of food. This allowed them to try the variety of options.
The event concluded with a fashion show by the ISA executive board and interns, celebrating their hard work for the year. Cheering, claps and shouting concluded the night, highlighting the love that ISA members showed to each other and to the community.
