ABC Wednesdays - C for Conch

This photo of a Solomon Islander blowing a conch was taken at the recent Australia Day Parade in Adelaide.

The conch shell was used as a means of communication in the past. It was blown to gather the people, announce a message or to declare a festival or event open.

It was used along with drums which have different types of beating rhythms to relate messages; death, warning, harvest, tribal war, etc.

Both can be sounded together during festivals or celebrations.


You can see more of my Australia Day parade photos here on a recent post. (I thank Karley, a member of the Solomon Island Community, who supplied me the information about the conch and drum.)

The ABC Wednesday meme was initiated by Denise Nesbitt. To find out more about ABC Wednesdays and see other participants' contributions click here.

2009 Spirit Festival

"Come and Expereience the Oldest Living Culture in the World" - the 2009 Spirit Festival is being held this weekend at Elder Park on the banks of the River Torrens. This is the second year the festival has been held; a free event due to sponsorships.

Besides the live musical entertainment on stage the festival includes visual arts, children's workshops, performing arts and sporting events.

Massim hut

There is quite a large area in Adelaide's Museum displaying items from Papua-New Guinea. The hut is a model, about one third actual size. It was made by the people of Rogeia Island, near the south eastern tip of New Guinea. It was donated to the museum in 1936.

Indofest 2009

I have mentioned previously SA is dubbed the Festival State. On Sunday was yet another festival; Indofest 2009, an expose of Indonesian culture. Held in Rymill Park in the City, this was a free entry event with performances, workshops, arts and crafts and lots of tasty food.

A Balinese Taruna Jaya Dance - beautiful girls in exquisite costumes; lovely to watch.

The SeOrkesNyah Dangdut band - a highly energetic and entertaining group with a mix of traditional Indonesian and Western instruments.

An appreciative crowd!

Australia Day Parade - groups

Last Monday I took lots of photos at Adelaide's Australia Day Parade. Here is slide show of some of the cultural groups.

Australia Day Parade

"One Australia - many cultures" was overwhelmingly obvious this morning during the colourful Australia Day Parade in Adelaide. Representatives from many of the cultural groups that make up our South Australian community adorned national costumes, played their music, sang and danced in the parade that ended in Elder Park for a massive community Australia Day party.

The Living Kaurna Cultural Centre

This is very near to the Tjilbruke Gateway. The Living Kaurna Cultural Centre runs programs and activities to promote and preserve the Kaurna culture. It also has a heritage display. The Centre is open to the public on weekdays.

One billionth jar of Vegemite

No not this jar; I wish it was! Yesterday the billionth jar of Vegemite was produced; a milestone in the history of the product.

Vegemite is a spread rich in vitamin B1 made from brewer's yeast. It was developed in 1922 and first hit the shelves in 1923. Now, somewhat of an Australian icon, it is found in most Australian homes.

It is an acquired taste; you either love it or hate it. We once had a Japanese exchange student staying with us who was determined to try 'our' Vegemite. She eagerly spread it on on some bread and took a bite. I can still see the look on her face; it did not taste like what she expected.

But for me, I will hoe into this in a moment. I love it and I know it's good for me!

Lion dance and moon lantern parade

Phu Dong Lion Dancers provided a lively bit of entertainment. There are two very fit and athletic young men inside the 'lion'.

This was closely followed by schools & community groups parading their beautiful hand-made lanterns through the park.

Buddhist Blessing in the Rotunda

Another event at the Moon Lantern Festival was a Buddhist blessing in the Rotunda. The ceremony was led by monks from the South Australian Zhu-Lin Temple.

After the blessing there was a procession of the worshippers through the park.

OzAsia Festival

This was the setting for the Moon Lantern Festival; Elder Park, on the banks of the River Torrens. At this event the OzAsia Festival, which runs from 14th to 28th September, was officially opened. During this fortnight a variety of performances are scheduled in venues throughout the City; a cultural exchange with some of our regional neighbours.

Dressed in traditional dress from Vietnam these girls delighted the audience with their performance.

ABC Wednesdays - I for Indian Rhythms

Indian Rhythms (tabla, singing & harmonium) with Jay Dabgar & Sunny Invrageed Singh was one of the stage acts at the Moon Lantern Festival last Sunday. The free event held on the banks of the River Torrens was the official opening of the 2008 OzAsia Festival. I will be posting more about this event over the next few days.

Adelaide is a cosmopolitan city and has migrants from many countries. Currently Indians are the second largest group of immigrants settling in South Australia, providing skilled workers in many areas.

To find out more about ABC Wednesdays and see other participants' contributions go to the ABC Wednesdays' site or to see direct links to their own sites go here.

