![]() |
Bersama Zuraimi |
There are employees from 27 nationalities working in the company. Although they have traveled thousands of miles to come to this place to live and work together, they often spend time among themselves. There have been very little Inter-racial integration. At best they have learned to live with some degree of tolerance.
Using the experience of growing up in a Multi-Racial society in Malaysia, I urged the H R department to organize a CULTURAL night which brought all the nationalities together. The event finally took place tonight. Employees form nine countries put up a show of their tradition and culture much to the appreiation and amusement of an ALL males audience.
It was a night when we witnessed colourful display of diversity and rich cultural heritage from Indonesia including the Kuda Kepang dance. The Phillipine were equally gallant with their performance which included the famous bamboo dance. A funny skit from Sri Lanka which put audience in stitches. The Saudi contigentent put up an eloborate sketch of song and dance themed, 'Saudi Hospitality'.
The first odd thing about the whole event was, the absence of musics. The show could be about dances, or funny skit, but there was absolutely no musics allowed. Movements were guided by clapping and rhythmic sounds of their voices.
Another thing about the event was the absence of females. I was happy to notice a few children were there. In a community of employees living in a remote part of the desert, there have been literally zero form of entertainment. The children were indeed enjoying the show. It was heart warming to watch them cheering and clapping. If only their mothers were allowed to come along...I was thinking to myself...that would have made the event even more the merrier.
But alas, women are not allowed to mix freely, and many of the husbands here do not wish to have their wives watch a show where all the performers were males!
Still it was a jolly evening! I enjoyed myself too. The event which started at 1030pm finally ended with a sumptious dinner of generous portions of Lamb on Hanizz rice for all the 1000 employees who attended.
No comments:
Post a Comment