.jpg)
The Moose Jaw Multicultural Council (MJMC) held its 8th annual Evening Around the World fundraiser last Friday, drawing hundreds to the basement hall at St. Andrew’s United Church (home of the MJMC) to eat Syrian Tabouleh and Ecuadorian Ceviche, watch Colombian and Kuduro style dancing, and enjoy musical performances from cultures like Vietnam and Nigeria.
The event raises funds for MJMC activities, programs, and supports for newcomers and refugees to Moose Jaw and the surrounding area.
“I think it’s very important to celebrate the diversity of the different cultures that we have in our city, to bring people together and to say that, yes, we’re all one,” said Jide Kassim, who returned as the event’s emcee alongside his wife Lolade Kassim.
“We might be looking different, we might come from different places, but it’s good to come together and celebrate. ... I’m from Nigeria, and there’s a whole host of African nations represented. There’s Mexico, the Philippines, there’s Peru, there’s Vietnam, Ghana, the Congo. And, of course, there are lots of European countries, as well.”
The menu for the evening included:
- Syrian Tabouleh
- Ecuadorian Ceviche
- Chinese Beef Noodles & Sweet-and-Sour Pork
- Ukrainian Perogies
- Nigerian Joloff Rice
- Mexican Crispy Potato Tacos
- Ethiopian Injera and Lentils
- Vietnamese Beef Stew
- Syrian Elmali Kurabiye & Walnut Cookies
- Eritrean Himbasha
Razan Suliman works for the MJMC and helped organize the fundraiser. She said it was wonderful to see so many people coming in to eat, browse the silent auction, try a traditional African coffee, get some henna, and more.
“It was great! I’m on the decoration and entertainment committee, so we put this together for the last four months, and it looks amazing right now,” she said. “We have a Sudanese traditional coffee ceremony, the beans are roasted right in front of the guests, and then they add spices like cardamom and ginger.
“Another entertainment we have is three singers, all from different countries. ... We also have the Moose Jaw Chinese Dancing Club, they’re going to be doing a Chinese performance, we have the Filipino Dancers of Moose Jaw, which is a youth dancing group. There’s a lot.”
Khyati Patel had her henna table set up and was enjoying a steady stream of guests interested in the traditional Indian hand-painted tattoo art. She loves painting henna and originally taught herself to do it so that she could have henna whenever she wants.
“I practiced on myself, on my mother or my sister, and I watched some YouTube videos, how to do this one or that one, and I learned,” Patel explained. “In India, whenever we have a wedding we do henna on all our hands, and from my childhood I liked it.
"The decorations tonight are really pretty,” she added. “It’s like, international. Everyone is together here and enjoying talking with each other and everything, and people like my henna, so I’m really happy to be here.”