The Social Outfit

Meet Jackie, CEO of an organisation called "The Social Outfit", in their shop and studio in Newtown.

The Social Outfit: "Good to Wear. Made for Good".

The organisation seeks to create opportunities for new migrants and refugees in employment and education in fashion, design and retail work.

You can see the creative studio space at the back of the retail area in the two smaller photos.

Jackie said that their presence has been warmly welcomed by everyone in the Newtown community.

A Tale of Two Sydneys

Top left and right: At Guildford Foodworks, in Sydney's west, a rather limited milk cabinet, and bulk containers of haloumi and fetta cheeses and natural yoghurt. At the brand new Woolworths in Wolli Creek (bottom pics), a huge selection of milks, and equally startling array of youghurts, all labelled - full cream, light; no fat, reduced fat milks, and everyday, premium, low fat, natural and kids yoghurts, "adult" desserts, custards, custrad creams and creams....then there's cheeses....and separate fridges full of flavoured milks....

Nola and I really liked Foodworks, where there were also large bags of basmati rice, fresh almonds, Turkish semolina, Lebanese Black coffee and a large selection of foodstuffs catering to the diverse, multicultural population of the area.

Taken on iPhone 7pm approx 7pm and 11pm

Bankstown Girls High - Happy 50th Birthday

Recently I went back to a school I taught at in the 1980s - Bankstown Girls High. It was their 50th birthday celebrations, and a really happy, vibrant celebration. Bankie Girls students come from a myriad of cultures and national backgrounds, and they are great singers and dancers. I thought this happy hair wig captured the spirit of the day! Great teachers, great students, and a great example of public education.

Korean Sydney

These ladies were off to a wedding reception in traditional Korean dress. The plane trees and the bicycle made for a photo very reminiscent of a street scene in Asia.

Ashfield Park - International Mother Language Day Monument

This monument in Ashfield Park is an intriguing one. On December 17, 1999, UNESCO declared February 21st to be International Mother Langauge Day. day is celebrated to promote mother tongues and encourage linguistic diversity and multilingual education.

It originated as the international recognition of Language Movement Day, which has been commemorated in Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan) since 1952, when a number of Dhaka university students were killed by the Pakistani police and army in Dhaka during the Bengali Language Movement.

The monument was promoted by the Ekushe Academy Australia, a Bangladeshi orgsanisation. It was unveiled on 19 February 2006 by H.E. Ashraf UdDoula, High Commissioner for Bangladesh.

The UNESCO site for IMLD.

Wikipedia entry.

Things to do on a long weekend 5....

...have a picnic.

On the day I visited, the picnic pavilion was being used by a group of Chinese. One of the large flags said "Universitas Amoiensis". So, off to Google again, and I discovered that this is the Latin name for the first university in China founded by overseas Chinese, now part of the mainstream Chinese university system. So I am assuming this was a picnic day for former alumni and families living in Sydney. There were young families enjoying the playground, and exuberant young men playing a very lively and good-natured game of socccer.

Gözleme at The Rocks markets

Gözleme, a traditional Turkish flat, hand rolled pastry, filled with various fillings, is a perfect market snack food. Fresh pastry is rolled out, filled and sealed, then cooked over a griddle.

These women were making them at a stall at Sunday's markets in The Rocks.

I couldn't choose one favourite photo, so a collage it was. However, my two favourites are the centre ones: the older woman casting a weather eye over the younger, and the younger women twisting the dough in the air. I have uploaded them all full size at Sydney Daily Photo Extra.

I had a spinach and fetta cheese one, and forgot to take a photo of the finished product, so eager was I to eat it!!

You can see someone else's photo by clicking here! And below is an out of focus crop:

Straya Day, Carss Park on Kogarah Bay

Wandered down to Carss Park in time for the local Straya Day sarah-moanies. Australia Day commemorates the setting up of European settlement in Sydney Cove on 26 January 1788.

Started off well, with the Aboriginal didj player/MC very good. He welcomed us all to Country - the land of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. Aboriginal dancers saw off any evil and negative thoughts, and a few brave souls got up and joined in corroboree when invited. The local sea scouts hoisted the flag and gave it a salute....and good thing they were there - they formed the core group of corroboree "volunteers".

They then went off in search of the BBQ, and I overheard one of the kids saying "it's gangsta" (that's the latest word for really, really cool, by the way) - whether he meant the dancing, the flag raising or the anticipation of a burnt snag, I know not.

A choir of smiling women sang the national anthem. Then the mayor and other local dig-er-nit-aries got hold of the mike and we became girt by speeches. The mayor made the most of his time and gave the same speech at least 3 times. The usual phalanx of pollies came and went, and the Australia Day Ambassador, a local identity, Dick Caine, a sports and swim coach told us about his days round Cullanulla in Banjo Paterson territory and introduced us to his family of multi-ethnic background - many of the kids he has taught to swim over the years. He was refreshing.

