Seven Lakes is a cultural hub for people from all walks of life. 

The “City of No Limits,” a somewhat-newly appointed slogan for the metropolis, can directly describe the diversity of H-Town. Many different aspects go into a culture, including food, holidays, music and languages.  

“I do hula,” sophomore Maileluna Tehira, a Pacific Islander, said. I [also] do poi balls.”  

Poi balls is a dance done by Hawaiians. It consists of a ball on a string, and depending on the song being sung, it will be moved in different ways to create beautiful and intricate patterns. Another huge part of Hawaiian culture is the food.  

“Food is a big part, it always just reminds me of home. My favorite dish would probably be Manapua,” Tehira said.

Manapua is a simple but popular Hawaiian dish with origins in China. A Cantonese dish called Char siu bao is quite similar to manapua as they are both steamed buns filled with pulled pork. Something unique to Hawaiian culture would be dances such as hula and the making of leis. 

“I love making leis,” Tehira said. “I love the language of flowers.” 

Many cultures have something unique about them – for people from the Ivory Coast, a neighboring country to Nigeria, it would be food. Though it is often restricted to that region, Alloco is something that can be purchased in and made in America. Alloco is a fried  plantain  dish native to the Ivory Coast. 

“There are different stores in the area that have the kind of platin you need, and I get to have it here,” junior Llia Bosso said.

Something that Bosso finds special about her culture is the sense of community she feels coming from a relatively small city called Abidjan. In her local area, everyone is familiar with each other, which provides a strong sense of family.

For those who can’t go back to their home country, food becomes their way to embrace their ancestry. Lumpia is a variety of spring rolls often made in the Philippines and Indonesia. The outside is crunchy while the inside is filled with delicious savory meat and sometimes refreshing steaming vegetables. 

“We personally make lumpia all the time,” senior Cheyenne Curiel said. 

Food, languages, traditions are different from culture to culture. Learning about other cultures and their way of life is something that is very important for human connection. Gaining insight on our differences and similarities allow us to better understand each other. 

“You always have someone there for you in every corner,” Bosso said. “And it feels nice to have people who love you on the other side of the world.”