If you’ve been put in charge of throwing a party specifically to celebrate a certain culture or group of people, you might be a little nervous at the prospect of getting everything right. After all, you don’t want to misrepresent the culture you’re intending to honor, even if the mistakes would be inadvertent.

There are right and wrong ways to go about everything, easy ways out and methods that are more worthwhile. When it comes to culture and ethnicity and representation, especially when a party full of people will be there to judge the proceedings, trust us when we tell you not to skimp on the details.

So, what are some things to think about so you can pull off this cultural event without a hitch? Here are some tips.

Prepare Authentic Food

A big part of just about every unique culture on Earth is the food! Each culture has developed over the centuries its own approach to food preparation and the social customs that surround the consumption of that food.

Given that, a party celebrating a certain culture will need to feature authentic versions of those familiar foods. You can see if you know anyone who can prepare these dishes the right way, or perhaps order it from an authentic catering place or restaurant that makes everything from scratch.

Don’t forget to do your research on this front; in many instances, there are “Americanized” versions of cultural foods that you might think are authentic but are actually just watered-down versions of those foods. Put the time in to get this stuff right.

Get Live Cultural Entertainment

Another outlet of many cultures around the world is music! People love music, and there are so many styles and forms that have developed over time in pretty much all different cultures.

Just like with the food, you should be sure to secure authentic music for this event, made by and for the diaspora of the specific culture. For instance, get real Italian singers for an Italian-themed party or other event, or real merengue dancers for an event having to do with Dominican people.

The guests will surely appreciate that this extra effort was put in.

Procure a Speaker from that Culture

Finally, you will want your event to be a bed of positive communication regarding this specific culture you are celebrating.

Do you know any local or even better-known speakers who would be interested in appearing at your event to discuss current events relating to this group of people? This kind of dialog would go a long way toward lending real meaning to this event of yours, lending a sense of purpose to everyone who showed up for it.

In the end, it sort of comes down to common sense to throw a successful cultural event. Get everything right, be authentic, and give everyone a good reason to be where they are. When everything comes together and makes the guests happy, you’ll have done your job and can sit back and be proud.

Published: 2021-12-08 10:59:57