Ramla Jumat, seventh grader, waves the flag of Tanzania as a part of a performance with the African Kidz Performing Arts group at the first ever Festival of Nations at MHS Wednesday, March 8. This event consisted of many organizations, groups and people performing dances, setting up informational booths and showcasing different foods. Jumat enjoyed performing because she wants people to know more about African culture. “I like doing this because I want our voices to be heard by others,” Jumat said.

Javier Carcamo (left), Honduran native, gives Yoon Jae Chang (right), junior, a fried plantain, a fried banana snack eaten in Central American countries like Honduras. Carcamo was excited to come to the Festival of Nations to express Honduran culture by showing off Honduran food. “What I like about it is that it shows the diversity of the school right now. We learn from everybody’s customs, the way they interact, and the food they eat,” Carcamo said.

Drewanna Lett, second grader, drinks a chapman, a mixture of Fanta, Sprite, lemonade, and cucumbers drank in Nigeria. “I liked that the drink was very sweet,” Lett said.

Samvida Batchu, sophomore, performs with her friends in the Commons. Batchu enjoyed performing because she believes it is one of many different ways to express her culture. “I performed because I love dance and spending time with my friends and this event provided me with this opportunity,” Batchu said. “Music is a universal language and is an easy way to show our culture.”

Myles Waillam Schillinger, fourth grader, picks up a star farfar, a Kenyan snack. Schillinger enjoyed the texture of the snack. “The flavor makes it unique. All of the farfars are slightly different and I really like that,” Schillinger said.

Zoha Shaik, fourth grader, dances with a member of the Capoeira De Ouro group. This group performed Afro-Brazilian martial arts and wanted to feature a demonstration of the martial art itself. Shaik enjoys learning about other performances linked to different cultures. “I liked moving with their movements, and it was a new, different experience to have,” Shaik said.

Durrell Turk, member of the Capoeira De Ouro, performs an Afro-Brazilian martial arts demonstration. Turk said showing other cultures at the Festival of Nations is helpful to reduce the amount of division in today’s world. “Events like this are important to bring everyone together, and a great reminder that we have a lot more in common than what we think,” Turk said.

Mymoon Shaik (left), henna artist, applies a henna tattoo on to Sumer Faizi’s (right), sophomore, hand. Henna is made of dried leaves from henna shrubs. “I love to do henna. It’s my passion, and I like how I can share my culture with other people and learn more about other cultures here,” Shaik said.