Tag: burma

2010 Khaudo Festival

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The Khaudo Festival is a new year celebration celebrated by the Zomi, an ethnic group from Burma. This afternoon I attended the 2010 Khaudo Festival organised by the Zomi Association of Australia for the Maroondah community.

The Khuado Festival is an important annual event that is celebrated throughout the Northern Chin State of Burma, Manipur State and Mizoram State, India during the end of October or early November. The celebration includes dance, music and the sharing of good, with an emphasis on welcoming the new harvest and year.

The Zomi Association of Australia organised the Maroondah Khuado Festival to share the Zomi cultural heritage with the wider community. The Zomi welcomed the wider community through the Khuado Festival and we have been able to welcome the Zomi community into Maroondah.

The festival showcased traditional Zomi dance, music and food throughout the afternoon and I congratulate the Zomi community hosting the Maroondah Khaudo Festival.

Delegates’ Report: Regional Partnerships, Celebrating Diversity, Ringwood Station Advocacy

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There are several notable items I will discuss tonight.

The first being the regional partnership signed by the Mayors of the Cities of Knox, Manningham, Maroondah, Whitehorse and the Shire of Yarra Ranges on the 22nd of September. This agreement will strengthen co-operation between the municipalities in areas such as advocacy, where each of these councils have supported calls for the redevelopment of Ringwood Station into a safe, accessible and integrated transport interchange.

The Eastern Volunteers Multicultural Spring Festival was held on the 9th of October, with over 5000 attendees enjoying a range of multicultural food, entertainment and performances. It is great to see the Maroondah community embracing cultural diversity and this was further evident at the New Year celebrations of Maroondah’s Chin community, an ethnic group from Burma who celebrated Fang Er at Ringwood Secondary College on the 16th of October. The afternoon provided an opportunity to learn about Fang Er, which coincides with the harvest season in Burma and to discover national dances and food.

Monkami, a not-for-profit service provider for people with intellectually disabilities, has continued to strengthen its community connections and I had the pleasure of launching Alarming Art on the 14th of October. Alarming Art is Monkami’s new public gallery located at the Croydon Fire Station in Croydon Road, the space will provide an opportunity to showcase the talents of Monkami’s clients and further strengthen connections with the community.

Lastly, Maroondah City Council launched its Missing Piece Campaign on the 13th of October, calling on all political parties to commit to the redevelopment of Ringwood Station into an accessible, safe and integrated transport interchange. The campaign, which I co-launched with accessibility advocate Margaret Stevens, reinforces the dire state of Ringwood Station and the need for a commitment. The campaign will continue until the State Election with updates being available at www.facebook.com/ringwoodstation.

I’ll table the rest of my report.

2010 Chin New Year (Fang Er) Festival

Posted on by alex

The City of Maroondah is home to a large number of migrants and refugees from Burma, with several ethnic groups settling into the municipality.

The Chin community, is one of the ethnic groups from Burma and this afternoon I attended their new year celebrations, known as Fang Er, which traditionally celebrated the harvest. The celebrations included singing, dancing and entertainment from members of the Chin community, as well as traditional rice cake which is part of the festivities.

It is great to see the Chin community embracing Maroondah and encouraging participation in their festivals.

Central Ringwood Community Centre 2010 AGM

Posted on by alex

Central Ringwood Community Centre is a not-for-profit community organisation located within Bedford Park, Ringwood and provides a range of community courses, as well as facilities available for hire.

This afternoon I attended Central Ringwood Community Centre’s 2010 Annual General Meeting, which provided an opportunity to learn about the activities undertaken within the Centre. The Centre recently received funding through the Better Regions Program Funding, which has provided for accessibility improvements and a new activity room.

In addition Central Ringwood Community Centre is a partner in a project that aims to identify the needs of refugees from Burma, through identifying any gaps in existing services.  The project is due for completion in March 2011 and reinforces the Centre’s strong interest in Maroondah’s diverse community.