Parramasala Indian Festival & Multiculturalism
Hi, Friends, did you have any event? We enjoyed a Labour Day long weekend and summer time started! I joined Parramasala 2013, the annual Australian Festival of South Asian Arts
that celebrates cultural diversity.
Many events were free. Family and kids enjoyed Indian food, music,
dance and film.
Bollywood super star and world most popular actor, "Shahrukh Khan" did a close concert tonight in Sydney Olympic Park. Actually, this year, camels joined the event! They became super stars among kids...and me!!
Wonderful to feel embraced multiculturalism. Multicultural Australia Council claims that since WWII, over seven million migrants have settled in
Australia. Today, Australians speak more than 260 languages and identify over 270 ancestries. We, Australians are flourish in a wide range of linguistic and
cultural diversity.
I
walked around the Masala markets, a stage and "Chai temple" set up for a rest, free music and
family programs such as "storytelling time" like a library.
It was lovely to
see children and adults in ethnic costume proudly and naturally. Very
colourful. But any child behaves same! Whilst this girl's family were enjoying
music on a stage, she really got bored. Oh, so cute and beautiful like a bloom outed flower!
Although
the girl above did not like noises, we, adults danced and sang along to
the music played on a stage. Hey, we got excited with music and lights
in the evening. Also, I became a friend with a guy who was in charge of
stage lights. A very kind man! I always thank for backstage players and
love them all.
Different
cultures and languages enrich our lives and society, while our
universal language such as music and art always unites us. Oh, yes, kids
were enjoying putting "paints" on boards to create a big drawing in a
park. Nice, joyful and so peaceful!
What about your countries, Friends?
May Australia will maintain this rich cultural and linguistic diversity forever!
Friends, Happy Painting!
Bibliography
A Multicultural Council (2012), "A Multicultural Australia," online.
Dept
Immigration and Border Protection (2012), "What is multiculturalism?" in
National Agenda for a Multiculral Australia, online, media release.
