Pakistani Culture Night recently made its long-awaited return to NUI Galway. After nearly three years, the Bailey Allen Hall was once again adorned with green and white flags, setting the scene for a bustling night full of music, laughter, and Pakistani culture.
Traditionally, Culture Night is a highly anticipated event for Galway’s Pakistani community. It has always been an opportunity for Pakistanis, not just from Galway, but from all over Ireland to come together and celebrate their heritage. The event is not just limited to Pakistanis; anybody who wishes to experience and appreciate the culture is welcome to join the festivities.
This year’s event hosted its fair share of performances, including a fashion show, traditional dances, and singing. Children from the community performed several dances, showing off their talent, as well as their enthusiasm for their heritage. NUIG graduates, who were once a part of the university’s Pakistani society, also took to the stage to deliver impressive musical performances. Watching the colourful line of traditional outfits making its way down the catwalk, I felt a rush of admiration for the vibrancy of Pakistani culture.
Stalls exhibiting smalls quirks of the culture attracted a lot of attention on the night. Traditional jewellery, clothes, and snacks were all on display. The ‘gol gappay’ (a traditional Pakistani street food ) stall was a particular favourite of attendees, many of whom lined up again for seconds.
Held by the university’s Pakistani society, the Culture Night was a huge success. Some 200 people attended the affair, an exceptional turnout considering the uncertain circumstances that the Covid-19 pandemic has left us in. NUIG’s Pakistani society is a student-led team, made up of dedicated individuals, who organised the entire event through their own efforts.
Speaking to the Pakistani society auditor, Usama Asad, he tells me that he was delighted with how successful Culture Night was. According to him, the highlight of the event was seeing the committee standing proudly on stage, unified, singing their country’s national anthem. This spectacle was representative of how the community stood united throughout the last two years, despite the divisions imposed by the pandemic.
Asad shares that pulling off the event was a “real struggle”. Due to the constantly changing Covid-19 restrictions, it was difficult for the team to organise a large-scale event amid so many doubts. Thankfully, the team put their best efforts into the event, making it one to be remembered. Asad says a big thank you to the committee, the volunteers who participated in the fashion show and other performances, and the guests for enabling Culture Night to make such an impactful return.
