We may all march to the beat of our own drums, but this day showed just how well those drums fit together, and how community comes from the harmony of us all.

From the moment I arrived at the festival held at Donald’s Memorial Park to the minute I left, this event left me filled with community spirit. A deep commitment to where each and every person came from and a respect and love for all cultures were evident throughout the day.

I showed up just a bit before 11 a.m. and immediately found myself in a conversation that felt all too familiar, a story I had not only heard before but had lived through. People travelling across the world to be with those they loved, something that echoed my own journey here to Donald. 

I have come from a small town in Canada, a very little place named Smithers, with both a Canadian and a Cuban parent, I was very excited to see others who have travelled the world celebrating both their stories and their history.

Before too long the speakers sparked to life and through them a voice called out to gather round the centre of the field and we were formally welcomed to the event. A few words were spoken to both thank everyone for coming as well as to truly highlight how wonderful our differences and similarities are. 

Shortly thereafter, the Wimmera Filipino Club took to the “stage” displaying skill and passion in equal measure and enthralling the masses with both. 

Drums
The festivities had truly begun; paired with the fantastic weather it was pretty clear to me that I was in for a wonderful day. Once the dancing had died down we were asked to move closer to the shelter, as the African drum duo was up next.

As we, the crowd, made our way over, we were met with promises that “the trip will be worth it, it’ll be not just a show but an experience!” With both smiles and excitement bubbling over the comments made, we quickly settled in. Drums were passed around, as just like what I’ve been told of the last year’s festivities, they had once again brought over a bunch of small drums for people of all ages to enjoy. With drums in hand and people packed in shoulder to shoulder, Odai, from African Drumming, advised us to do some hand warm ups and I could immediately tell he knew how to engage with a crowd. 

With those warm ups out of the way he broke into a few easy to follow beats, and to my delight so many people played back with him. The drum beat that exploded out of the small shelter was immense and surprisingly in rhythm! 

People young and old enjoyed the mix of challenge and pure fun of engaging with musical instruments and I was reminded of something my father once told me: “Music is a language of its own, one that can connect the hearts of people from all cultures and all walks of life”. As I watched people of all ages, all kinds of cultural backgrounds enjoying and engaging with the drums and each other, I knew just how correct he was.

After the drumming I walked over to the Donald Lions Club to enjoy a sausage with my partner, while in the line, I overheard quite a few people talking about where they came from, and how they got here. 

During both my own conversations and the ones I heard in passing, I felt as though the sense of community was at the forefront. Here in a small town we have such connection to the land, to the people and to our histories; something I’ve felt since I arrived, and one of the many things that keeps small towns special. 

After some time spent chatting and enjoying the company of others, I spotted some more people taking to the centre of the clearing. It was time for another group to showcase its talents!

Dancing
The Bendigo Australian Indonesian Klub (BAIK) took to the stage! They happily informed us that the first dance would be from the island of Sumatra while the second, a solo dance, would be from Bali and be the tale of a beautiful young woman. While I may not be able to word-for-word explain the story, after seeing it I can attest to the beauty of the dance. I am always very interested to see dances of this kind because they are a form of storytelling. In many cultures it can be how they pass down stories or legends! 

The crowd clapped and cheered, and during the first dance I even saw people in the crowd joining in, really showing how people can learn and enjoy other cultures, giving us all a multitude of new experiences and things to enjoy. 

Growth
Truly what these festivals and events showcase is growth; as we continue to embrace and celebrate cultures the world over, we learn how to embrace and accept them into our own. 

Things like recipes are an amazing example, learning how to cook meals from another country will not only broaden your culinary expertise but also may just expand your tastes!

I then went back to embrace another round of drumming, though I’m not sure my hands thanked me for it! As the drums roared and the sound echoed out, the time passed way too quickly. With cheers and smiles the drumming eventually came to an end, and as the time approached for the festivities to come to a close, people took to socialising with each other instead. For as the events may have mostly been over, the lasting feelings remained, and the powerful feeling of community was everywhere.

Multicutluralism
For me, multiculturalism is something that’s deeply rooted with who I am; with mixed heritage I’ve spent my entire life embracing the differences. It’s in those differences that we celebrate what makes us similar too. 

Events that highlight the diversity found so close to home really embrace the best part of humanity. Our love of our own cultures is something deeply rooted in almost every person, from our farmers to our baristas, small towns are full to bursting with love of our histories and cultures. Love that was easily felt during this event, and anytime someone shares an old family recipe or tells someone a story from their youth, that love is shared once more. 

As more and more people travel and migrate, it’s important to feel like you can take pieces of home with you, for without our roots, how do we grow to become the people we all wish to be?

The 2024 multicultural festival was absolutely incredible, and I’m already counting down the days until the next one!