South Lakes Muslim Student Association is holding a fundraiser to do henna tattoos on people this week during all lunches. They thought it would be a great idea to bring some of their cultures into the school.
“The school asked us to do something to celebrate International Week and this is something we do every year,” senior Rayyan Salih said. “A lot of the students like it so it’s popular.”
Henna is very popular amongst the cultures in the Middle East, and also parts of Asia. It’s a great way to show traditions and customs that are done in different households.
“This is one of our biggest fundraisers because everybody wants henna,” Salih said. “There’s a large variety of what people want and it’s all about the customer and what they want to do and what they have in mind. If they don’t like the designs we have, then they’re free to do whatever they like. We can try to accommodate them.”
Being able to beautifully put on henna is not an easy task, and can sometimes be tiring. It is a very hard skill to master, especially at such a young age.
“We have a solid three people who can put henna on,” Salih said. “They have been doing it for years, and they’re really good at it. They have a steady hand and they’re really creative with the drawings and things that they do.”
Two of the henna appliers happen to be freshman, so the youngest ones in the school.
“It’s a cultural thing that my mom taught me,” freshman Zahwa Ezzelden said. “I like how we can draw and interact with other people, and do designs that are beautiful for both of us.”
Whilst some learn from their mothers and families, others simply learn by practicing and spending time on mastering it.
“I learned by practicing normally,” freshman Rubina Stanikzai said. “I draw a lot and for the past two years I’ve gotten really good at it. I love doing it and I never get tired of it.”
MSA believes that this is always a great success and all their members enjoy being a part of it. It’s a great way to reel into International Week and represent something different.
“All our members came up with this idea,” Salih said. “They really like it and they want to show the school what they can do.”