“Walker’s is [what] changed my life.”
Centennial Chapel Series: A View of Afghanistan
Date:
01/28/11 Another special Centennial Chapel featured Walker’s students from Afghanistan, Sahra Ibrahimi and Sajia Darwish, who presented to theSchool community on their lives and experiences not only as Afghan women in their homeland, but on their lives in the United States, as well. Learning about Afghanistan in a dialogue which did not mirror the media's singular focus on war in Afghanistan was an enlightening experience for the entire community.
The students opened their presentation with a music video showing the majesty of Afghanistan, from the sweeping agricultural landscapes, to rivers, valleys, and mountains; the video also provided snapshots of everyday life in Afghanistan, such as Afghans enjoying sports and recreation. The girls provided the Walker's community with the basic demographics of Afghanistan, such as population, geography, government, and certain Islamic traditions, but opened up interesting and surprising new fact about their home state. The entire audience was quite surprised to learn that the Afghan national anthem and the language in which the song is sung change with each Presidential election.
The students offered rare insight into the life of an Afghan woman through their personal and often touching experiences. They explained the age when a young woman begins to wear a head scarf and other traditions for women. Sajia held up her prayer rug when explaining the Islamic custom of praying five times daily as a demonstration of the unity of Muslims worldwide.
The girls shared family photos of birthdays and vacations, and answered questions about their favorite pastimes at home in Afghanistan and now in Simsbury. They closed their presentation echoing the discussions held on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day; that we are all very similar, despite our cultural differences.
Sahra and Sajia received loud applause for their presentation before they welcomed everyone to try their favorite Afghan dishes for lunch in Abra's, including kofta korma, meatballs in tomato cumin sauce; kadu bouranee, roast pumpkin with yogurt; Kabuli palow, Afghan rice pilaf; bonjan salat, cold eggplant salad; and firnee, a sweet cardomom pudding on fresh fruit.
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– Tisha, '55
