Glamour, colour, energy, and vibrance. These were the things that made the parties of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Jay Gatsby legendary. These were also the things that made Monash Cultural Night 2023 a night to remember.

As an international student living away from my home country for the first time, something that has been of utmost importance to me has been my national identity. It was one of my first realisations after arriving in Malaysia that I carry my nationality, my experiences, and my love for my culture and homeland with pride wherever I go. At MCN, I could see that this was not in any way an experience unique to myself. It was a pleasure to watch the vigor with which students represented their culture with vibrance and raw energy.

The performances were beautiful displays of dance, costume, and lucid talent but they were also more than that. Interwoven into these displays were stories. Tales of love, loss, heartbreak, and the search for identity in a changing world. It was very evident that a lot of thought and feeling had been put into crafting these stories, and a lot of time had been dedicated to planning how these stories would be portrayed on the stage.

The first performance of the night was India. The tone was set as the national flag of India was brought on stage and the performers emphatically sang the Indian national anthem. India’s performance was a story of two men contesting for the hand of a dancer with whom they had fallen in love with. The story was deeply influenced by Bollywood, drawing from the glamour and vibrance of the culture. The performance also ensured that it paid tribute to the cultural diversity of India, with songs and costumes from different regions being put on display. At the end of the performance, there was a palpable sense of awe in the audience as they took in the sight their eyes and ears had been treated to. Following India on stage was Africa, who’s performance told a beautiful story drawing from the rich traditions of the continent. China followed, with a heartful musical performance that paid homage to the country’s traditional roots as well as its modern day presence. Then there was Bangladesh, who took to the stage with their colourful costumes and energetic dances all the while telling the story of an individual’s quest for identity and love, as he is torn between leaving his homeland and his love. After Bangladesh came Korea, whose musical prowess brought the culture of that nation alive for all those who had the pleasure of watching. Pakistan took a unique approach to their performance, telling their story on stage as well as through well crafted visuals on the screen.It told a story of three best friends and how they learn to appreciate their country’s culture. The performance showcased the diverse regions of Pakistan, and its rich culture,I particularly enjoyed the tribute to the Pakistani cricket team.

After Pakistan, came my own country; Sri Lanka. As I watched the culture I grew up with being proudly and artistically displayed on stage, and heard the songs of my childhood, I couldn’t help but find myself overwhelmed by a range of emotions. There was pride as I was reminded of the rich culture and beauty of the island that is my home, there was also a strong feeling of nostalgia. I am sure this is what everyone present that night at the MAHSA ballroom felt as they watched their respective countries being represented.

The final country performance of the night was Indonesia. To say that this performance was merely ‘good’ would be a crude understatement. The Indonesians brought it all. The performance displayed a number of traditional dance styles from different parts of the country, showcasing the rich diversity of the archipelago. The performance ended in an extremely passionate and patriotic tribute to the nation, with both the performers and Indonesians in the audience standing up and showing allegiance to their country.

This was not the last of the performances. Following the individual country performances were collaborations, the first between India, Pakistan and Bangladesh and the second between China and Korea. These collaborative performances showed that Monash Malaysia is not only filled with a diversity of cultures, but is also a place where these cultures come together overcoming any kind of division.

The festivities did not end there. After the on stage performances came the fashion show, which was just as exciting. It was truly a pleasure to watch the explosion of colour, vibrance, and style that was on display as the participants proudly displayed their national costumes.

Did I mention that this was a competition? The countries were not only displaying their cultures and traditions, they were also competing with each other to see who could do it best. The performances were judged by an esteemed panel of judges which consisted of model and poet Brindha Menon, hip hop artist Asyraf Nasir, and model and philanthropist Prince. Speaking to the audience the judges testified to the sheer talent they had seen through the night, and the hard work put in by the participants that was evident.

After a lot of thought, the judges finally made the hard decision as to who would receive the awards, and the list was as follows;

Best supporters: Indonesia

Most creative performance: Sri Lanka

Prince and Princess of the fashion show: Indonesia

King and Queen of the fashion show: Africa

Having given away these awards there was clear suspense across the room as the only two awards left were those of runner up and winner for best performance. Bangladesh managed to clinch the runner up title, which left only the winner to be announced. The hall erupted with jubilant celebrations as soon as the words left the announcer’s mouth; Indonesia would take home the award for best performance. The sheer joy of the Indonesian supporters was in itself a pleasure to watch, as they stormed the stage and celebrated their victory.

There was also a dance performance by the Office Bearers of MUISS, who treated us to their own sweet moves. The night ended with a DJ and dance session courtesy of guest DJ, DJ suicide. It was definitely a much needed break as the grueling end of the semester was right around the corner.

Monash Cultural night was a night to remember, and remained true to its theme; “The Great Gatsby”. It is important to highlight that this night would not have been possible if not for the hard work of everyone at MUISS, and a heartfelt thank you goes out to them. Leaving MCN, I had learned so much about the cultures that I am surrounded by, and had a newfound appreciation for the diversity of our community, and I am sure everyone else who attended felt the same.

Written by Zayd

Photos by Raya & Youshau