meet our new multicultural prefects
OurMulticulturalprefectsErza,Fatim,LucyandIgatelluswhytheychosetobecome prefectsandpromoteculturaldiversityinourschool
We are looking forward to being Multicultural prefects as learning phrases and sayings in new languages is something we really enjoy doing Sharing facts and traditions about our own culture is also exciting and being a multicultural prefect enables that. We are both excited to work with all the other Multicultural prefects and learn more about their cultures and languages.
Fatim
Erza
Multiculturalism is really important as it promotes diversity in schools, workplace and in all environments. From the school point of view, multiculturalism can make students feel included no matter where they are from. It is also important because it brings awareness of countries that we might have never heard of!
I am looking forward to being Multicultural prefect because I can use this chance to share my culture and language in the school as there are few Albanians. I cannot wait to learn about other cultures and traditions during my time as a Multicultural prefect, Lucy and Iga
Multicultural club is a great place to learn and develop new language skills and broaden your knowledge about various cultures here in Coláiste Bríde. It's good for people who want to learn something new or share anything about their own culture
I am happy to be a Multicultural prefect because it lets me celebrate different cultures and help others learn about them. This role is important to me because learning about other cultures helps people be more kind, respectful, and understanding. One interesting Guinean Fulani tradition is our traditional clothing especially the bright, colourful outfits worn during celebrations. These often show a person’s identity, status, and pride in their culture Fulani culture also values family, respect for elders, and strong community ties Learning about cultures like the Guinean Fulani culture helps us appreciate our differences and brings us closer together Being a Multicultural prefect makes me happy and excited to share these traditions with others
A Focus on Culture
Vietnam
HieveryoneI’mKiminfirstyearandI’mgoingtotalkaboutmycountry-Vietnam.
Vietnam is in southeastern Asia bordering China, Laos and Cambodia. Many people call it “The land of the Blue Dragon” because of its mythology and geographic dragon shape.
History war
Vietnam is really interesting when it comes to war, with only losing 15-16 wars in ALL of history, Vietnam won against France’s & China’s colonization and the Vietnam War with the US Vietnam uses the guerrilla tactic well since its large, densely packed jungle fits perfectly. Vietnam has used a significant amount of booby traps against invaders and dug tunnels and passages reaching up to 100 kilometers! The largest tunnel Cu chi, was a whopping 250 kilometers long with massive chambers and passage
Vietnamese traditions and artwork
Many Vietnamese households always treat the elders with the utmost respect and most always live in one big house with aunts, uncles and cousins. We also pray to our ancestors during events or difficult times, basically a mix of Buddhism, Confucianism and folk beliefs in Vietnamese lives
Vietnamese artwork has been influenced by both China and France, with the influence of Chinese culture and the influence of French art combining the two with Vietnam. Vietnamese art is not just about the looks, it’s also to honour our ancestors and celebrate our cultural heritage!
Food and social life
The food in Vietnam might look a bit unusual but the taste is absolutely incredible. Many dishes are savoury, and spicy while some desserts are sweet but not too sweet, many Vietnamese people (Especially elder people) HATE sweet things, trust me! My Mum has complained about things that are “too sweet”
A Focus on Culture
Festivals,CelebrationsandRituals
Vietnamese people are extremely social, they love to have large dinners with extended family, friends and even neighbors! They love to greet each other with hugs, they love to give gifts too, especially money, and I mean it
Vietnamese Lunar New Year also called “Tet” (late January-early February, may vary)
This is one of the most important religious festivals. It celebrates arrival of Spring and marking the beginning of the Lunar calendar Many Vietnamese families celebrate with extended family, honouring ancestors, eating traditional foods like “bang chung” and “tet buns” The festival is very old and traditional and is influenced by Chinese traditions, and is also celebrated by fireworks, vibrant decorations and the giving of red envelope money, symbolizing good luck
Other Celebration Days
nd, th
The longest is the Lunar New Year obviously but what are celebrations are there? Independence Day Aug 29-Sep 2 Reunification Day and International Labor Day Apr 30 – May 3 Reunification Day takes place on April 30
Why These Festivals Matter
These festivals are more than tourist attractions: they sustain communal identity, connect generations, preserve deep tradition roots and rituals, and tie the rhythms of family, faith, and everyone together
By Kim Dinh 1 Year, Rang Diarmaid st
A Focus on Culture
Erza, one of our 5th year students is originally from Albania and she speaks Albanian at home. Here she tells about the history of the language.
Albanian
The Albanian Language
The Albanian language is an unique Indo-European language It is not directly related to the Romance or Celtic languages as they have their own distinct branch. Albanian is the official language in Albania and Kosovo, but it is also spoken in North Macedonia and Montenegro Almost 7 5 million people speak Albanian. We have small minorities that speak Albanian outside of the country for example Arbëresh in Italy, Greece, and many more.There are 32 letters in the Albanian alphabet which is more than the English alphabet. There is two unique characters, ç (pronounced ‘ch’) and ë (pronounced ‘uh’) Albanian has several digraphs in the alphabet A digraph is when two letters combine to make a single sound, for example ‘Dh’ Dhoma (room) or ‘Sh’ Shkolla (school) Albanian is not a difficult language to read as every letter you see in a word is pronounced unlike many other languages with silent letters. There are two main dialects of the Albanian language: Tosk and Gheg Tosk is spoken in the south of Albania, Meanwhile Gheg is spoken in Kosovo, North Macedonia and Montenegro Just like any other language, dialects can be remarkably similar but there can be some differences between them. Take for example the word ‘Forty’ in Tosk Albanian they say ‘Dyzet’ while in Gheg Albanian they say ‘Katërdhjetë’ Erza and Eltina Maliq, 5th Year.
