By Jonathan Montgomery
Daily Titan Staff Writer

Public relations major Jacqueline Francisco entertains crowds at Becker Amphitheatre. Photo by Chris Price.

Plumes of smoke, scents of authentic Middle Eastern cuisine and the sounds of fast, rhythmic, Arabic music filled the Becker Amphitheatre Tuesday during an event hosted by Cal State Fullerton’s Middle Eastern Student Society.

Held annually for the past few years, the event aims to inform and offer different perspectives on Middle Eastern culture. Multiple hookahs, a belly dancer and trays of food were just a few of the exciting events to see and experience.

“We are representing for all the countries of the Middle East,” said Rema Wahid, president of MESS. “Basically we just want them to have a better perception of the Middle East because right now it’s not very good.”

Tables set up around the theater provided information and artifacts from different Middle Eastern countries. This would allow others to learn to differentiate between different Middle Eastern countries, as well as gain knowledge about areas they may not be familiar with.

CSUF alumnus and MESS founder Rashad Al-Dabbagh, 28, said he started the organization due to a lack of representation. Al-Dabbagh said there was no Middle Eastern or Arab student organization when he was a student and that he wanted to do something to change that.

“One aspect of it is to build a sense of community with the students of Arab decent or Middle Eastern decent, and bring them together, but also to raise awareness about cultural issues (and) political issues,” said Al-Dabbagh.

The line of students waiting for food grew while others ate pita bread, falafels, hummus and fresh tabouli made of parsley, lemon vinaigrette and tomatoes.

“This is probably the best hummus I’ve had in a while,” said Samir Gala, 20, a sophomore radio-TV-film major.

Gala, being Indian, said he saw many similarities between Middle Eastern culture and his own – specifically the food, the dance and even the way people look.

Students who had received henna tattoos smoke fruit-flavored tobacco from a hookah at the Middle Eastern Student Society’s event at Becker Amphitheatre Tuesday. Photo by Ron Fu.

“It’s definitely interesting, because I see a lot of things I recognize being Indian, but it’s just a different take on it,” he said.

Around 12:20 p.m., belly dancer Jacqueline Francisco, a public relations major, took center stage on the Becker Amphitheatre.

She performed a sensual dance aided by her rhythm-keeping finger cymbals. While she moved, silver sequins danced and flashed in the sun.

“The best way for me to express myself is through belly dance because of the sensual characteristics and the beauty and art of the dance,” Francisco said. She said belly dancing can inspire and build a woman’s confidence, the main reason she enjoys teaching it.

She also mentioned the cultural importance dance brings.

“You can definitely learn a lot from events like this and gain insight on different cultures and how they interact with each other and the different actives and traditions that they do,” she said.

Shortly after Francisco finished, music blasted from the speakers, and a small group linked hands and gathered on the cement stage and performed “dabka,” a dance from the Northern Middle East.

Al-Dabbagh said Tuesday’s event was held, “to get a different face of the middle east; it’s usually associated with war, violence and we want to show different perspectives.”