Different strokes, same spirit
Would you prefer one big Diwali celebration that everybody attends? Or would you rather have one festival for each region – central, south, west and north – for Kiwi-Indians residing in distant suburbs?
The Queen of all Diwalis was held at Aotea Square last weekend. Queen Street, the lifeline of Auckland Central, was blocked off mid-way to make way for celebrations. If you were lucky enough to be present there, chances are you felt you were back in India. From the aroma at the food stalls to the handicrafts and workshops, not to mention the crowd around you was oh-so Indian! Unless, of course, you looked up and saw the city skyline and released you were actually miles away from your home country.
Every Kiwi-Indian is touched by Auckland Diwali Festival, whether they physically make their way to it or savour it from afar. Most times, unless you are adventurous enough, you don’t wish to brave the traffic and pay for parking to have a few of hours of fun at the festival. You would rather hear about the celebration updates on radio and wait for your regional or local Diwali festival to visit with friends and family.
But the question is does this not dissect the community into smaller pockets? Is it better to have one big Diwali celebration that everybody attends together? Or have one festival for each region – central, south, west and north – to accommodate the Kiwi-Indians who reside in distant suburbs across the length and breadth of the city? These are questions that are often pondered over by Kiwi-Indians. So, let us explore the pros and cons of having one Diwali versus several Diwali celebrations in Auckland.
ONE DIWALI, ONE CELEBRATION
“The fact that an important road like the Queen Street is blocked for Diwali shows that the New Zealand government recognises the Kiwi-Indian community and respects its culture. It is a big thing for the community that has worked hard to be where it is now,” says Naveen Prakash, President of Waitakere Indian Association.
Harshad Patel, President of New Zealand Indian Central Association, prefers to get all community organisations together for one gala celebration and plans to work on it in the near future. “Diwali showcases our unity as an ethnic community, expressed through cultural activities and festivities. We can get together and do it together,” says Patel.
“Diwali signifies the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, good over evil, and hope over despair. It has also come to represent the Indian diaspora all across the world,” says Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi, National MP. “To borrow Shashi Tharoor’s phrase of ‘India’s Soft Power’, celebration of Diwali by the Indian diaspora in NZ and across the world has without doubt helped in telling the India story to the world.”
“Mahatma Gandhi Centre used to be the venue for Auckland Council’s Diwali celebrations for several years, till the community grew in size and the venue became too small,” remembers Patel.
Bakshi adds, “As a Member of Parliament I get invited to and feel privileged to attend Diwali celebrations all across the country. It is, therefore, a bit hard for me to say that I do not enjoy the festivities and the hospitality. However, in my opinion celebrating this unifying festival in every suburb doesn’t do justice to it. Neither does it convey to the wider society the true meaning of the festival.”
ONE DIWALI, MANY CELEBRATIONS
Multiple celebrations might apparently showcase the Kiwi-Indian community to be divided. It does not help that the festivities have been reduced to “a dance event”, resulting in the festival losing its distinctive character. Of course, we do have a spectacular fireworks display in the end. However, one of the major arguments for multiple celebrations is the fact that it gives each region an opportunity to showcase its talent. Regional celebrations help the local community residing in that region to come together and know each other. This is difficult to achieve in the big crowd that descends at Auckland Central.
Bakshi says, “Celebrating Diwali at a single spot may prove challenging due to logistical issues. The Indian diaspora is spread in all areas of Auckland. To create ease of access for members of our communities I feel it is best to celebrate Diwali in South, West and Central Auckland.”
On a positive note, Bakshi adds, “The organising committee of Diwali in all these areas can team up with smaller community organisations towards integrating their efforts towards planning and organising Diwali in each zone of Auckland. All organisers should be provided with an opportunity to participate equally and they should be acknowledged for their work and efforts. As members of an ethnic community in a foreign land, I believe we should put efforts to stand united in times of joy and adversity. I think in celebrating the festival of Diwali collectively, rather than in small groups, we stand to further build on the India story.”
Thinking along the same lines, Nimmi Bedi, community facilitator, South Auckland, says, “So many celebrations of the same festival do not give a good image of the community. However, it is not fair to have only one Diwali either. Rather we could arrive at a mid-point and have one in each region that combines the local community organisations in that region.”
All of these celebrations are predominantly about Bollywood and Bhangra, with pockets of other Indian elements thrown in. “The real festival has disappeared,” laments Bedi. “We celebrate our traditional form of Diwali at our gurudwara in Papatoetoe.”
