With a blend of Aussie and Goan traditions, the Goan expat community in Australia will join hands with Indian and other Australian families in commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the most significant celebration in the Christian calendar.
Easter celebration in Australia includes church prayers, Easter bilby and, not to forget, brightly coloured Easter eggs. The Easter celebration calls for the beginning of the autumn season, as spring does not occur in the month of April in Australia. The Easter celebrations in Australia begin with Shrove Tuesday and ends with Whitsun. During the 50-day long celebration, the Goan Christian community and the other Australians observe a host of rituals like Pancake Day, when they host pancake races, hog on hot cross buns, play egg-hunt and host Easter shows.
Perth-based radio jockey Caesar Pereira will host a special radio show on English and Konkani devotional hymns on Air 95.3 FM starting at 7 am. Pereira hosts a radio show with 6EBA, which is part of the Australia wide community broadcasting sector, recognised internationally as one of the most successful examples of grass roots media. “After abstaining from meat for some time, it's time to invite families and friends to taste Goan dishes like Sorpotel and roast beef,” says Pereira.
Usually after the vigil Easter celebration, families travel to catch up with other families to greet them Happy Easter, which is followed by lunch or dinner on Easter Sunday and thereafter, a picnic on Easter Monday, which is usually an opportunity to enjoy the long weekend with some indulgence after 40 days of abstinence. Guilherme and Sylvie Rebello, a Goan couple living in Australia since 1980, informed that they had Xitt Codi on Good Friday. “When our kids were young, a few families used to get together and have an Easter Funday,” recalls Sylvie, adding, “We would book a hall and each one would make a dish. We would organize an Easter egg hunt for the kids as well as an Easter hat parade for the kids and adults. That's about it. We used to be about 15-20 Goan families in Campbell town, New South Wales, and we often used to get together on occasions like this.” She goes on to say, “Now our kids are grown up and most are married and have kids of their own. Of course, we never forgot the most important reason for celebrating Easter. I would always take my children to church on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday and, of course, on Easter Sunday for Mass to celebrate Jesus' rising from the dead.”
In Adelaide, South Australia, a family of Goan origin has invited friends over to a house warming party. Joseph and Wendy Fernandes and their children have taken the Easter opportunity to invite friends over to warm up their new house this autumn season. Another Goan family, Nick and Annabelle Fernandes along with their two boys, have travelled to Melbourne to catch up with their old friends and celebrate Easter. The Goan tradition of blessing of the house after Easter Sunday is also observed in a few parishes across Adelaide.
The speciality of Easter in Australia lies in the hosting of a unique agricultural show in Sydney known as “the Royal Easter Show”, where the nation's best produce is exhibited. It also consists of a display of farm animals. Other highlights include firework, hosting of parades, joy rides, delicious food and other fun activities for kids. Interestingly, India has been invited as the first-ever country to be hosted as a ‘guest nation’ at the Sydney Royal Easter Show (SRES). This is seen as a great opportunity for India to showcase its indigenous skill and prowess overseas. India’s participation is being viewed as a gesture towards elevating mutual cooperation.
There are various Easter festivals that are celebrated in Australia, which include 'Perth International Arts Festival' film festivals, and 'Sydney Royal Easter Show', which is an annual show that features the diverse multi-cultural heritage of the nation to the liveliness of the city life. Adventure sports always lead amongst all the social events as they draw the maximum crowd and attention from all sections of the Australian population. A lot more other cultural events take place in different cities of Australia like the National Folk Festival in Canberra, the Australian Gospel Festival in Queensland and Blues and Roots Festival at Byron Bay in Northern New South Wales.
