Portland State’s 33rd International Night drew record numbers as the annual event spilled out of the Multicultural Center and filled the halls of the Smith Memorial Student Union.
The building even struggled to hold in the boisterous crowd as people milled around the South Park Blocks in the warm weather last Friday evening, watching as performers practiced their exhibitions.
Portland State boasts a large international student body, and International Night provides an opportunity for all of the multicultural student groups to share their cultures and traditions with the community.
The night began with a large feast, featuring cuisines from Korea, the Caribbean, Latin America, India, Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean. This was a far more diverse menu than years past.
“We tried to expand it and make it a little more diverse with the additions of Pambiche and Two Brothers Restaurant,” said Jill Townley, coordinator for International Student Life.
Pambiche is a local Cuban restaurant, and Two Brothers serves eastern European and Serbian fare.
Once patrons had their fill they were guided into the Multicultural Center on SMSU’s second floor to circulate around the exhibits celebrating the many nations represented at Portland State.
These exhibits, primarily operated by student volunteers, used cultural icons like hookahs and Russian stacking dolls to draw attention, but they were also aimed to educate.
“We’re trying to present some different information and present some posters and artifacts,” said Katie Steinberg, a student volunteer behind the booth devoted to the Kiswahili of Kenya and Tanzania.
Steinberg and another student, Sarah Lucia, had the challenging task of presenting authentic and relevant information about an area to which neither are native.
“It’s different trying to put a booth together if you’re not from that area,” Lucia said. “You’re an outsider, and you’re trying to put this together with the best of your abilities. It’s hard because you really don’t have that same indigenous experience, but it’s nice to at least be able to appreciate things.”
There were over 20 cultural booths at the event, including the World Flag Project, The Confucius Institute and many of the cultural student groups on campus.
“It’s really the students that do the lion’s share of the work,” Townley said.
From there, attendees of the event moved upstairs into the ballroom for the event’s entertainment.
After a greeting from Portland State President Wim Wiewel via a digital video recording, the night took on many transformations.
From Vietnam to Guatemala to the Pacific Islands, cultural songs and dances were presented for the audience.
An international fashion show broke up the blocks of music and dance, featuring student and community volunteers dressed in traditional clothing from around the world.
“The fashion show is great because you get to see a lot of underrepresented countries that you don’t normally get to see,” said Yoko Honda, a coordinator for the Organization of International Students.
As the evening waned, the big finale came in samba form. The Lions of Batucada, a local ensemble, gave a lively performance to draw the night to a proper close.
“The Lions of Batucada are always great,” Townley said. “They are totally worth the wait.”