Community, diversity and sustainability at De La Salle Culture Day

The best that Waterford has to offer was on display at De La Salle College last week as local students celebrated the school's inaugural Culture Day event.

The aim of the event was to give students from all cultural backgrounds within the school’s community the opportunity to share elements of their cultural heritage.

Culture Day also supported the work of the Yellow Flag Committee and fostered the school’s Lasallian core principle of being an inclusive community, promoting cultural diversity, whilst working towards sustainable development goals.

Traditional food, dress, instruments, currency and more from across the world were on display, as students worked hard to inform passersby about the culture and history of their heritage nations.

Students of Filipino heritage spoke to the Waterford News & Star about their own display, which included a traditional wedding dress, the Philippine peso, along with traditional brooms and snacks.

Pakistani students showcased colourful homemade pots used to cook food, alongside traditional hand-designed food and water containers, jewellery boxes, and the traditional clothing of men and women. The students offered rose water to guests, and said that the Pakistani community are strongly represented in Waterford.

Students of Polish heritage showed a traditional cookbook, which was passed down through the generations, whilst Sudanese students played traditional instruments, along with displaying an abundance of seeds, biscuits and sweet treats.

The group also showcased miswak, a teeth-cleaning twig made from the Salvadora persica tree, alongside Sudanese medicinal goods, henna tattoos, clothing, wedding jewellery and a traditional wedding whip, historically used as a way to show a man's chivalry, patience, endurance and courage.

Lithuanian students discussed the prevalence of hot air balloons in the country, particularly in the city of Vilnius where the balloons have become the signature. A traditional painting, which incorporated real amber, was also displayed. 

Czech students displayed biscuits, salami, and cheeses, while the Bangladeshi stand showcased literature, sports and games with students wearing traditional clothing. South African students spoke about Nelson Mandela, and showed artefacts from South African tribes, spices and wooden carvings.

Nigerian students showed currency and traditional chin chin, whilst informing guests about the many different tribes of the nation, discussing how each has a different language, with over 200 spoken throughout the country.

Indian students spoke about their display of traditional snacks and teas. Summarising the display, De La Salle student Josh Aby said, “There’s a lot of Indian kids in the school, and I think there’s a lot of Indian kids in Waterford in general. We all come from a lot of different places, a lot are from south India, while others are from Punjab in northern India, and then we have Pakistani and Bangladeshi groups here today also.

"It's good that there’s a lot of heritage on display from all around Waterford."