KLMU Somali Students Strut Their Stuff

Kuala Lumpur Metropolitan University College (KLMU) sent its delegates to the International Students Cultural Night held at the Nilai University College on 10 Oct 2009.

The event, with the apt tagline "1 World Culture", saw 20 private and public higher learning institutions going neck to neck in two categories of the contest, namely the Traditional Dance and Traditional Song.

KLMU was represented by 14 Somali and two Malaysian students, with the delegation led by KLMU Counsellor Puan Sabariah Kamarudin. The contest, organised by the Department of Higher Education of the Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education, aimed to forge closer rapport among the international students' community in the country.

The KLMU dance team showcased the "Dhanto", a traditional Somali dance usually performed during official and wedding ceremonies. The Dhanto, which means moving hands and feet, has an origin that dates as far as 500 years ago.

The KLMU singing group meanwhile rendered a song entitled "Onkad", which is about a Somali wayfarer who misses his beloved country and longs to come home.

"Both teams trained for three weeks at the KLMU cafeteria and residential blocks," said head of the KLMU performing group, Abdullahi Mohamed Ali, who is also President of the International Students Council at KLMU.