Cultural Night 2026 at Arrupe Jesuit University
By Edward Tonny Maniliho, SJ
Greetings from Arrupe
“Rooted in culture but inspired by faith” was the theme of the splendid celebration on 7th November 2026, the cultural night. It was a rather long night for some, as it was a short one for others. It was also an opportunity for many to witness people embracing their heritage in ways few had expected. It was a joy to see different traditional fashions, especially the Maasai outfit that represented our Eastern African region, which provoked comments from a rather anonymous companion whose comment was, “And when the Maasai were preserving their culture, we called them “washamba”. Who is “civilised” now?” I leave this for those interested to grapple with what it means to be civilised. Apart from the occasional glance at our watches to see when it was our turn to perform, we were fully prepared and eager to take on the task. The AOR dance group came on stage with a captivating “Nandujja,” followed by a vibrant mix of Kikuyu, Kamba, and Sudanese dances, before concluding majestically offstage with “Akadodi.” One thing was clear, regardless of the form and style of presentations, the substance, as philosophers like to call it, the constant, was joy. Let it be in music and the customs that brought culture vividly to life, and in the laughter that kept the evening going. Faith gave it all an even deeper meaning. Some even seemed so at home with their performance that you might have wondered whether they had been practising their moves in secret. It was a joyful reminder that culture and faith can share the same dance floor and that sometimes the biggest surprise is discovering just how much we have in common.
