We had a very successful culture day on Thursday June 18th. We had a school assembly where the children talked about the countries they came from, their parents came from and their grandparents came from. We learned about the different clothes, food and customs from these countries. Our student council organised the ice-cream van for all the children too.
Three countries we learned alot about were Zimbabwe, China and Ukraine which are all on different continents.
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a tropical country with temperatures that can range between 35°C and 40°C. The country has a variety of traditional foods. One popular meal consists of sadza (also called bap), rice, and chicken. Bap is a soft, tasteless maize dish whose flavour depends on what it is eaten with. When paired with different foods and sauces, it can taste delicious.
A popular street food in Zimbabwe is the kota. It can be bought from food vendors or made at home using bread, a Russian sausage, egg, bacon, and a burger patty. It is often enjoyed as a filling breakfast meal.
Zimbabwean communities often hold cookouts and cultural gatherings where people wear traditional clothing and hats. Many people live in bungalow-style houses that are surrounded by gates. The United States dollar is commonly used as currency.
Zimbabwe has a variety of crops and fruits, including mangoes, watermelons, and cauliflower. Common livestock raised for food include chickens, goats, sheep, lambs, and cattle.
China
Chinese New Year is one of the most important celebrations in China. It is celebrated later than the Western New Year. During this festival, people wear traditional clothing, enjoy traditional foods, and spend time with family and friends.
The temperature in China varies depending on the region. In many areas, temperatures range from 20°C to 40°C, and the weather is often sunny. However, northern regions that are closer to Russia can experience heavy snowfall during winter.
Traditional Chinese clothing includes the horse-face skirt, which is long, colourful, and historically significant. China is also known for its rich food culture. Popular traditional dishes include hot pot, Beijing roast duck, dumplings, rice dumplings, and many other regional specialties.
Ukraine
Ukraine has several traditional foods that are important to its culture. One of the most famous dishes is borscht, a red beetroot soup. Another traditional food is salo, which is salted or cured pork fat often eaten with garlic and rye bread. Varenyky are boiled dumplings filled with ingredients such as potatoes, mushrooms, cottage cheese, or cherries. Chicken Kyiv is a popular dish made from chicken breast wrapped around herb butter, then breaded and fried.
Ukraine experiences four distinct seasons. Summers can be very warm, while winters are usually cold and snowy. Spring is often sunny but cool, and autumn is generally rainy and windy. These seasonal changes play an important role in daily life and agriculture throughout the country.
Note: Some of the original weather figures (such as Ukraine reaching 50°C) are unusually high and may not be accurate. If this is for a school assignment, you may want to verify those temperatures.
By Daniel Ola
