Tenth birthday for FISCA

Multicultural Commissioner Ms. Elizabeth drozd praised FiSCa endeavours toward community development. “Ten years is a commendable feat”, she remarked.

The conspicuous absence of mithai with dinner was sorted out as a large, creamy cake was rolled in over a trolley, which Cr. Cooper, Ms. drozd and jerry joined hands to cut. Cake trolley-ed away, token Thank You gifts were given to Cr. Cooper, Mrs Cooper and Ms. drozd. as Mr. Ram Kumar recited a Hindi poem highlighting FiSCa attributes, cake and sooji halwa were served individually.

By way of entertainment, we had two young Bharatanatyam dancers, a Krishna bhajan led by jerry himself, a series of Bollywood dances, an episode from the Ramayana, and bhangra.

concessional travel, Seniors’ Card, carers to cater to needs, etc. There was however, some cause for concern, noted jerry: seniors are the fastest growing population in the world, and economies like the USa will struggle to support seniors in just forty years.

Recommending that since Mayor Cooper honeymooned in Fiji he may consider renewing vows in Fiji, jerry invited him to address the membership.

in his speech, Mayor Cooper noted that Knox boasts the largest indian population in Victoria, as well as a larger diversity of cultures: 1,50,000, residents speak 54 languages, he cited, to our applauded pleasure. (Cr. Cooper has instituted the Knox Mulcitultural advisory Committee). Signifying that relations between elected representatives and residents must be maintained, he insisted that proactive attitudes inculcate harmony. a Richmond Football Club supporter, Cr. Cooper’s dreams entail tram line to Knox Shopping Centre, and Mathew Richardson sculpted in bronze at Knox.

“From south India to the south Pacific that is Fiji”. jerry and friends, garlands around necks, chanting mantras in Fijian lingo squatted on the floor, and initiated the Yagona ceremony: a Ratu (Chief) welcoming another into his territory, as hallowed Yagona drink was poured into a wooden bowl in the middle. Mr. d. S. naidu posing as Chief, they relished Yagona served in coconut shell cups, declining which is sacrilegious. Yagona, to me, was bitter tasting, no disrespect, and cloudy.

Mr. Ram Vilash called the raffle of gifts donated by Mrs. Veena Singh and Mrs. naidu. at the end, ladies and gentlemen gathered together to sing isa Lei, Farewell in Fiji dialect, soothing, charming, tune angli-inspired, most Fijians joining in the nostalgia, printed copies of the translation in English distributed.

The cover heavy and glossy, the commemorative brochure carried a typically Fijian scene in colour; palm tree and rising sun over the Pacific. It contained necessary FISCA history and that of its office bearers past and present in photographs.

The hall was decorated by Mrs. Kamla jeraj and Mrs. Satwati nath. Hats off to President jeraj and his team of dedicated expats for an entertaining evening indeed.

George Thakur