Cherie Burton, the member of state parliament for Kogarah added some laid back appeal, in her sleeveless top and thongs. She welcomed the Koori dancers to country, which was an interesting hands-across-the-sea reversal of fortunes. Poor old Robert McClelland, the local federal member - it was also his 50th b'day - attempting to keep the "dignified" in dignitary, musta been sweltering in his sports jacket and tie. But we did learn that he's best mates with Chris Evans, Minister for Immigration, who he also reckons is a real ugly bruiser.

Kevin Greene, andother state MP during his turn all but apologised for being born here and therefore never having CHOSEN citizenship.

As with all these things, it took about 12 speeches by blokes (and Cherie) to get to the moving bit - the proud new citizens swearing under God, or affirming to no God (sequentially) to be bonza Aussies. It was great seeing their smiling, proud faces. The choir sang some more.

Then they announced the local Citizens of The Year, which is nice in a parish-pump kinda way. Dick Caine also received that honour, which was a surprise to him.

The Queen's only appearance was by portrait, propped up by a nearby tree. She didn't get mentioned, and wasn't really able to be sighted, once the choir and swelling ranks of officialdom blocked her view of proceedings. I reckon sometime when we can agree on how to elect a President, we'll ease into Republicanism. Monarchy's pretty much a dead duck as far as local sarah-moany goes.

After that, on a bright beautiful, sunny 25 degree day, citizens old and new drifted off to the bbqs, camel rides and bouncy castle fun. It really was anything but a white bread affair, which is noice indeed. And the newest Australians all looked might chuffed.

Below: The Queen presided over events from the comfort of the garden, propped up by a tree:
Dance of various animals, including the emu:
Teaching volunteer participants the emu dance:
Corroboree:
The faces of people about to become citizens:

Taking the oath or affirmation:



Concentration:

The faces of Australia: Celebrate diversity!

Happy Halal Christmas

Indian restaurant, Elizabeth St, Surry Hills.

Bardwell Valley Morning

This morning I went to the gym for my usual swim, and no-one showed up to open up. So, I headed back home and went for a walk around the local area. Here's a view taken in the early morning light (6.45am daylight saving, so really 5.45am), looking over the olive grove planted by Council in honour of residents of Greek origin, and to the golf course and creek valley beyond. Pity about the real estate advertising brochure sheltering under the sandstone outcrop, but I guess it shows we are smack bang in the city, not some pristine wilderness! The trees in the foeground just behind the rocks are left: a Casuarina ('she-oak'), right: a Banksia serrata, both native to the area.

I've posted about the olive grove before - click here to see how the trees have grown.

Auburn Gallioli Mosque

Auburn is the centre of Sydney's Turkish community. The Gallipoli Mosque was largely built and funded by the Turkish community; about 50% of the worshippers there are of Turkish background.

Omer Kirazoglu is the architect of the mosque, which is designed in the Classical Ottoman Style of Architecture characterised by a central dome and minarets. The builder for the mosque was Ahmet Asim who donated much of his time. The name of the mosque - Auburn Gallipoli Mosque - reflects the shared legacy of the Australian society and the main community behind the construction of the mosque, Australian Turkish Muslim Community.

Statue of Spyros Louis, Brighton-le-Sands

Greek Gold Medallist in Marathon
Athens 1896
Sculptor: Pavlos Kougioumtzis

Brighton-le-Sands is the centre of Greek community in Sydney, with lots of restaurants and cafes, and this sculpture.

Another day, another picnic, La Perouse

A family picnic beside the Barrack Tower, La Perouse. It has been there since the early 1820s to prevent smugglers entering Botany Bay unseen. It is the oldest building still in existence on the shores of the bay. From the 1830s it was a Customs House, and in 1868 it was used as a local school. Restored by the La Perouse Monuments Trust, 1961.

I think they just look cold!

At least it's not as cold as this morning, which is apparently the coldest Sydney morning for 21 years (4 degrees at 7 am in the east, -1 in the western suburbs - oh how we Sydney-siders suffer ;-)

Picnic: Bring Your Own (BYO) nargile/sheesha/hookah/hubble-bubble

Picnic at Garrison Point, Georges Hall.

Late autumn and winter in Sydney usually brings perfect picnic weather, and there's no shortage of gorgeous places to get the family or social club together to enjoy the daytime sun.

One thing I'm really impressed by is the effort local councils have made to create regional parks and picnic grounds. This is part of the Mirambeena Regional Park, maintained by Bankstown City Council.

I've uploaded some more photos from this delightful picnic ground at Sydney Daily Photos Extra.

World Refugee Day - 20 June

Villawood Immigration Detention Cente, in suburban Sydney.

Today is the United Nations World Refugee Day. Not that you would know from the media in Australia where it isn't mentioned.