Al Khalil Mosque

Historically, Adelaide has been dubbed the City of Churches; a reflection of the religious freedom and a range of ethic peoples that have settled here. In addition to the many Christian churches, there are many other places of worship like this mosque at Cheltenham.

Multicultural mural 2

Another mural on the school's wall; the unity of happy children from many different backgrounds. Although the original murals were painted in 1986, they were repainted in 2007; hence their fresh bright appearance.

Multicultural mural

This mural is on the wall of Ascot Park Primary School. It was unveiled in March 1986 and I presume it would have been part of South Australia's 150th year celebrations.

Here is some infomation about South Australia’s cultural diversity from The SA Multicultural Website:

• South Australians were born in more than 200 different countries
• those born overseas number approximately 300 000 or 20% of the State’s total population
• those born in Europe comprise approximately 220 000 individuals or 75% of all foreign born
• those born in Asia comprise approximately 40 000 or 14% of the overseas born
• in the Census 2001 approximately 23 000 South Australians (or 1.6% of the total population) identified themselves as Indigenous Australians
• approximately 12% of all South Australians speak languages other than English at home, including approximately 4 000 persons who speak Indigenous languages.

ABC Wednesdays - Q for Queen

Queen Adelaide was married to King William IV who was on the throne in England when South Australia was settled; Adelaide was named after her.

A full size statue of Queen Adelaide takes pride of place in the foyer of the Adelaide Town Hall.

Woodley Wines of Nuriootpa (established in 1858) have a range of wines using the Queen Adelaide label. They are quite reasonably priced; the tawny port pictured is very pallatable. I know because I just sampled it. Oh what a burden it is to be a CDP blogger!


To find out more about ABC Wednesdays and see links to other participants' sites go to mrs nesbitts place

Anzac Day Dawn Service

This is a view from my seat in the Henley and Grange Concert Band at the Anzac Day Dawn Service at Henley Beach. It is a solemn and moving service, with many individuals and groups laying wreaths to commemorate the fallen service men and women who served their country. We play music throughout the service; for communal hymn singing and during the wreath laying.

Each year more and more people are attending this service and others like it throughout the country; a sign that we as Australians are increasingly thankful for the freedom and wonderful life we have here.

March Theme Day: Graffiti or street mural

Today is theme day in the CDP community. Since starting this blog I have photographed a lot of street art and graffiti.

I have chosen to show this one; the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles doing their bit for conservation. This along with at least a dozen other significant sized murals are painted on walls alongside the Sturt Creek.

I do not know the origins of any of this street art/graffiti, but it is certainly nice to see instead of the mindless tags that 'decorate' so much of our city with teams of people, volunteers and council workers, spending so much time and money cleaning it up.

Over 140 other City Daily Photo sites are participating. Please pay them a visit.

