Image Credit: Highway Christian Centre, Bordertown

Tatiara’s small refugee community celebrated Refugee Week by hosting a special cultural celebration at the Tatiara Civic Centre in Bordertown on June 22.

The event, supported by the Tatiara Migrant Resource Centre, Tatiara District Council and local employer JB Swift hoped to raise awareness of the issues affecting refugees and promoting harmony and togetherness in the Tatiara community.

This year’s theme ‘Restoring Hope’ united individuals and individual communities at a single event which highlighted aspects of the refugee experiences and showcased different activities and entertainment.

Special performances that happened throughout the day included:

• Afghani Musicians who recently settled in Bordertown and now working at the local JB Swift, shared the music of Afghanistan on the Danbura;

  

• Sharing of Journey’s by three refugees from Afghanistan, Sundan and Sri Lanka;
• Martial Arts Performance by the local junior local BJC Martial Arts Club;
• African song and dance by the colourful and vibrant performers from Zimbabwe and Kenya, plus a mother and daughter from Kenya performed a special African gospel song, ‘Nemakore’ in Shona, a language of the Zimbabwean people, and an East African song ‘Sitya’;
• Fijian Hula Dance performed by a beautiful Australian girl with a Fiji Island heritage in a traditional costume designed and created by her mother.
• Traditional cuisine including tasty Chicken kebabs, Sri Lanken curry, home-made Aussie treats and other beautiful offerings;
• Other activities such as Henna painting, hair braiding, origami and special screenings of the Colourfest Film Festival.