Greetings
Nice phrases to know in Albanian
What’s your name? - Si quheni?
How old are you? - Sa vjeç jeni?
Where are you from? - Prej nga vini?
See you later - Shihemi më vonë
Goodbye - Mirupafshim
How are you? - Si jeni?
Good morning - Mirmëngjesi
Good night - Natën e mirë
What time is it? - Sa është ora?
Festival Celebrations
Rafa, a TY year student, tells us about Eid and it’s importance.
spaces to worship together After the prayer, I greet my famil saying“EidMubarak”whichtranslatesto‘BlessedEid’ For the rest of the day, I spend my time with my loved ones I that brings joy such as shopping, going to a festival or even the is often filled with warmth, laughter and the aroma of delic prepared during Eid. Children often receive small gifts or treats more joyful and memorable. For me Eid is also a time to reflec whatIhaveandbringhappinesstothosearoundme.
ByRafaAlfadallah,TYB
Multicultural Celebrations
This year as part of Well Being week we celebrated Cultural Dress Day in school we celebrated Think Languages Day with a Cultural Dress Day,
On Friday 6 March students were invited to take part in Cultural Dress Day as part of Wellbeing week in Coláiste Bríde. This day has become a favourite during Wellbeing Week for the last 4 years and students are always very keen to demonstrate their traditional dress for all members of the school community to see The Multicultural Prefects made sure that all students were kept up to date about this special day and all students were encourage to participate. Here are a selection of photos from this special day This day also linked in with the Colour Run as part of Wellbeing being.
Polish Dance Workshop
Hello everyone, my name is Julia and I took part in the Polish dance workshop that took place on the Friday of wellbeing week. During break on Friday, our Polish teacher came to collect the fifth and sixth year Polish classes We went over to Moyle park where our dance instructors from the Polish folk dance group 'Koniczyna' (Shamrock) were already waiting for us At the start, they introduced themselves and talked to us about the traditional dresses they were wearing, traditional clothing from other regions, when you could wear them and about the 5 Polish national dances
They taught us how dance the most popular one called Polonez, which is danced during a ball that takes place around 100 days before the equivalent of our Leaving Certificate It was a lovely experience that helped us learn more about our culture.
Witam wszystkich, mam na imię Julia i brałam udział w warsztatach z Poloneza w Moyle Park. Brały w nich udział uczniowie z piątego oraz szóstego roku Warsztaty prowadziły dwie panie Gosie z Koniczyny. Najpierw zrobiły wprowadzenie, gdzie opowiedziały o strojach ludowych i tańcach narodowych. Potem nauczyły nas jak się tańczy Poloneza. Polonez jest najbardziej znanym tańcem narodowym, tańczy się go studiówkach w Polsce. To było fantastyczne wydarzenie, dziękujemy pani Marcie za zorganizowanie tych warsztatów.
By Julia Michalak. 5 year, Rang Ferdia th
How I spend the Easter Holidays
What I do at Easter
Easter in Romania is the biggest and most meaningful holiday of the year. It is not just a religious event. It is a celebration that brings families together and marks the real beginning of spring Most Romanians belong to the Romanian Orthodox church, so Easter follows the Orthodox calander and is sometimes celebrated on a different date than Western Easter
The most important moment happens on Saturday night. Just before midnight, people gather outside churches holding candles When the priest says “Hristos a înviut" (Christ has risen). Everyone responds "Adevărat a înviat”,(Surely He has risen). The flame from the priest's candle is passed from person to person until the whole crowd is lit up Many people take the flame home and use it to make a small cross above their door as a sign of blessing.Red eggs are one of the most well known traditions They are usually dyed on Good Friday and the colour red symbolises both sacrifice and new life. On Easter Sunday, family members tap eggs against each other while saying the Easter greeting The persons whose egg does not crack is said to have good luck for the year. In some regions decorating eggs is a traditional craft, with detailed patterns passed down through generations Food is also a big part of the celebration After fasting to 40 days during Lent, Easter Sunday is a time to enjoy a large family meal. The table usually includes roast lamb, drob (a lamb and herb dish), sweet bread called cozanai, and pasca sweet cheese dessert made especially for Easter. Families spend hours eating, baking and celebrating together
In many villages people greet everyone in the village with ‘Hristos a înviut’, (Christ has Risen). Some families also visit cemeteries to light candles and remember loved ones Overall, Easter in Romania is about faith, family and tradition.
By Sidonia Cristea, 1st Year, Rang Diarmaid.