The 2019 Twilight Celebration Cultural festival was a huge and successful event which brought people together to enjoy the food and cultural performances organised by our own parents and students. Lasting the whole day, there were 5 events prepared by Ms Kevern and the inter-cultural committee – two of which were open to the public and led to large crowds.
For the Inter-Cultural committee, the day started with preparations for the events, and students were seen all morning putting up decorations and setting up for the second event. Some groups were tasked with decorating fences with a cultural theme, while others were setting up the sound and stage. Brightly coloured lanterns and streamers were hung from trees to add to the cultural theme.
The first event was a cultural mufti day, where teachers and students came dressed in clothes reflecting their cultures. The school’s diversity was shown in the many different styles which were showcased – from Chinese Cheongsam and Filipino Barong Tagalog to Samoan Lava-lava.
Lunchtime saw the second event – musical performances in the courtyard and a sausage sizzle, with the proceeds going towards the building of a new church for St Luke’s Parish Community. The music performances involving various bands and some Year 7 classes allowed students to showcase their talents and were enjoyed by all the students gathered together in C Block courtyard.
After lunch the Kapa Haka did an introductory performance before the third event, ‘Wear – Show – Tell the Story’ commenced. This event taught the school about its cultural diversity, as it involved students wearing their traditional costumes and telling the stories and meanings behind them. The costumes were all beautiful and unique, coming from countries such as the Philippines, Spain and India. At the end of the ‘Cultural Runway’, performances from the Big Band, Hamilton Ensemble and various dance groups entertained the students, giving them a taste of later events.
Preparations began again for the inter-cultural committee as parents began filing in carrying food to sell at the fourth event – food stalls marking the beginning of the Twilight celebration. Starting at 4:30, guests from the public came in to enjoy the lovingly prepared food coming from countries such as Japan, New Zealand, Taiwan, India, Korea, Indonesia and Thailand. All the food quickly sold out, being both delicious and affordable with no dishes costing more than $5. Students from Sancta Maria Primary School provided entertainment with their Kapa Haka Roopu along with a cultural dance organised by the Korean Cultural Society and jam sessions from our talented jazz students.
The last event of the day was the most anticipated for some as it showcased the hard work students put in to choreograph and perform cultural dances. There was a lot of diversity, with dances coming from Japan, Indonesia, Samoa, the Philippines, Tahiti, China, Korea, Tonga, India, Samoa, and New Zealand. They were all much enjoyed by the public, with large crowds surrounding the stage during every performance.
The Cultural Festival brought together so many people to celebrate our diverse society, and showcased the beauty and uniqueness of each and every culture. This is by far the largest Cultural Festival our school has ever seen – even going on until the evening.
Thank you so much to the SMC Student-Staff-Parent Cultural Festival Committee, student performers and helpers, Cultural Food Stall parent, staff and student organisers, supporting families, parents and friends, Sancta Maria Catholic Primary School, the Korean Cultural Society and Ms Kevern for making the 2019 Twilight Celebration Cultural Festival possible and such a big success.
Alanna Santoso