Originally a migrant hostel in the 1960s and 70s, now a detention centre for people who over-stay their visas, and people who have had their applications for refugee status turned down, and who are awaiting appeals to be heard, or deportation.

Unlike other Western-style democracies, Australia has a policy of locking up all applicants for political asylum who have arrived in Australian territory without documentation. Some remain in custody for years while the government decides their fate.

Those locked up include children, and doctors worry that the long-term confinement of children in facilities where they frequently witness violence and are denied adequate schooling is causing serious psychological harm. Some children, they fear, will never recover. Several children have attempted suicide. Others have gone on hunger strikes. At least three teenage boys have sewn their lips shut to protest their incarceration and treatment, according to detainees.

Due to vigorous protest, some women and children who make it to the Australian mainland to seek asylum are allowed to be housed outside detention centres whils awaiting their fate. Others, who only get as far as territories offshore are not so lucky. The Australian government cut many such places out of what they deem to be the "Immigration Zone" and lock up the asylum seekers offshore, on Manus Island, Christmas Island or Nauru.

Mandatory detention was introduced in 1992 under the previous, labor, government. It has continued, and hardened under the present government which has been in power since 1996. Australia does take in about 12 000 refugees a year; the government prefers that they make their way first to another country where they apply for asylum, and are then processed in those countries, rather than arriving in Australia and claiming asylum. The government prefers an "orderly queue", which for desperate people in desperate circumstances, in places where there is no Australian mission is not always possible.

The vast majority of people who do make their way to Australia territory are ultimately assessed to have genuine claims for asylum and are admited as refugees.

For more information, an organisation specifically concerned with getting children out of detention is Chilout.

Other organisations include A Just Australia - Australians for Just Refugee Programs and Australians Against Racism.

Refugee:

International law defines a "refugee" as a person who has fled from and/or cannot return to their country due to a well-founded fear of persecution, including war or civil conflict.
A refugee is a person who "owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality, and is unable to or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country…"
Article 1, The 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees

Asylum Seeker:
An asylum seeker is a person who has left their country of origin, has applied for recognition as a refugee in another country, and is awaiting a decision on their application.

Malek Fahd Islamic College, Greenacre

Sydney is home to a number of mosques and about 12 Islamic schools. The largest Islamic school in Sydney is Malek Fahd, established in 1989 with a $12 million gift from the Royal Family of Saudi Arabia.

While the topic is hotly debated in other countries, all religious schools in Australia receive federal and state government funding, be they Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Buddhist, Hindu, Scientologist, Exclusive Brethren, Mormon, fundamentalist Christian, Baptist, Sunni, Shi'ite, Wahabi. . . to start receiving funding you have to have the grand total of one student enrolled.

Malek Fahd at Greenacre received $ 8,560,571 from the Australian governmment and $ 3,560,571 from the NSW government in financial year 2005-06. That amount goes up every year. This school is categoriosed as one of the poorest in Australia, receiving the highest grants from Australian governments. How private schools are funded in Australia.

Malek Fahd is academically selective, and students not achieving a certain academic level are asked to leave.

Secret men's business

Here's the companion photo to the one of the women yesterday! In response to Kate who asked about the ethnic makeup of my city:

35% of Sydney was born overseas; in my suburb it is 43.3%. The top 10 places they come from are: Lebanon - 8.7%; Macedonia (former Republic Yugoslavia) - 6.8%; New Zealand - 2.6%; China - 2.5%; UK - 2.3%; Italy - 2.0%; Fiji - 1.3%; Philippines - 1.2%; Indonesia - 0.9%.

Update: oops! J Bar commented inside that I seemed to have forgotten Greece. Yes, I did! Greece is = # 5 with the UK on 2.3%!
And - if you're interested in languages spoken at home, I've added that inside!

Those figures are from the 2001 census.

55% of the overseas born people in my suburb arrived before 1986.

Secret women's business

Meeting in the local park to catch up with all the gossip.

Year of the Golden Pig

Chinese New Year festivities began today in Sydney. There was a street parade (which I missed) and a festival in Belmore Park.

As I arrived a woman was singing on the stage.

I had no way of knowing whether she was good, as the sounds were only vaguely familiar to me - it sounded a BIT like traditional Beijing opera, perhaps.

Anyway, this couple clearly liked the performance, and I heard the man say "Very Good", so I felt a bit sad to be unable to fully appreciate the performance.

Nevertheless, the non-Chinese members of the audience showed their appreciation by clapping and paying attention.

Vietnamese Cao-Dai temple, Wiley Park

Located in the southwestern suburb of Wiley Park, this temple is the first Cao Dai temple to be opened outside of Asia. Cao Dai is Vietnam's largest indigenous religion, according to this website.

You can find it right next door to Lakemba Public School, and across the road from Wiley Park Public School, on the very busy King Georges Road.

Details of entrance: