Photos from In-Fusion Festival

I realized that I still have a lot of photos from In-Fusion festival!

I hope it can deliver the feeling of the festival to you.

Audience

Arabic Dancer

Stage

Aboriginal Art

Hello everybody, my article today will speak about the famous Aboriginal art . I wanted you to know how the meaning of the Aboriginal art can represent for the Australian culture.

Anangu art has traditionally taken the form of rock paintings, sand drawings and body painting. Anangu paintings are created for religious and ceremonial expression, teaching and storytelling. Traditional methods and designs are passed on from one generation to the next.

Symbols and meanings

The symbols and figures on the shelter walls at Uluru are similar to those found in many sites throughout Central Australia. Anangu still use these symbols in their paintings and carvings. These include geometric symbols such as concentric circles, figures representing animal tracks and the outlines of animals.

These symbols can represent different meanings, however these become clear when the artists explain the story they are depicting. The true meanings of the Uluru rock paintings rest with the artists and those they were teaching. Some senior Anangu in the Park know the meaning of the cave symbols because they either painted them themselves or recalled having them explained by the artists.

In some paintings the concentric circles symbol may mean a waterhole, or a camping place. In others, the same symbol may indicate a honey ant nest or a native fig tree. Concentric circles symbols usually represent a significant ancestral site or can be an intricate part of the story being told by the artist.

Japan and Australia

Japanese in Sydney

As I am one of the residents in Sydney, I see a number of Asians every single day. However, I do not see Japanese as often as Chinese or Koreans.

I decided to do a quick research on the relationship Japanese people and Australia.

It is said that Australia and Japan started the relationship in 1831, when Australian whaling ships arrived at Hokkaido. Anyway, in the Edo era, there were some Australians coming to Japan as the end of seclusion in 1853.

After the end of Edo in 1867, Japan began to introduced new laws and government institutions as well as European cultures. European clothes were introduced for public service workers such as army and police.

When the demand for European style clothes was increasing, Japan found out that Australian produced wool was the best for them, and they started trade in 1879. Besides, in 1881, the first Japanese came to Northern Australia to work in the pearl industry.

They were allies in World War 1 and enemies in World War 2, but since1957, Australia and Japan, two countries located in the Pacific Ocean, has been essential partners. You can see from the fact that the exports to Japan is the biggest and imports from Japan is the third biggest in Australia Today.

In a statistic, in 2006, the  Japan-bon population in Australia was 30778.

The number of Japanese coming to Sydney

Considering the fact that 17,804 international students from Japan in Australia in 2006, most Japanese come here to study, not to settle.

Actually, an article on Japanese people in Sydney finds that “they have no intention of living in Australia for the rest of their lives ” and they are here just to enjoy “a long trip which they know will end when they eventually resettle in their country of birth”. I think it is pretty Interesting, and I am actually one of them. I am here, to absorb the cultures and values here, and it would be great if I could utilize such knowledge in Japan, and help people from both countries interact and understand each other.

Anyhow, I am so glad to see many people studying Japanese, going to Japanese restaurants and watch Japanese movies at Japanese Film Festival.

By the way, Sydney has a sister city relationship with Nagoya City, located in the center of Japan, since 1980.

There are koalas presented from Taronga Zoo in 1984 in Higashiyama Zoo, one of the most biggest zoos in Japan,  and they are one of the most popular animals in Higashiyama Zoo (like, Higashiyama Zoo remind many Japanese people of Koala). Interestingly, one of the three mascot characters of Chunichi Dragons, the professional baseball team in Nagoya, is Koala named “Doara”.

In addition, 16 students from Nagoya come to Sydney and stay for two weeks at Australian families every winter, and another 16 students from Sydney stay in Japan in October.

You can find Japanese traditional stone monument in the botanical garden near Sydney Opera House, and Nagoya garden in Hyde Park as well.

The reason why I have written so much about Nagoya is that I came from Nagoya. I visited Sydney for the first time in this program. Obviously, it had a big influence on me and now I study here in Sydney!

