All roads result in custom: MENA Heritage Month explores the group’s homelands and histories

Every March, the College of Wisconsin–Madison celebrates MENA Heritage Month—a time for the campus group to acknowledge the colourful cultures of the Center Japanese North African (MENA) area. This 12 months, the MENA Heritage Month Planning Collective selected to discover the paths and traditions which have formed the identities of the MENA area by means of the theme “Roots and Routes: Tracing Homelands and Histories.”

The various senses of MENA have been on show on the first two occasions of the month. On Feb. 28, “Night on the Caravan Trail” explored varied historical cities of the MENA area. Attendees “traveled” to cubicles, every representing a unique historical metropolis, the place they loved meals and actions equivalent to henna, button-making and jewelry-making. Then, on Mar. 10, “Scents of MENA: Sip and Smell” highlighted the flavors and fragrances of the MENA group. The immersive occasion featured the artwork of perfume-making and the craft of mixing important oils to create distinctive fragrances that captured the essence of those vibrant cultures.

“Night on the Caravan Trail” welcomed folks of all ages as they explored completely different historical cities’ cubicles.

An overhead image shows the head of a young women looking through a paper booklet. One page of the booklet is covered in drawings or stamps.

A scholar appears by means of her “passport” after stopping on the completely different cities on show on the occasion.

A young woman wears a baseball cap and glasses. She smiles at the camera while another person, out of view, draws henna decorations on her hand.

Nabila Maow patiently sits as her hand is adorned with henna on the Babylon metropolis sales space.

A group of young women stand in a row, arms linked, in front of a backdrop depicting stars. The women are all wearing cultural attire from the Middle Eastern North African region.

Attendees have been inspired to put on the standard apparel of their tradition, like these college students posing for a photograph.

A group of students stand or sit behind a table and pose for the camera.

College students take a pause from their espresso, served on the “Sip and Smell” occasion, to pose for a bunch photograph.

A group of students stand behind a table that is filled with essential oils. Two of the students hold up vials to show off the essential oil blends they have created.

College students blended Center Japanese important oils to create their very own perfumes and colognes at “Scents of MENA: Sip and Odor.” Right here, college students showcase their distinctive blends.

On the group service occasion “Little Hands, Big Hearts,” held on Mar. 13, MENA Heritage Month continued its second 12 months of partnership with Jewish Social Companies of Madison (JSS) to assist assist the native refugee group. Attendees created care packages for refugee youngsters and their households observing Ramadan. Members gathered to assemble packing containers of toys for Eid and write private messages of assist for greater than 100 youngsters. In addition they put collectively 42 meals kits for his or her households. On the occasion, JSS representatives talked about their group’s mission and companies. In spite of everything 142 packing containers have been stuffed, JSS distributed them to refugee households in Dane County.

A young women holds a brown cardboard box, showing the camera the essential items that are packed inside.

MENAHM Planning Collective member Mariam Lubbad shows the toys boxed up within the youngsters’ care packages that made their option to 100 youngsters throughout the Madison space.

Three young men gather around a table and wrap carboard boxes in bright green paper.

Members showcase their wrapping skills after the Eid items and care packages have been boxed up.

A young woman stands in front of several rows of boxes stacked nearly to the height of her head.

MENAHM Planning Collective member Rhita Wealthy ensures the care packages are securely sealed earlier than being handed off to members for wrapping and adorning. Behind her, stacks of already embellished packing containers are able to be distributed.

Slapstick comedian, actor, and author Emil Wakim was this 12 months’s MENA Heritage Month keynote speaker. On Mar. 18, he carried out a 30-minute stand-up routine in Memorial Union’s Play Circle Theater. His entertaining set was adopted by a moderated Q&A.

Wakim stands in front of a poster board. The board shows a photo of his face, his bio and a description of the event he is keynote for. He leans into the poster with the marker and signs it with his signature.

Emil Wakim, a member of the forged of Saturday Evening Dwell, took a second to signal the occasion poster that includes his face and bio. He joined the comedy present throughout its milestone fiftieth season as the primary Lebanese-American forged member.

Wakim stands on the stage, in front of a light blue back drop and two unoccupied chairs. He holds a microphone in one hand as he gives a comedy routine.

Wakim is in his factor as he delivers an entertaining comedy set to the viewers.

Raouf and Wakim sit is two leather chairs positioned on the middle of a stage. Raouf covers her mouth as she laughs at a comment Wakim makes during a Q and A.

MENHM Chair Lina Raouf interviews Wakim through the moderated Q&A.

Three students stand in front of Wakim, who gestures animatedly as he talks to them.

Wakim takes a number of moments after his comedy set and the moderated Q&A to speak with college students who attended the keynote occasion.

A group of students gather around Wakim. One students positions herself in the center and holds a phone above them as she takes a selfie of the group.

Wakim joins college students for a selfie through the post-event meet and greet at Memorial Union.

The ultimate occasion of the month, “Qamaria: A Night of Timeless Traditions,” introduced college students collectively for a energetic Household Feud-style competitors. Attendees competed on groups to reply questions on tradition, traditions and extra. Afterward, college students had an opportunity to attach over basic board video games, Minute-to-Win-It, and different actions.

A group of students are seated inside UW Madison's Red Gym. They are clustered in teams for a question and response game. A few students raise their hands and hold plastic buzzers they just pressed in hopes of answering a question.

College students buzzed to reply a query requested throughout a Household Feud-style recreation.

Altiti sits among her peers during the dame smiles and gestures at something out of frame.

MENAHM Planning Collective member Dannah Altiti engages with the MC’s of the energetic recreation.

The collective, made up of UW–Madison college students, deliberate and led the 2025 MENA Heritage Month programming with assist from the Multicultural Pupil Heart.

The collective gathers for a large group photo. Half of the group sits on a platform and the other half stands behind them. Many are dressed in cultural attire from the Middle East and North African region.

The MENA Heritage Month Planning Collective takes a second to assemble for a bunch photograph in recognition of their work over the month.

Photograph Credit: Caleb Bruley, Jenna Innab, and Robert San Juan

Editor’s Observe: That is an up to date model of the unique information article. The preliminary model was revealed at: https://information.wisc.edu/all-roads-lead-to-tradition-mena-heritage-month-explores-the-communitys-homelands-and-histories/.