Author: anahatacommunity

Love, Art, Culture, Design, Style Welcome to my weblog, where creativity meets social impact. Through my creative arts platform, Anahata (Heart Centre), I aim to bring people together through multidisciplinary collaborations and innovative artistic projects. I believe that next to the health and social sciences, the arts, creativity, and deep restorative work are transformative tools for fostering recovery, healing, growth and change. By integrating these approaches, we can cultivate a more holistic and compassionate understanding of our lived experiences. Alongside this, I'm committed to driving positive change through holistic group work, community building initiatives, creative activism, and sustainable development. This is fueled by my passion for artistic expression and social impact.

Australia Day in the City

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art-Adelaide-Skyline SMH

“It’s the day for us to re-commit to making Australia an even better place for the future.”

australiaday.org.au

Adelaide was dubbed the ‘hottest place on the planet’ by the United Nations last 17 January, and throughout the six day heatwave, our City of Churches was placed under extreme fire danger. Unsurprisingly, many of the air conditioned malls and shopping centres were well utilised just like in the Philippines on hot summer days, as workmates, students, friends, families and other barkadas (mates), no doubt would have enjoyed dining, window shopping, socialising or just cooling off. Despite the heat, ‘Australia Day in the City’ presented by the Australia Day Council in conjunction with the Adelaide City Council on Sunday 26 January was said to be the biggest ever. Commencing at 6pm, an estimated 4000 people joined the main parade down King William Street to ‘celebrate what they love about Australia and being Australian’, or for some, Filipino-Australian. This public celebration saw the main strip and surrounding streets lined with an estimated 150,000 spectators relishing the colourful costumes and driving rhythms of this festive occasion.

Sanctioned in 1935, the year this momentous date was recognised by the name we know it today, the parade has become a hallmark tradition for South Australia, with over 80 organisations and cultural groups represented this year. The day of observance commemorates the First Landing or Foundation Day of the nation in 1788, when Captain Arthur Phillip, commander of the First Fleet arrived in Sydney with eleven convict ships.

“It’s the day to reflect on what we have achieved and what we can be proud of in our great nation.”

The South Australian Filipino community were represented by a bright contingent comprising of the Sampaguita Dance Group Inc., Samahan Filipino-Australian SA Inc., Bayanihan Sa Bahay Kubo Inc. and the Filipino Settlement Coordinating Council of South Australia (FSCCSA). Participanting groups brought their Sunday best to the occasion, and even posed for photos with the VIP’s and event patrons.

From the urbane street vibe, the party moved to Elder Park for an entertaining concert featuring emerging Australian artist Sarah De Bono, complete with fabulous back up dancers, followed by the dynamic Timomatic as the headline act. The event concluded with a spectacular fireworks display that surely topped off the occasion, making it an Australia Day to remember. Afterwards, under the benevolent night sky, strolling homeward bound through the peaceful city streets, mother and son even shared a laugh while admiring the architecture and public art that seems to pop up in wonderful and unexpected places. Still makes me think, what a way to end a historical day, with so many things to be thankful for?

Photo: Sydney Morning Herald

Facebook album links

Photos by Ben-Hur Winter https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.698942216803834.1073741835.492104977487560&type=1

Photos by Fe Durward https://www.facebook.com/fe.durward/media_set?set=a.10200970269133739.1073741895.1676731039&type=3