Out to Space

13-15 April is Songkran Festival, traditional Thai New Year. Thai community in Sydney has the celebration called Thailand Grand Festival in Tumbalong Park, Darling Harbour. Last year I explored the Buddhist ceremony and the entertainments on stage. This year is pretty much the routine with merit making and blessing in the morning then stage shows in the afternoon. No Aboriginal welcoming protocol has a presence here, just the Premier representative. Do we need a black fella to officially open every single event in Australia or, at least, just an acknowledgement?

The best improvement this year must be Singha Beer tent and the promotion girls are willing to table serve the customers while gulping some beer with her friends along the way. It feels like home. Of course, there are loads of food. Many of them you cannot find in typical Thai restaurants in Sydney. Other than that is largely tourism promotion.

The hi-light performance would be Joe Louis Traditional Thai Puppet Theatre. Unfortunately, the show has to stop due to the rain. The best Thai attitude is still applied here by stating it is the shower of the angels even though everything is on hold for a while. Nevertheless, when weather is clear, the event continues and the crowd is back again despite of the soggy ground.

I would like to use the word Songkran on this post which unofficially unannounced in the event. It is the best we can get on such a special occasion away from home in Sydney.

Marrickville has got a new relationship with Bethlehem. They are now sister cities. The new sister has joined other cities including: Funchal from Portugal, Keelung from Taiwan, Kos from Greece, Larnaca from Cyprus, Safita from Syria and 6 October from Egypt. It caused a stir from the Jewish community but the Council voted into her favour. All the sisters celebrates like an extended family.

Displays at Sister Cities Multicultural Event.

Opening music performance.

Beijing Opera performance representing Keelung from Taiwan.

Traditional dance performance by Cyprian Dance School representing Larnaca from Cyprus.

Poetry reading by Saleh Saqqaf representing Bethlehem from Palestine.

Another multicultural event series from Marrickville Council, Sydney’s inner west. Arabic Cultural Event at Marrickville Town Hall has its own heat despite the cold winter outside.

Starts the night with Tabla drumming performance by Simon Loueizi.

Belly dancing performance by Hathor Dance Theatre.

Music by Joseph and James Tawadros.

Music by Azadoota.

I literally walk pass this place everyday. This is our neighbour, Cyprus Community Centre of NSW and they know how to throw a party. This is how they celebrate—Greek style—great food, good wine and non-stop entertainment. Here are some of the performances on the stage.

Marrickville is one of most ethnically diverse areas in Australia. The Council organises several events through out the year to reflect the richness of the community including African Cultural Event. At Petersham Town Hall, people gather to see the line-up performances from Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, Guinea and Zimbabwe. The pounding rhythm beats everyone’s hearts.

Igbo Cultural Group dance performance.

Dance by Sierra Leone Cultural Group Marrickville.

Ethiopian Dereb Desalegn singing.

Music and Dance of Guinea with Mory Traore.

Zimbabwe Chris Dugu and his band performing as the finale and the crowd getting up and dancing.