The Malaysian Student Society will host Malaysian Night 2016, a free event showcasing Malaysian culture with a stage play, dances, exhibitions, and food.
By Isabella Senno
Studying abroad is expensive, but tonight, one can experience a taste of another country at Malaysian Night.
The University of Iowa Malaysian Student Society will host Malaysian Night 2016 from 7 to 11 p.m. in the IMU Second-Floor Ballroom.
Those attending will be fully immersed in Malaysian culture, including a live stage play, a display of numerous dances, interactive exhibitions, and samples of Malaysian cuisine.
“We’re trying to get the audience to feel like they’re on a journey with us back to Malaysia and experience what it’s like,” said Wan Nurlaila Yusra Mat Desa, the Malaysian Night committee vice president. “It’s Malaysian culture 101 in a more interactive way than classes or lectures.”
This year’s theme will be “Kampung Boy,” meaning “Hometown Boy.”
“Even though we’re living totally different lives and are living thousands of miles away from our hometown, it is where our values and roots are and has a special place in our hearts, so that’s why we chose this theme to share with the local community,” said Nadzreen Syakilah Ahmad Nadzri, a marketing member of the Malaysian Night committee.
The stage play will be the main attraction of the evening. Four acts will tell the story of a Malaysian boy studying at the UI who returns home with his American friend. The student then proceeds to take him on a whirlwind tour of Malaysian life and culture.
“Usually, we call our hometown ‘kampung’ so because the play is about a boy going back to his home country, we call him ‘kampung boy,’ ” said Alya Mohd, an actor in the play.
Interspersed between the play’s different acts will be performances of cultural dances, each representing one of the four ethnic groups — Malay, Chinese, Indian, and indigenous people — who make up the Malaysian population.
At the back of the ballroom will be four information booths, each manned by a speaker who will explain Malaysian culture to any interested attendees.
“The exhibitions will all have something relating to the stage play so that the audience can get context,” Mohd said. “If you don’t understand something, you can go and ask.”
The four booths will cover Malaysian wedding ceremonies and Chinese New Year celebrations, as well as providing a brief overview on the lifestyles of indigenous and Indian people. The connections between the booths and the stage play were developed this year as part of a greater push for encouraging attendees not only to enjoy themselves but also to leave with a greater cultural understanding of Malaysia.
“Last time, we focused on just making a really fun event. This time, we focused more on the educational part of it but at the same time trying to keep fun elements,” Mat Desa said. “We thought about how the educational portion is going to last for longer than the hours of an event.”
Attendees will also get the chance to taste various traditional foods and beverages.
“Malaysia is all about food. It’s the food paradise of Asia,” Mohd said.
“There’s not really any Malaysian restaurants here,” said Malaysian Student Society President Dylan Poi. “You can’t get it anywhere else, and our food is unique. Once you try it, you can never stop.”
The entire event, including refreshments, is free and open to the public.
