On November 10th at 8pm, the Colombian Student Association (COLSA) and the Association Friends of Venezuela (AFV) hosted a cultural night for the students of the University of Oklahoma. In the email invitation the organizations sent out, the celebration was to be a night of “music, dancing, delicious food, a great environment….” and free to all students! Overall, a promise for a very accessible and welcoming evening. On the night of November 10th, I had just finished my last shift at the OU Writing Center, and my coworkers and I decided to join the fun.
Before food was served, we were also treated to a performance by several dancers and storytellers. Their performance followed the stories of two young individuals: the most beautiful girl in a town, and a boastful beau in search of a wife. Ultimately, both individuals wandered off into the desert and were taken by spirits. It was a lively and compelling performance: the dancing was mesmerizing, the music full of joy, and the performers passionate.
After the dance finished, the cafeteria was split into groups and directed to fill up their plates. The food was excellent; it was flavorful, perfectly cooked, and delightfully warm in comparison with the frigid night air outside the Couch Cafeteria. I dined on a mound of friend plantains and a pork empanada. More wonderful than the food, however, was the sense of community and the spirit of communal joy that permeated the building. As I sat and made conversation with my coworkers, it was hard not to be imbued with a sense of familiarity and friendship. All around us, groups of strangers chatted and laughed, brought together by a mutual appreciation for cultural identity and happiness.
The COLSA and AFV Cultural Night was more than music, dance, and food; it was a night of connection between anyone and everyone on campus, and I was grateful for the opportunity to partake.