These are the sources that I used in this article:

http://www.theperthexpress.com.au/contents/special/vol104/006.pdf

http://www.australia.or.jp/gaiyou/japanese_resources/pdf/04_trade.pdf

http://www.jetro.go.jp/world/oceania/au/

http://www.otemon.ac.jp/cas/pdf/33/mclean33.pdf

http://www.jref.com/society/japanese_living_abroad.shtml

http://www.city.nagoya.jp/global/en/more/friendshipcities/nagoya00051373.html

http://books.google.com/books?id=AXHFaiOnqDsC

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_Australian

http://www.jref.com/society/japanese_living_abroad.shtml

Stone Monument from Nagoya City

As I am one of the residents in Sydney, I see a number of Asians every single day. However, I do not see Japanese as often as Chinese or Koreans. I decided to do a quick research on the relationship Japanese people and Australia.

It is said that Australia and Japan started the relationship in 1831, when Australian whaling ships arrived at Hokkaido. Anyway, in the Edo era, there were some Australians coming to Japan as the end of seclusion in 1853.

Little Haveli, Taste of India in Sydney.

Little Haveli

We went to an indian restaurant in Broadway the other day, called “Little Haveli”. We had a birthday dinner there.

Main curry such as butter chicken curry around $14, which you have to order a rice or nan for $2.

Or you can choose a plate with several kinds of curry with salad and nan which is around $10.

After meal Lassi is available for $ 2.50 as well. I had never drunk Lassi, but it does not taste like any other juice… it was like a Yogurt drink that I had in Japan, but it was not the same. Anyway I certainly loved it.

Indian culture often can be seen anywhere in Sydney.

There were not many Indians settled in New South Wales in the early 19th Century because most of them were workers. Besides, there were a number of convicts from India as well.

Major emigration beacon from around 1853, supported and organized by Sir William Burton, a judge in NSW. The number beacon to increase from then.

Especially, the number of Indian students in Australia increased from 30000 in 2004 to 97000 in 2009. Also, Indians are the 6th biggest overseas born population in Sydney.

http://www.records.nsw.gov.au/state-archives/guides-and-finding-aids/archives-in-brief/archives-in-brief-79

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Sydney

http://www.littlehaveli.com.au/

http://beansproutscafe.blogspot.com/2008/06/little-haveli.html

Curry

We went to an indian restaurant in Broadway the other day, called “Little Haveli”. We had a birthday dinner there.

The restaurant is not so big and retains home like atmosphere, but during dinner time there are lots of customers including not only Indians but also people from other nationalities.

Education in Australia

To begin with, I believe that education is the key to the future and according to this choosing the university and the country to study in is extremely important.

However, picking out all this in the contemporary world, seems to be rather difficult.

Part II. Multicultural Events & Festivals on 2009

Hope you guys have been participating some of awesome events posted last week.

But if you haven’t had enough time to enjoy them, don’t worry I will introduce you the list of multicultural events that will be held between October and December.

• 1~15 Oct [Art & About]

Art & About will bring together different art forms, spaces and artists in Sydney’

From painting to performance, laneways to banners, established to emerging artists, they will reflect Sydney’s identity and all its diversity.

http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/artandabout/

• 2~5 Oct Darling Harbour Fiesta

Fiesta is Australia’s largest Latin American festival featuring high-energy Latin American bands, salsa and tango experts and much more’

World salsa campions and other dancers from So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing with the Stars will perform. Also, Latin food and fireworks will spice up Tumbalong Park throughout Fiesta.

http://www.sydneyfestivals.com.au/darling-harbour-fiesta.htm

• 9~11 Oct Sydney International Food Festival

It is a celebration of Australian food that will bring together Sydney’s biggest culinary stars as well as chefs from some of the best restaurants in the world’

Also restaurant dinners to markets, street festivals and open-air eating, the best regional produce and the finest fine dining will be presented.

http://www.siff.com.au/

• 10 Oct [Sydney 2009 World Masters Games]

The world’s largest multi-sport event, attracting up to 25,000 people from upwards of 100 countries’

The Games opens to people of all abilities and most ages, and promotes lifelong friendship regardless of their background or skill level.

http://www.2009worldmasters.com

• 17~30 Oct, 4~22 Nov [Multicultural Art Competition 2009-Australian Identity?!] at Customs House

Artworks that tell a story or encapsulates an impression of the City’s diversity and multiculturalism’

As a young and culturally diverse nation, with rich indigenous culture and heritage spanning thousands of years, the competition challenges artists and illustrators to express their own interpretation and view of Australia’s national identity.

http://cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/Community/GrantsAndAwards/MulticulturalArtCompetition.asp

Eevery event has unique theme and value that nothing should be missed out.

