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Pranisha Subedi (left), junior actuarial science major, is wearing a traditional Nepali outfit called a saree. A saree is a traditional South Asian garment made of a long piece of fabric wrapped around the body, usually with a blouse and petticoat and known for its bright colors and beautiful designs.
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Rajdeep Sah (left), sophomore computer information sciences major, and his friends are wearing traditional Nepali outfits called daura suruwal. Daura suruwal is a traditional Nepali outfit for men made of a long shirt with a front opening and fitted pants, often worn with a hat called Dhaka topi.
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Hui Liao, sophomore liberal arts major, is wearing a qipao, a popular Chinese dress. The qipao is a tight-fitting Chinese dress with a high collar, side slits and beautiful designs, showing traditional style and beauty.
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Anthony Kadiri, junior nursing major, is wearing a Nigerian ceremonial wear presenting Igbo culture. He was wearing the shirt and then the cap, pairing the outfit with beads that represented the rich culture of Igdo land of Nigeria.
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Yuri Lima (Left), sophomore international business studies major, and his friends are wearing the cowboy style clothing of Gauchos from the south of Brazil. The style includes wide hats, loose shirts, baggy pants, boots and a red scarf.
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Hinata Isobe, senior finance and international business major, is wearing a traditional Japanese outfit called a yukata. People usually wore this outfit at summer festivals, and it looked simple and beautiful.
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Andrew Stueve, senior Spanish major, is wearing a suit and tie with khakis, a typical formal wear in American culture. He wore this for a charity event.
At Washburn University, students from many different countries bring their cultures and traditions with them. One special way they show their culture is by wearing traditional clothes. These clothes are usually worn during festivals, weddings, and other important events. They are not just for fashion—they show who they are, where they come from, and what their families and cultures mean to them.
Pranisha Subedi, junior actuarial science major, talked about her traditional Hindu outfit.
“That’s called a saree. We wear it for cultural occasions, and it’s very important to us,” Subedi said, pointing to a photo of herself in the colorful outfit. “It’s especially worn during festivals like Dashain, which we celebrate with family and friends, even if they are far away. It has a lot of meaning in our culture.”
Subedi also shared the jewelry she wore.
“I wore a choker and earrings my mother gave me. We usually wear this kind of jewelry for festivals like this,”Subedi said.
Pranisha explained that while most women in her culture wear sarees for such occasions, some choose to wear kurta and suruwal, another traditional outfit consisting of a top, trousers, and a shawl.
Anthony Kadiri, junior nursing major, from Nigeria shared his own cultural story.
“My culture is called the Igbo culture. The outfit I am wearing in the picture is what we wear for ceremonies,” Kadiri explained. “It includes a shirt, a cap and beads, which represent the culture of my people.”
Anthony wore this outfit for a wedding—just one of the many events where he gets to wear his cultural attire.
Hui Liao, an international student from China, often wears the traditional Qipao during important events like weddings and festivals. The Qipao, known for its elegance and rich history, reflects the beauty of Chinese heritage. Whether it’s joining in Igbo ceremonies or celebrating Chinese traditions, students like Anthony and Hui keep their cultures alive while making new memories at Washburn.
Edited by Jeremy Ford and Stuti Khadka
