The roughly 3000-strong Malayalee community spread across the greater Wellington region came together to celebrate Onam, the most important festival on the Malayalee calendar in the Indian state of Kerala.
The Wellington Malayalee Association (WMA) organised the “Manga Wellington Ponnonam 2022” at the Wellington Indian Association Hall in Kilbirnie on August 27, with over 800 guests in attendance, who also included members from other ethnic communities.
Guests were greeted at the entrance by the roar of drums from the Panchari Melam, a percussion ensemble performed during temple festivals in Kerala.
The floral carpet, integral to any Onam celebration, was laid out at the entrance to the hall. “The carpet was put together by members of the community,” said Theres Ben, WMA secretary and a key organiser of the event.
Paul Eagle, Labour MP for Rongotai, lit the traditional lamp or nilavilakku in the presence of Mukesh Ghiya, acting charge d’affaires of the High Commission of India, as well as Chris Bishop, National list MP for Hutt South.
Minister for Diversity, Inclusion and Ethnic Communities Priyanca Radhakrishnan, slated as the chief guest, was unable to attend. In her recorded Onam greeting played out on the occasion, Radhakrishnan said: “As NZ becomes an increasingly multicultural society, and home to more than 213 ethnic communities, we collectively speak over 160 languages and belong to many faith communities. It is important to ensure that people of all ethnicities and faiths are supported to stay connected with, and to be able to celebrate their unique cultures.”
The minister added that diversity was not only something to be celebrated and to be proud of, but also a source of fresh ideas and perspectives that made a nation stronger.
Prizes were distributed to the winners of elocution, fancy dress, song and dance contests held on August 13 to mark Dhwani 2022, organised by the WMA.
Cultural entertainment ensued, with the Shimmy and Srichakra dance academies staging traditional dance routines, such as Thiruvathira, Pushpanjali and Rangapooja (which fused the classical and folk dance forms of Mohiniyattam, Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi).
This was followed by the centrepiece of the festival, the Onam Sadya, a feast consisting of 30 traditional vegetarian preparations of Kerala served on the ubiquitous, broad-shaped plantain leaf.
“Leaves made of paper were used instead of the original banana leaf at our sadya,” Theres pointed out.
Onam celebrates the annual return of King Mahabali, a mythical figure of Kerala folklore, who is credited with being a benevolent and wise ruler, envied by the gods.