Let us know your experience from these events

Russian Immigration to Australia

Hello, I’m Russian member from the group Diverse Sydney and I’d like to present the theme about Russian Immigration to Australia.

Red Square, Moscow

Russian Immigration started at 19^th century with the Russian expeditions, the purposes of which were to explore unknown regions of the Pacific Ocean and Antarctic. The Jackson’s port (nowadays Kirribilli) at Sydney was the main area of Russian ships, where seafarers repaired their ships and had a rest. Therewith, most of the Australian citizens, of that time, named this place as “Russian Promontory”.

Multicultural Events & Festivals on September

How are you doing everyone?

Me? well, I jsut have finished summarizing the list of all the multicultural events/festivals held in Sydney for the rest of this year.

I should say it was not an easy work to search, select, edit and organize in a format, but worth it!

Until now, I haven’t quite known there are such valuable and variety of events focused on Sydney’s multicultural aspects!

What the best point of all is …. most of them are free to enjoy!!!

In this post, I will only list for the September events that will arrive very soon

But unfortunately, there are some events held on a same day, so you might need to choose where to go, haha.

Have a look the list first and I am sure you will find some interests!

• 10 Sep [A National Scandal: Perspectives on Australian/Asian Intermarriages] at Customs House Library

The Chinese Heritage Association of Australia to celebrate History Week 2009’

Individuals from both the Chinese and Anglo-Saxon Aus communities, and Dr Kathie Blunt will discuss why intermarriage between Asians and Australians was a national scandal.

In-fusion Festival at UTS

Photo by Nikita Gorbachev

Hello for everyone!

At this post we’d like to do a report on the In-fusion Festival which was held at UTS Tower Building from 17th to 21st  of August.

This festival had a great purpose which was to show various cultures that can be seen in such a prestigious university as UTS.

We went there on Wednesday, on the 3rd day of the festival. The program of the show included Arabic dancing by pretty woman and hip-hop dancing by a group of students.

Photo by Nikita Gorbachev

The Arabic dancer showed an outgoing and beautiful  belly dancing with such danger weapon as a saber. Furthermore, the dancer gave a lesson “how to dance”; it helped us to get an unforgettable knowledge such as how to dance using your belly.

Moreover, this dancing was followed by a hip-hop dancers, who have made the UTS hall full of emotions. The dancers, who presented Hip-Hop culture, were UTS students. As you can see on the photo, their skills were amazing.

Our impressions were great, it was beautiful.

Photo by Nikita Gorbachev

Australian Lifestyle (Part 2)

Australian Food Habits

Breakfast - generally everyday cereal with cold milk, Fruit Juice from a bottle (they are very good quality), and very few people squeeze oranges at home. The most common eaten bread is the slice bread toast with butter and jam. The Coffee is weak mixed with cold milk in a big cup. Sweeteners are not very common used and they seemed to be amazed when you ask it.

School Lunch Box – Sandwich of bread with butter and vegemite, apple or any other fruit and a “little treat” that means a small chocolate or fruit/cereal bar. Others use Nutela  hazelnuts spread on the bread. As the kids stay in the school until 3 pm sometimes they bring pocket money to buy food in the tuck shop (canteen).

Adults lunch – Usually around 12 o’clock, and the preference are the sandwiches hamburgers. Meat Pies came second, and fried chicken pieces in third place of preference.

Dinner or Afternoon Tea – “Spaggy Bol”-  Spaghetti  Bolognese is one of the most requested kid dishes, but usually the menu is composed with some kind of meat and  vegetables, always have potatoes or mash potatoes. This means the traditional English style meal Meat + 3 Vegetables. The rice has been introduced by the Asian culture (30% of the population) but the consume is still very low ( generally they don’t know how to do very well and the outcome is a very sticky rice).

Weekends – For the families the Fish & Chips (fried fish with fried potatoes) is the most requested eaten with a lot of ketchup. To the younger generation Pizzas. The BBQ (Barbie) is very popular as well on the weekends.