Performance of Uyghur dance "Garden"
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SISU Students Show Cultural Diversity at Ethnic Culture and Arts Festival
05 June 2024 | By Zhang Wanru | SISU
S |
tudents from various ethnic backgrounds at Shanghai International Studies University (SISU) hosted an Ethnic Culture and Arts Festival recently, attracting nearly a thousand teachers and students.
Six ethnic groups, including Uyghur, Kazakh, Han, Mongolian, Yi, and Tibetan, performed on stage. Dressed in traditional ethnic attire, they sang folk songs, danced, and played ethnic musical instruments.
Nyima Zhamdul from the Tibetan group sang "Goddess of Qomolangma," a song combining traditional Tibetan culture with contemporary music. At the beginning, Zhamdul wore a mask and showed the Tibetan opera, a UNESCO-recognized Intangible Cultural Heritage. He then transitioned to a pop style with Tibetan rap.
The Tibetan people mainly live on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in southwestern China, often called the "Roof of the World," with Mount Qomolangma being the world's highest peak. "We Tibetans believe that mountains and rivers have spirits. Hence, we treat Qomolangma with respect, calling it the Goddess," Zhamdul explained.
Surrounding the stage were cultural booths representing 11 different ethnic groups, including Uyghur, Kazakh, Tibetan, Mongolian, Miao, Bouyei, Tujia, Korean, Uzbek, Yi, and Han. Attendees could try ethnic foods, admire artwork, play games, and get souvenirs.
Among the booths, a painting blending Tibetan Buddhism and modern art stood out. The author Ciro, a Tibetan SISU student, said the inspiration for this piece was the album cover of "SOS" by American R&B singer SZA. In the painting, the ocean is a metaphor for life's challenges, and the skull symbolizes the "emptiness" mindset in Tibetan Buddhism, meaning that as humans are ultimately only bones, there is no need for excessive worry.
Regarding the selection of souvenirs for the stalls, one of the festival organizers, Almira, listed three criteria: ethnic characteristics, practicality, and aesthetic appeal. For example, Kazakh souvenirs were hair clips and temporary tattoos designed to resemble cattle horns and plant tendrils. These reflect the Kazakh people's reverence for nature as a nomadic ethnic group.
Finally, all participants returned to the stage for a fashion show featuring ethnic costumes. "I like clothing from ethnic minorities, as they are very unique, colorful, and attractive," remarked Xu Xinrong, a SISU student majoring in Italian.
This year marked the fourth Ethnic Culture and Arts Festival at SISU. Its continuity is driven by students' desire to share their ethnic cultures. Subinur, a participant in dance performances for two years, said, "I love dancing, so I see this festival as a platform to show myself. But the enthusiastic feedback from the audience also made me realize that introducing our ethnic culture to everyone is meaningful, thus I want to continue doing this."
Press Contact
SISU News Center, Office of Communications and Public Affairs
Tel : +86 (21) 3537 2378
Email : news@shisu.edu.cn
Address :550 Dalian Road (W), Shanghai 200083, China