CIS students soak up Caymanian culture

(CNS): Students at Cayman International School (CIS) were infused with local culture on Friday, 26 February, with that day set aside to showcase and celebrate traditional Caymanian food, games, industry and more. Instructors from Cayman Traditional Arts (CTA), a chief proponent of local arts and culture, were on hand to teach youngsters how to plait thatch, make peppermint sweets and fritters, and paint with traditional thatch brushes.

In addition, a group of CIS students who had learned the quadrille, entertained those gathered for Cayman Culture Day with their dancing skills.

Nimmi Sekhar, CIS vice principal and member of the event’s organising committee, said the day was all about raising awareness for students of local culture.

“As well as Cayman Cultural Day, students have participated in a number of ongoing projects such as third graders ‘Then and Now’ project,” she said. “Today we’ve had students bring in local fruits from their garden, such as naseberry and papaya, and our quadrille dancing has proved to be very popular with students.”

CIS students Natalia Cugliari and Leonor Oliveira, both aged nine, said the best part of the day was learning to make fritters, as well as eating them; they both agreed they would want to make them again.

Chris Christian, of CTA, said he was delighted with the participation by CIS in Cayman Culture Day. “We have been championing Caymanian culture within the framework of the school curriculum for a number of years now through our Heritage Arts Programme, and so it is fantastic to see the excitement in the students when schools such as Cayman International School take the initiative to supplement their students’ cultural learning in this way,” he said.

“The staff, students and parents have really embraced Caymanian culture and heritage and helped to bring our culture to life in a way that is truly meaningful to the students.”

Tags: Cayman Culture Day, Cayman International School, Featured

Category: Culture, Education