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12 PLC i n Pri nt | J u ly 2 0 2 1
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International Week: ‘Everyone Belongs’ Two of our Year 12 students shared their stories of family, culture, background and belonging in assemblies during International Week. My mum, or as we say, my ammi, was born in the bustling city of Kolkata, yet much of my family remains in the smaller, vibrant city of Kanpur. This includes my greatgrandmother, or bhari nani, as we call her, her 11 children, and their children, and now even their children. But given that I don’t travel to India all the time, how does this culture influence my life today? My name is Sara and I’m in Year 12. The theme of International Week was ‘Everyone Belongs’. I have found a sense of belonging in this nation, despite the contrasting mix of being both an Indian and an Australian. l want to unpack some of the stereotypical questions I have been asked, multiple times. Up first we have, ‘Do you speak Indian?’ This one gets me every time. To make it clear, my ethnicity is Indian, and the language I speak is Urdu. On a side note, I FaceTime my grandma almost everyday, and though she can speak English very well, we often practise speaking Urdu together so that I can become more fluent. We also have the usual, ‘Do you speak English?’ I love this one because I can either switch into a very convincing Indian accent, or I can choose to speak in an ocker Australian accent. The latter always blows their mind. One of the funniest questions I get is from both non-Indians and Indians. It’s the automatic assumption, ‘So, which sciences and maths are you doing this year?’ As well as Methods, I take Latin, Australian History,
1. Bollywood dancing in the Quad
Legal Studies and I took Geography last year – no sciences – so you can imagine what a shock it is to their system. Finally, my all-time favourite: ‘So where were you born?’ And when I proceed to reply, ‘Australia’, there’s always that dreaded followup question, ‘but tell me where you’re really from?’ There is so much more to being Indian than what is perceived by Australian society. Although it has been many years since I last visited India, I remember everything so vividly. Each night, there would be more than 30 of us in one tiny room, and we would talk on our little blow-up mattresses until the early hours of the morning. The car-rides were just as packed. More than 15 of us would pack inside a car made to fit 5, and often I would be curled up on the floor of the backseat, with my head on my ammi’s lap. Nowadays, so much emphasis is placed on worldly possessions – how big your house is, how expensive your car is – but in India, we chose to cram ourselves into that one room, and we chose to all go in that car together, because it was those special moments that we knew would stay with us forever. Weddings are one of my favourite parts of being Indian. When my auntie got married, it was one of the best times of my life. First, we had the mehndi, which is the girls’ night, in Melbourne. Every Friday when school ended, I would rush in excitement to my nani’s place, and we would spend the entire weekend planning for her wedding. As part of this mehndi, we had an 8-minute choreographed dance medley, and a 6-minute dandiya dance, which uses sticks – the video shows that I thought my dancing was pretty top-notch.
2. Roro and Sara, Year 12
The second event was the Baarat in India; this is the event on the girl’s side. A unique part of this ceremony is the joota chupai, literally meaning ‘shoe hiding’. It’s purely for entertainment purposes, and it’s when the girl’s side hides the groom’s shoes and won’t give them back until he empties his bank account. But the baarat is also when the girl leaves with the boy for the first time, and everyone cries. I’ll also never forget how self-absorbed I was, to get my auntie, who was getting married that day, to straighten my hair, while I sat there eating chips. The last event was the walima which was held by the groom’s side on a beautiful lawn in India. And how could I forget the Bollywood movies? The cheesiest yet most heartwarming films you’ll ever see. Ammi and I have a ritual, every few months to sit down at midnight and watch the 90’s Bollywood movies that she grew up with, like Khabi Khushie Khabie Gham (meaning, ‘sometimes there is joy, sometimes there is sadness’). We always end up in tears. I’ve come to recognise that I’m a fusion, belonging to two opposite cultures that intertwine in the most unusual ways. Whether that’s eating biryani on Sorrento Back Beach then going for a swim on a too-full stomach, or wearing the most unappealing thongs with a beautiful Indian outfit (it’s safe to say my ammi was not very happy with me that day). Whichever decision I make, the beauty is in knowing that I have a wide array of choices. I am eternally grateful to be an Australian, who has retained my Indian culture. I do belong, in the most unique, Indian way. Sara, Year 12
