The Wellington Diwali Festival of Lights lived up to its promise and delivered an action-packed, high-decibel, fun-filled evening for the Greater Wellington diaspora on October 16.
The Michael Fowler Centre in downtown Wellington was packed to capacity as the Kiwi Indian community cheered back-to-back acts that straddled the whole gamut of Indian culture, with an explosion of colourful costumes accompanied by traditional Indian music, reflecting the multilingual tapestry and mosaic of India.
The 21st edition of this annual event came after the festival was cancelled last year on account of the pandemic.
Local dignitaries addressed the audience before lighting the ceremonial lamp, with each speaker noting the significance of the festival of lights to the multicultural fabric of Wellington.
Mukesh Ghiya, the Charge d ‘Affairs of the Indian High Commission, said: “Diwali extends beyond all cultures and religions and is celebrated around the world as it unites people in goodwill.” He elaborated on the mythology behind the festival for the benefit of the audience.
Ghiya acknowledged “the great contribution [made] by the people of Indian descent to New Zealand.”
Ghiya was preceded at the podium by newly elected Mayor Tory Whanau, who noted Wellington was a city of cultural diversity, which made it special. “Everyone here forms a major part of our community and ….…...it’s important Wellington feels like home to you and our other communities,” she said.
Minister of Customs Meka Whaitiri recalled her trip to India last month which helped cement ties between India and New Zealand. She said the links between the two countries went back to the 1800s when the first Indian migrants arrived in NZ.
Labour MP and Deputy Speaker Greg O Connor spoke next. Tracing his ancestry back to Ireland, he said: “We all came to New Zealand because we were looking for something better than where we lived.”
Migrants brought back the best from their homelands and incorporated them here. Diwali was a celebration that was part of mainstream New Zealand, he noted. “It means that we are really getting that match between what we left behind and where we are now,” O Connor added.
National member of parliament Chris Bishop said while NZ was built on “bicultural foundations” between Maori and Pakeha, it had become increasingly a country that embraced people from all backgrounds, ethnicities and religions. He said Diwali’s message of the triumph of good over evil, light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance was relevant to the troubled world we lived in.
MPs James McDowall (Act), Ginny Andersen and Paul Eagle (Labour) echoed the sentiments expressed by the previous speakers.
Once the dignitaries left the stage, it was taken over by the young talents from various dance schools that dotted the cultural landscape of Wellington.
A welcome song by the students of the Wellington Hindi School heralded the proceedings, which was followed by a dazzling array of dance routines covering all forms, from the classical Bharatanatyam to Kathak, folk and the fast-paced, foot-tapping Bollywood staples.
The dance schools that showcased their young talents included the Natraj School of Dance and the Shivam, Mayur, Mudra, and Shimmy’s dance academies, among others.
Summing up, Murali Kumar, the event organiser, said: “Events such as Diwali contribute to social inclusion and cultural awareness. Our wider Wellington communities turned up in large numbers to celebrate Diwali, and the event was a grand success.”
MCs Neelima Bhula, Sophia Ratnam, Neelisha kumar, Ishant Ghulyani and Sagar of Radio Tarana engaged with the audience, while Yudhishtar entertained the crowd with his live band.
The food stalls at the venue served up popular Indian delicacies, while the retail outlets sporting Indian jewellery, garments and accessories, were a big draw. Craft stands, such as the one on lantern making, caught the fancy of children, while ladies flocked to the henna counters.
The evening culminated in fireworks display on the Wellington waterfront.