Diwali, actually, means different things to different communities within India and each community celebrates it in a different way. In spite of the multiple celebrations, interestingly enough, all of them adhere to the generic festival theme.
A smaller and more regional celebration, however, brings the community people together and makes it easier for them to know each other. “When we ask our members if they went to the Auckland Central Diwali, almost 80 per cent of them say they have not,” says Prakash, President of Waitakere Indian Association. “The community events help us to discuss issues of concern and work out what works better. This is also when we can gauge people’s opinion and relay it to the Council.”
With the increase in Kiwi-Indian population, the local talents have also multiplied. Their variety is reflected in the increase in cultural performances. “Not everybody can make it to the Auckland Diwali. The regional celebrations give every performer a platform to showcase their talent,” says Darshana Sinnarkar, resident of Mt Roskill. “An opportunity to perform brings the kids along with their parents and friends, and that’s what ensures participation,” says Prakash.
BURMA INVITED TO DIWALI
The diversity of our culture is not just reflected in the many ways in which Diwali is celebrated in the country, but also in the many opinions on how to celebrate the festival. The wish to organise the best also brings out the best in all organisers. So, frankly speaking, the multiple celebration approach stands to gain in the long run.
In their attempt to provide Kiwi-Indians with the best-ever Diwali year after year, Auckland Council believes in being a step ahead. This year, it was heard at an ATEED (Auckland Tourism Events and Economic Development) meeting that, for some added attraction, their marketing team was planning to bring the elephant from the zoo to Aotea Square during the celebrations. But they did not get permission from Auckland Zoo.
When approached by Indian Weekender, the zoo authorities said: “It turns out that ATEED did not ask for our elephant Burma to join the Diwali Festival celebrations in Aotea Square. We have in the past been asked by other organisations if our animals could leave the zoo premises, but have declined as we strictly follow the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) guidelines for Zoos in New Zealand.”
Irrespective of whether elephant Burma made it to the celebrations or not, Kiwi-Indians had a gala time at the Auckland Diwali Festival. The spirit of the organisers is reflected in the way they go out of their way to make an event memorable – even if it comes in the form of multiple celebrations.
Would you prefer one big Diwali celebration that everybody attends? Or would you rather have one festival for each region – central, south, west and north – for Kiwi-Indians residing in distant suburbs?
The Queen of all Diwalis was held at Aotea Square last weekend. Queen Street, the lifeline of...
Would you prefer one big Diwali celebration that everybody attends? Or would you rather have one festival for each region – central, south, west and north – for Kiwi-Indians residing in distant suburbs?
The Queen of all Diwalis was held at Aotea Square last weekend. Queen Street, the lifeline of Auckland Central, was blocked off mid-way to make way for celebrations. If you were lucky enough to be present there, chances are you felt you were back in India. From the aroma at the food stalls to the handicrafts and workshops, not to mention the crowd around you was oh-so Indian! Unless, of course, you looked up and saw the city skyline and released you were actually miles away from your home country.
Every Kiwi-Indian is touched by Auckland Diwali Festival, whether they physically make their way to it or savour it from afar. Most times, unless you are adventurous enough, you don’t wish to brave the traffic and pay for parking to have a few of hours of fun at the festival. You would rather hear about the celebration updates on radio and wait for your regional or local Diwali festival to visit with friends and family.
But the question is does this not dissect the community into smaller pockets? Is it better to have one big Diwali celebration that everybody attends together? Or have one festival for each region – central, south, west and north – to accommodate the Kiwi-Indians who reside in distant suburbs across the length and breadth of the city? These are questions that are often pondered over by Kiwi-Indians. So, let us explore the pros and cons of having one Diwali versus several Diwali celebrations in Auckland.
ONE DIWALI, ONE CELEBRATION
“The fact that an important road like the Queen Street is blocked for Diwali shows that the New Zealand government recognises the Kiwi-Indian community and respects its culture. It is a big thing for the community that has worked hard to be where it is now,” says Naveen Prakash, President of Waitakere Indian Association.
Harshad Patel, President of New Zealand Indian Central Association, prefers to get all community organisations together for one gala celebration and plans to work on it in the near future. “Diwali showcases our unity as an ethnic community, expressed through cultural activities and festivities. We can get together and do it together,” says Patel.
“Diwali signifies the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, good over evil, and hope over despair. It has also come to represent the Indian diaspora all across the world,” says Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi, National MP. “To borrow Shashi Tharoor’s phrase of ‘India’s Soft Power’, celebration of Diwali by the Indian diaspora in NZ and across the world has without doubt helped in telling the India story to the world.”