Adelaide, Australia by Gordon, Albuquerque (NM), USA by Helen, Aliso Viejo (CA), USA by Rodney, American Fork (UT), USA by Annie, Anderson (SC), USA by Lessie, Arradon, France by Alice, Ashton under Lyne, UK by Pennine, Athens, Greece by Debbie, Auckland, New Zealand by Lachezar, Austin (TX), USA by LB, Bandung, Indonesia by Guntur Purwanto, Baziège, France by PaB, Belgrade, Serbia by BgdPic, Bellefonte (PA), USA by Barb-n-PA, Bicheno, Australia by Greg, Boston (MA), USA by Cluelessinboston, Boston (MA), USA by Fenix, Boston (MA), USA by Sarah, Whit, & Leyre, Brighton, UK by Harvey, Bucaramanga, Colombia by Fernando, Budapest, Hungary by Isadora, Budapest, Hungary by Zannnie and Zsolt, Buenos Aires, Argentina by Karine, Canterbury, UK by Rose, Cape Town, South Africa by Kerry-Anne, Chandler (AZ), USA by Melindaduff, Chateaubriant, France by Bergson, Cheltenham, UK by Marley, Chicago (IL), USA by b.c., Chicago (IL), USA by U R us, Christchurch, New Zealand by Michelle, Clearwater (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Clearwater Beach (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Cleveland (OH), USA by iBlowfish, Cologne, Germany by April11, Coral Gables (FL), USA by Jnstropic, Detroit (MI), USA by Taittems, Dunedin (FL), USA by Smaridge01, Durban, South Africa by CrazyCow, Evry, France by Olivier, Forks (WA), USA by Corinne, Glasgow, Scotland by Jackie, Greenville (SC), USA by Denton, Grenoble, France by Bleeding Orange, Guelph, Canada by Pat, Helsinki, Finland by Kaa, Hobart, Australia by Greg, Hyde, UK by Gerald, Inverness (IL), USA by Neva, Jackson (MS), USA by Halcyon, Jefferson City (MO), USA by Chinamom2005, Joplin (MO), USA by Victoria, Juneau (AK), USA by Gwyn, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia by Edwin, Kyoto, Japan by Tadamine, Larchmont (NY), USA by Marie-Noyale, Le Guilvinec, France by ds2944, Lisbon, Portugal by Sailor Girl, Lisbon, Portugal by Jsaltao, Lodz, Poland by ritalounge, London, UK by Ham, London, UK by Mo, Mainz, Germany by JB, Maple Ridge, Canada by Susan, Mazatlan, Mexico by Kate, Melbourne, Australia by Mblamo, Melbourne, Australia by John, Memphis (TN), USA by SouthernHeart, Menton, France by Jilly, Mexico, Mexico by Poly, Mexico City, Mexico by Carraol, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Mitch, Minneapolis (MN), USA by Greg, Monte Carlo, Monaco by Jilly, Montréal, Canada by Douber, Moscow, Russia by Irina, Mumbai, India by Kunalbhatia, Mumbai, India by MumbaiIteanu, Naples (FL), USA by Isabella, Nashville (TN), USA by Chris, Nelson, New Zealand by Meg and Ben, New Orleans (LA), USA by steve buser, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK by Cassie & Chris, Niamey, Niger by Dinabee, Norwich, UK by Goddess888, Nottingham, UK by Gail's Man, Ocean Township (NJ), USA by Josy, Paris, France by Eric, Pasadena (CA), USA by Can8ianben, Pasadena (CA), USA by Petrea, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia by Murphy_jay, Pilisvörösvár, Hungary by Elise, Port Angeles (WA), USA by Jelvistar, Port Elizabeth, South Africa by Sam, Port Vila, Vanuatu by Mblamo, Prague, Czech Republic by Honza03, Quincy (MA), USA by Cluelessinboston, Radonvilliers, France by Deslilas, Riga, Latvia by Prokur, Rome, Italy by Giovanni, Rotterdam, Netherlands by Ineke, Saarbrücken, Germany by LadyDemeter, Saint Louis (MO), USA by Strangetastes, Saint Paul (MN), USA by Kate, Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation by Lark, San Antonio (TX), USA by Kramer, San Diego (CA), USA by Felicia, San Diego (CA), USA by Zentmrs, Santa Fe (NM), USA by Randem, Seattle (WA), USA by Kim, Seattle (WA), USA by Chuck, Seguin (TX), USA by Thien, Selma (AL), USA by RamblingRound, Sesimbra, Portugal by Aldeia, Setúbal, Portugal by Maria Elisa, Sharon (CT), USA by Jenny, Silver Spring (MD), USA by John, Singapore, Singapore by Keropok, Sofia, Bulgaria by Antonia, St Francis, South Africa by Sam, Stavanger, Norway by Tanty, Stayton (OR), USA by Celine, Stockholm, Sweden by Stromsjo, Subang Jaya, Malaysia by JC, Sydney, Australia by Sally, Székesfehérvár, Hungary by Teomo, Terre Haute (IN), USA by Zann, Terrell (TX), USA by Bstexas, Terrell (TX), USA by Jim K, The Hague, Netherlands by Lezard, Tokyo, Japan by Tadamine, Torun, Poland by Torun Observer, Toulouse, France by Julia, Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina by Jazzy, Twin Cities (MN), USA by Slinger, Vienna, Austria by G_mirage2, Wailea (HI), USA by Kuanyin, Wassenaar, Netherlands by Rich, Wellington, New Zealand by Jeremyb, West Paris (ME), USA by crittoria, West Sacramento (CA), USA by Barbara, Weston (FL), USA by WestonDailyPhoto, Wrocław, Poland by Loompi, Yardley (PA), USA by Mrlynn,

Chinese street party food

This stall was doing a roaring trade. They were selling XinJiang Lamb Shaslicks for $2.50 each; they were delicious. The chap with the black hat drew the crowd in; describing what he was doing and telling how nice they were. You can see by the queue that they were very popular.

There were lots of other food stalls set up in the street and the regular stalls in the adjacent food courts were busy too. I am sure the event organizers would have been pleased with the number of people in attendance.

Chinese Lunar New Year Street Party

Today there was street party in Adelaide's Chinatown to celebrate the beginning of the lunar new year; the year of the rat. A highlight was a lion dance; very colourful and energetic.