For most of us, Christmas time means getting together with family and friends, enjoying good food with all the trimmings, going to Church, decorating a Christmas tree, and wrapping and unwrapping gifts.
Within our multicultural community, this time of year is different, with a rich variety of traditions and food proving central to celebrations. Anyuon Liai, a member of the Spiritus Multicultural Team, has lived in Australia for twelve years and originally came from Sudan.
He says Christmas is very different in Sudan; no gifts, no Christmas trees, no turkey dinner and no Santa Claus. Attending church is a priority and Muslims join in as well.
“Then we go visiting everyone in the village which means lots and lots of walking. Christmas is our opportunity to see those we’ve perhaps not seen all year so this makes it very special indeed. There is always somebody home in every dwelling to receive visitors and, if we happen to be in a home at meal time, we eat with that family and it’s just the ordinary food we would normally eat.”
Much has changed in Sudan with the decades of drought, war and outside influences but the Sudanese community in Australia continue the tradition of the Christmas Eve parade in which people dress in white costumes with a red cross on the front.
Anyuon says the Toowoomba parade wound its way between the city’s Anglican and Catholic churches and was very popular with the local people. The event was a major highlight for many years but has not been held in recent times.
“In Sudan war has brought such a huge disruption and so there’s no central culture. There is a mix of cultures of many displaced people.”
Spiritus colleague, Lote Scanlan, is from a Samoan background and often returns to her homeland at this time of year. She says Samoan traditions are very different from Australian traditions.
“We don’t have trees, gifts or Santa, although now, our community does ensure there is a gift-giving for the younger children who have not grown up in Samoa. We always celebrate by going to midnight mass and then gather afterwards in a family home, drink hot cocoa and eat a pudding called puligi,” Lote said.
Family and feasting are central to a Samoan Christmas where villagers eat fresh seafood and cook a whole pig above ground.
“We cover the food in hot rocks and then banana leaves – cooking this way means it is even more delicious than if cooked normally. We also eat traditional foods such as taro, cooked green bananas and fresh fish – delicious! It’s great fun to be with everyone but it can be quite disorganised. However, before we do anything at all with our families, we visit anyone in the village who is sick or elderly, those who have greater need.”
At Spiritus Youth Services, staff attempt to give young people a more traditional and happy Christmas, wrapping donated gifts, purchasing special treats and decorating the Christmas tree to make the day as merry as possible. Manager, Heather McAllan says that some young people miss out being with family and friends.
“The celebrations begin with the arrival of Santa (that’s me) and soon the room is strewn with [gift] paper, ribbons and bows – lots of fun. Breakfast is next with pancakes, eggs, bacon, toast and juice,” Heather said.
“No sooner is breakfast finished than we begin lunch preparations. Everyone pitches in and by around 1.30pm we are sitting down to a delicious lunch of roast chicken, vegetables, ham and salad followed by ice cream, jelly, trifle, soft drinks and lollies.
Heather says that around 3.30pm some opt for an afternoon nap.
“Come 6.30pm and the ‘anyone for dinner’ question is asked. The unanimous reply being ‘we’re too full from lunch – maybe later,”
- Debbie Price