Jacob Jardel
Staff Writer
Members of Cameron University’s Asian Club imported their cultures to campus during their Game Night on Nov. 6 in the MCC Ballroom.
The event, which lasted from 5-7 p.m., featured different games and musical selections that introduced students and others in attendance to the various cultures the Asian continent has to offer.
There were at least six different types of games, from musical games with Asian music to an impromptu three-legged race. One of the attractions was the true or false guessing game which taught the audience various facts about Asia. With questions in categories ranging from geography to culture, the game covered various aspects of Asian culture.
Junior Communications major Helen Hiu-Yan Wong, President of Cameron’s Asian Club, said through this event, she and her fellow members hoped to bring awareness of their different beliefs and customs to the CU student body.
She said, “We try to bring more Asian culture to people and let them learn more about Asian culture.”
International games may seem foreign to some Americans but, according to Hiu-Yan Wong, a Hong Kong native, the same could be said of American games in some Asian nations.
“In America, people have their own games,” she said. “People from different countries may not know about these games and may not know how to play them.
“We try to bring in more games with a cultural background,” Hiu-Yan Wong said. “The games came from different countries. Some come from China. Some come from different islands—they’re from everywhere.”
Gold Chang, a freshman Chemistry major, addressed some of these games, referring to a recent experience she had visiting her parents’ home country.
“I went to go visit Laos,” Chang said, “and the games are very different. Here, people play games like tag. There, people play with stones.”
Hiu-Yan Wong said children outside of American often play with their environmental elements.
“They pretty much play with what’s around them,” Hiu-Yan Wong said. “When I was younger, I played things like rock and dirt.”
The members of the club emphasize, however, that an appreciation of the culture is not limited to those of Asian descent.
“Asian Club is open to everyone,” Chang said. “You don’t have to be Asian to be in the Asian Club. It’s just an opportunity to expose people to our cultures.”
Hiu-Yan Wong said the only requirement for being a part of Asian Club is interest.
“You can be interested in Asian culture,” she said. “You can be curious. You could want to know more. You can just join us and have fun. You don’t have to be Asian; you can be anyone.”
The club is looking for anyone who is interested, curious or looking for fun to join them and learn more about their cultures. With events such as the Game Night, the Asian Club hopes to bring awareness of its club to those interested individuals.
“You learn from eating food, from playing games—from everything,” Hiu-Yan Wong said. “We worked hard for this, and we just want people to know Asian Club and not be afraid of joining because they’re not Asian.”