Eliot School Hosts Cultural Diversity Day

By Jessica Srinivas

On Jan. 22, hosted a Cultural Diversity Day full of multicultural activities, food, music and more. Families brought a wide variety of ethnic foods to share (ranging from Hawaiian stew to Italian cookies to Greek spanikopita).

As students entered the event they were given special passports which they could have stamped as they visited each of the seven continent-themed activity centers. For example, for Africa they practiced drumming, for Europe they played Gaelic football, for Asia they learned a little about the attire, lettering and children's games of China and Korea.  

Attendees were also treated to several performances by current and former Eliot students including Irish step, Mexican, Spanish fan, Middle Eastern belly, Latin ballroom and classical Indian dances, Russian piano and French flute pieces and a Tae Kwon Do presentation.  

During the event, Eliot students worked with award-winning textile artist Sarah Haskell to begin the creation of the Eliot Mandala (a piece of community artwork funded by a grant from the Needham Education Foundation). Eliot students took turns weaving colorful fabric through the center representing how Eliot students, families and faculty are connected to one another as a community.

Students and faculty used materials supplied by the artist (hand-dyed wooden clothespins and tiny bits of ribbon, yarn and fabric) to create tiny figures in their own likeness. More students will have the opportunity to create a miniature representation at Eliot's Feb. 11 Art-In.

The individually decorated miniature representations of Eliot students and faculty will be attached to the final piece, surrounding the center of the mandala, and the lower edge will be adorned with colorful ribbons on which students inscribed positive messages such as "Peace to all" and "I love Eliot."

The completed mandala will serve as a symbol and celebration of the spirit of the Eliot school where it will be on permanent display.