The Significance of Cultural Day

Cultural practices, language, cuisine, art, music, and rituals all contribute to shaping one's identity and connecting them to their heritage and community. Therefore, culture plays a pivotal role in defining and expressing individual and collective identities.

I interviewed several students from St. David's Catholic College to understand the significance of cultural days and how other institutions could benefit from adopting similar events. 

What cultural heritage did you represent?

Esihle Fipaza - Year 12: South Africa

Rawan - Year 12: Libya

Dona Varughese - Year 13: India

Div Mungukweli Baruti - Year 12: Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

Ella- year 13: Nigeria

In what way did you choose to represent your cultural heritage?

Esihle Fipaza - Year 12: I've always felt proud of my cultural background as I was raised to embrace who I am and empower the person I was born to be. I'm proudly South African, representing my culture helped to create a sense of unity and solidarity.

Rawan - Year 12: I chose to represent my culture by wearing our traditional attire

Dona Varughese - Year 13: By wearing traditional dress (Indian saree), jewellery and ornaments (bindi in between eyebrows). We bought common South Indian foods/snacks and drinks like halwa, paysam, samosas, falooda etc. We decorated our stall with jasmine flowers used to adorn hair and make decorations in South India.

Div Mungukweli Baruti - Year 12: For the event I chose to represent my country by wearing our traditional attire called 'Liputa' (wrapper clothing). I also wore my country's flag. 

Ella- year 13: I wore my traditional attire

How did you feel representing your culture? Please explain. 

Esihle Fipaza - Year 12: At that very moment I was so alive, proud and excited for embracing my country as it’s known to be diverse.

Rawan - Year 12: It felt good as I was able to represent a country not many people knew about

Dona Varughese - Year 13: I felt proud to represent my heritage and share the traditions and cultural aspects of South India with others. Also, excited to share my favourite things, which people are typically unaware of because your culture is not something you openly express usually (although it should be).

Div Mungukweli Baruti - Year 12: Representing my culture during culture day made me feel very proud and connected to my roots. It was a huge privilege to showcase the traditions, values and customs that are important to me and my community. It was a rewarding experience to share a part of my identity and a great joy for me to see others learn and appreciate it. It was a moment of celebration and also responsibility to share, learn and a deeper feeling of belonging. 

Ella- year 13: It felt very nice representing my country.

In what ways did participating in Cultural Day impact your sense of cultural identity?

Esihle Fipaza - Year 12: Cultural day provided a platform for me to showcase and celebrate my cultural heritage, allowing me to deepen my connections to my roots. By actively engaging in cultural activities, I also gained a deeper understanding of my values, customs and traditions. Also offered for different individuals to interact with others.

Rawan - Year 12: It helped me identify with it more and even learn about my own culture.

Dona Varughese - Year 13: I felt more authentic, the entirety of my identity, including my culture which influences and determines a lot about me, what I like, how I think, etc could be displayed and seen by others. I wasn't two separate identities on cultural day, just one. Everyone was appreciative and interested in all different cultures, and that encourages you to be more open about my cultural identity.

Div Mungukweli Baruti - Year 12: Because I like learning about different cultures. Participating in cultural day was a great opportunity for me to learn about new cultures. try different foods. The event has allowed me to embrace different cultures. It helped me to appreciate my own culture too.

Ella- year 13: I got to learn about different cultures and their cuisines.

Why do you think events like cultural day are important for fostering diversity and understanding in schools?

Esihle Fipaza - Year 12: I think events like cultural day are important for fostering diversity and understanding in schools because they provide a platform for students to learn about different cultures first hand. It's like a big celebration of all the unique backgrounds and traditions that make up our school community. Showcasing different cultures, students get to experience a wide range of perspectives. It’s just a whole lot of fun.

Rawan - Year 12: It helps bring people together as it’s a chance to learn about all different backgrounds and explore how each country is unique.

Dona Varughese - Year 13: It promotes inclusion and appreciation of all the different backgrounds of students, so no one feels isolated or unrecognised. Teenagers carry the things they learn in their youth into adulthood, and this can impact their overall outlook. Cultural days in school help to prevent close-mindedness, and allow people to become more well-rounded and knowledgeable about the various cultures/experiences of those around us.

Div Mungukweli Baruti - Year 12: Events like cultural day are very important because it provides a platform for people to appreciate and celebrate different cultures. This kind of event reinforces unity and respect among students and the school community.

Ella- year 13: I think events like cultural day are important for fostering diversity and understanding in schools because they make people feel welcomed irrespective of where they are from.

How do you believe cultural celebrations like cultural day contribute to building a sense of community within the school?

Esihle Fipaza - Year 12: Cultural day celebrations play a significant role in building a sense of community within a college. When students come together to celebrate and appreciate different cultures, it creates a shared experience that fosters unity and belonging.

What insights or lessons did you gain about cultural appreciation and representation from your participation in cultural day?

Esihle Fipaza - Year 12: Participating in cultural day can provide individuals with valuable insights and lessons about cultural appreciation and representation. A few lessons that I have learnt were empathy and learnt to view things in others perspectives. 

Rawan - Year 12: I saw just how many different cultures there were at my college and how it built the community.

Dona Varughese - Year 13: There is so much to learn, and showing genuine interest allows for more interactions and opportunities to experience people's cultures. We should be proactive in engaging with these conversations about heritage to understand those around us.

Div Mungukweli Baruti - Year 12: From this experience, I've gained a deeper appreciation for my own culture and have learned to express gratitude for its richness. Additionally, I've developed a greater respect for diverse cultures and have become more attuned to their nuances. Understanding that each culture is unique, I've embraced the value of diversity and the importance of being sensitive and open-minded towards others' cultural backgrounds.

Ella- year 13: Every and all culture is beautiful.

What message would you like to share with others about the significance of embracing cultural diversity and heritage?

Esihle Fipaza - Year 12: Embracing cultural backgrounds is one of the exciting experiences.

Dona Varughese - Year 13: Never feel ashamed or embarrassed to express your cultural identity, just because society does not understand or it is not generally 'accepted'. Don't be afraid to stand out in an attempt to educate people and show a cultural heritage that people would typically know nothing about. People are more appreciative than you would expect, and cultural days in school are the first instance in which you can display the history and relevance of different cultures.

Div Mungukweli Baruti - Year 12: First and foremost, I would say that it is very important to first learn to appreciate our own culture and be of great joy to share and teach others about it. It is only by doing that we will also be able to appreciate other cultures and be intrigued to learn about them.Secondly, by embracing diversity we foster understanding and empathy for one another. It's about recognising that our differences make us strong as a school community. 

Ella- year 13: Embracing your heritage brings this form of proudness.