Muhibbah Night

By Ophelia McDonald

This past weekend Wilson College celebrated Muhibbah night, an annual event including food and entertainment from Wilson College students. Students and Chambersburg community members gathered in the Jensen Dining Hall, where they were met with an array of food from the cultures of current Wilson international students. The ability to gather with the fellow students and faculty while enjoying great food and entertainment felt like the Wilson community finally getting back to “normal.” Some of the food on the menu included bread with Chimi Churi from Argentina, spicy fried eggs from Indonesia and a soy based fermented grain called Tempe Goreng, also from Indonesia.

The entertainment portion of the night brought attendees to Laird Hall, where they watched as students danced, sang, played piano pieces and read poems from their various cultures. One performance that stood out was a poem read by Oscar Mendieta (Nicaragua) titled “Lo Fatal” (Figure 2). It dealt with the meaning of death and was inspired by the author’s own dealings with death in his personal life.

The night ended with a collective dance of Muhibbah club members doing the “Madison,” with Sonita Sok (Cambodia) leading the way. The dance, which is native to Cambodia, was created in the 1960s and is often performed at weddings, banquets, and various parties. This exciting Wilson tradition did not disappoint and was a great way to learn about new cultures.