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Legislative Council - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2008-10-28 Daily Xml
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TAMIL COMMUNITY

The Hon. B.V. FINNIGAN (15:08): Will the minister assisting the Minister for Multicultural Affairs inform the council about the contribution of the Tamil community as part of the recent Deepavali celebrations?

Members interjecting:

The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO (Minister for Correctional Services, Minister for Road Safety, Minister for Gambling, Minister Assisting the Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (15:09): Members opposite clearly are not very interested in our multicultural community. Members may be aware that the major religious festival Deepavali was recently celebrated here in Adelaide. The festival falls in the period from the 13th day of the dark half of the Hindu month (Asvina) to the second day of the light half of the month (Karrtika). This means that, in Australia, the festival usually falls around October to November.

The Deepavali festival is observed with particular enthusiasm by members of the Tamil community. As part of the celebrations, along with the Lieutenant-Governor, Mr Hieu Van Le, I was fortunate enough to attend the Adelaide Tamil Association Deepavali celebration 2008. This is the sixth year that the Tamil community has held a Deepavali celebration, and each year it continues to grow in popularity. Indeed, it has become an annual tradition in South Australia. I am pleased to advise the chamber that this year the Adelaide Tamil Association received a grant towards the cost of the festival from the Rann government's Multicultural Grants Scheme.

The Deepavali celebration is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and showcase Tamil culture as well as reflect upon the important significance of this festival. Deepavali is a time to thank the gods for happiness, peace, wealth and knowledge. Hindus all around the world celebrate Deepavali. One important part for observers of this festival is to light all lamps in their homes on the morning of Deepavali. All lamps are placed in rows in Hindu temples and are also set adrift on rivers and streams. This practice is in commemoration of the return of the god Rama.

This Deepavali celebration was marked by many talented dance performances. The performers, dancers and musicians mostly hailed from the region of Tamil-Nadu and Sri Lanka. However, I was pleased to see that there were also some other non-Tamil people who have taken a keen interest in the Tamil culture who took part in the traditional Bollywood dancing. This year's Deepavali festival was truly a showcase of multiculturalism. Not only were members of the audience treated to traditional and modern Tamil musical performances but they were also fortunate enough to see a traditional Ukrainian dance performance and a song and dance recital by the Cook Islands Dance Group.

As part of my role in assisting the Minister for Multicultural Affairs in another place, I feel it is a special privilege to be able to attend such a diverse range of ethnic, cultural and religious celebrations. Each multicultural community organisation recognises that it has an important responsibility to promote the culture, traditions and language of their heritage. The Tamil community has so much to offer our state through its culture, food, festivities, history and also, of course, the arts. I am sure that the chamber will join me in congratulating the Adelaide Tamil Association and other organisers of this year's Deepavali festival.

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