Kids Corner
The “Kids’ Corner” section of our school newsletter provides the opportunity for the children to showcase their talents or communicate something special. This fortnight I have taken the opportunity to share some of the Year 5 children’s Cultural Diversity Week reflections:
Connecting through culture!
As I grew up, the more I learnt about the world. My culture. My religion. Me. I learnt about how a variety of cultures connect. We make so many assumptions based on geography, people and many other things about countries. For example, let’s take India and Sri Lanka. Everyone assumes the cultures are very similar because they are close countries. That is at the very top of the cultural iceberg. If we go deeper and deeper into the iceberg, we will find wonders. Our thoughts will shift. To actually understand your culture and various cultural connections, you need to firstly have a conversation with someone. The other day, in class we needed to discuss with our buddies about how our cultures connect. My buddy’s name is Uvashana and she is from Sri Lanka. I learnt so much about Sri Lankan cultural beliefs and traditions. I also found quite a lot of similarities. Both Indian and Sri Lankan cultures eat similar foods like curry, rice, poori etc. But the main connection was that both our countries are connected to the great epic of Ramayana.
Now, moving onto what I learnt about myself. Before I didn’t really think that I really had much of a connection with Australian culture. But then I found out that it's the little things that make my connection with Australian culture strong. Like parks and roads. I have fun playing in parks and I love road trips. Those are only a few of Australia’s specialities. I also realised that even if I don’t celebrate Aussie festivals like Christmas much and celebrate Indian festivals like Diwali, in all the festivals, we get together with family and friends. So that is how my thoughts changed about my identity. Moving to Australia has made me who I am today and I am proud to be a part of both, Indian and Australian cultures.
By Gargi
Connecting through culture!
Culture is a way to represent your identity. Culture is full of colours and personality and each one is unique on its own! I found out my culture is a beautiful path to harmony. Expressing cultures can be different. Someone’s culture can be the same but that doesn’t mean that they can’t celebrate things in a different way… Cultures can change over time and that’s a fact! I was mind blown to know that in my Sri Lankan culture they can celebrate celebrations that are the same but differently which is very unique. For example, in Sri Lankan New Year my parents give me money to wish me good luck but, some families cook their favourite dishes for their child.
I am grateful for being who I am and celebrating my culture, my experience also impacted my culture too. Diving deep into my cultures made me think more about my culture and my family heritage. My identity is shaped by my personality and environment, that is what makes up my culture.
Being Australian changed my culture after my dad came to Australia and my mum married him and I was born because we started celebrating Christmas by putting up Christmas trees and for Easter we do easter egg hunts and eat the mouth watering chocolate. I am proud to be me. I am and proud of my identity.
By Aarthy
MY CULTURE
Knowing who I am and my culture has made me a better person. I was born in Australia and that has meant that I don’t celebrate Holi and Diwali as much as you do in India it has also meant that I celebrate different events like Christmas and Easter and I practice my English accent at home.
Yesterday I was talking to Rochelle about where she is from. When I analysed her calico piece I was shocked that we actually had something in common which is great. Every day I learn something new and when I learn about cultures that makes me even happier because everyone’s different and that’s the speciality in every single culture.
In my culture we do things differently we don’t cut our hair because our god says that in your hair there is power and when you cut it your power will go away so boys were turbans also known as a Pug. A reason why my brother moved schools was because people didn’t treat him with respect because of how he looked and when Mr. Catalano heard this, he is a very nice man and let him join our multicultural school filled with 36 different cultures.
My cultural identity will continue to shift over time as I grow in different environments but I’m so thankful as my family allows freedom within our cultural experiences.
By Sahiba
My Culture:
During Cultural Diversity Week, I learnt about Sri Lankan festivals like Vesak Poya, Thai Pongal and Diwali. However my big take away is that the environment I grew up in has affected how connected I am with my culture. For example, I don’t like or eat Sri Lankan food that much, I don’t wear cultural clothes and I don’t celebrate my cultures festivals.
My greatest challenge is that people try to guess where I am from based on my looks which is the type of the cultural iceberg. They try to connect with me on Sri Lankan festivals just because of my skin colour and the food I eat, but I do not consider myself Sri Lankan. I feel most aligned with Australian culture because Australia is very multicultural and every individual culture makes up what it means to be Australian. For example I wear a casual t-shirt and shorts, I love to play outside, I love eating food from different cuisines and my best is Australian. This is why I am proud to be Australian.
By Blake