“Mahatma Gandhi Centre used to be the venue for Auckland Council’s Diwali celebrations for several years, till the community grew in size and the venue became too small,” remembers Patel.
Bakshi adds, “As a Member of Parliament I get invited to and feel privileged to attend Diwali celebrations all across the country. It is, therefore, a bit hard for me to say that I do not enjoy the festivities and the hospitality. However, in my opinion celebrating this unifying festival in every suburb doesn’t do justice to it. Neither does it convey to the wider society the true meaning of the festival.”
ONE DIWALI, MANY CELEBRATIONS
Multiple celebrations might apparently showcase the Kiwi-Indian community to be divided. It does not help that the festivities have been reduced to “a dance event”, resulting in the festival losing its distinctive character. Of course, we do have a spectacular fireworks display in the end. However, one of the major arguments for multiple celebrations is the fact that it gives each region an opportunity to showcase its talent. Regional celebrations help the local community residing in that region to come together and know each other. This is difficult to achieve in the big crowd that descends at Auckland Central.
Bakshi says, “Celebrating Diwali at a single spot may prove challenging due to logistical issues. The Indian diaspora is spread in all areas of Auckland. To create ease of access for members of our communities I feel it is best to celebrate Diwali in South, West and Central Auckland.”
On a positive note, Bakshi adds, “The organising committee of Diwali in all these areas can team up with smaller community organisations towards integrating their efforts towards planning and organising Diwali in each zone of Auckland. All organisers should be provided with an opportunity to participate equally and they should be acknowledged for their work and efforts. As members of an ethnic community in a foreign land, I believe we should put efforts to stand united in times of joy and adversity. I think in celebrating the festival of Diwali collectively, rather than in small groups, we stand to further build on the India story.”
Thinking along the same lines, Nimmi Bedi, community facilitator, South Auckland, says, “So many celebrations of the same festival do not give a good image of the community. However, it is not fair to have only one Diwali either. Rather we could arrive at a mid-point and have one in each region that combines the local community organisations in that region.”
All of these celebrations are predominantly about Bollywood and Bhangra, with pockets of other Indian elements thrown in. “The real festival has disappeared,” laments Bedi. “We celebrate our traditional form of Diwali at our gurudwara in Papatoetoe.”
Diwali, actually, means different things to different communities within India and each community celebrates it in a different way. In spite of the multiple celebrations, interestingly enough, all of them adhere to the generic festival theme.
A smaller and more regional celebration, however, brings the community people together and makes it easier for them to know each other. “When we ask our members if they went to the Auckland Central Diwali, almost 80 per cent of them say they have not,” says Prakash, President of Waitakere Indian Association. “The community events help us to discuss issues of concern and work out what works better. This is also when we can gauge people’s opinion and relay it to the Council.”
With the increase in Kiwi-Indian population, the local talents have also multiplied. Their variety is reflected in the increase in cultural performances. “Not everybody can make it to the Auckland Diwali. The regional celebrations give every performer a platform to showcase their talent,” says Darshana Sinnarkar, resident of Mt Roskill. “An opportunity to perform brings the kids along with their parents and friends, and that’s what ensures participation,” says Prakash.
BURMA INVITED TO DIWALI
The diversity of our culture is not just reflected in the many ways in which Diwali is celebrated in the country, but also in the many opinions on how to celebrate the festival. The wish to organise the best also brings out the best in all organisers. So, frankly speaking, the multiple celebration approach stands to gain in the long run.
In their attempt to provide Kiwi-Indians with the best-ever Diwali year after year, Auckland Council believes in being a step ahead. This year, it was heard at an ATEED (Auckland Tourism Events and Economic Development) meeting that, for some added attraction, their marketing team was planning to bring the elephant from the zoo to Aotea Square during the celebrations. But they did not get permission from Auckland Zoo.
When approached by Indian Weekender, the zoo authorities said: “It turns out that ATEED did not ask for our elephant Burma to join the Diwali Festival celebrations in Aotea Square. We have in the past been asked by other organisations if our animals could leave the zoo premises, but have declined as we strictly follow the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) guidelines for Zoos in New Zealand.”
Irrespective of whether elephant Burma made it to the celebrations or not, Kiwi-Indians had a gala time at the Auckland Diwali Festival. The spirit of the organisers is reflected in the way they go out of their way to make an event memorable – even if it comes in the form of multiple celebrations.
Leave a Comment