Venu Menon
Wellington, October 31, 2023
Wellingtonians across communities thronged the city’s iconic waterfront to celebrate the Festival of Lights on October 29.
The TSB Bank Arena in downtown Wellington had barely standing room as the audience cheered back-to-back acts that showcased Indian culture through traditional music and dance, reflecting the multilingual ethos of India.
The 22nd edition of the annual Diwali event was opened by Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau following the lighting of the ceremonial lamp in the presence of a bevy of dignitaries, who included High Commissioner of India to New Zealand Neeta Bhushan, National Party Deputy Leader Nicola Willis and National MP for Hutt South Chris Bishop.
In her opening remarks, Mayor Whanau noted the significance of Diwali to the multicultural fabric of Wellington.
“Diwali is the celebration of our cultural diversity and it’s an honour to share this great celebration with Wellington’s Indian community, as well as other communities joining us today,” she said.
The mayor noted that more than 22,000 Wellingtonians identified as Indian. “The community is strong, vibrant and colourful as we can see today,” she observed. The mayor conveyed the message of Diwali as the “triumph of light over darkness,” and closed by thanking the Indian and Southeast Asian communities for their “massive contribution to this city.”
Indian High Commissioner Neeta Bhushan, who spoke next, observed that this was the first Diwali function that she was attending in Wellington since taking charge as the High Commissioner.
Highlighting the India-New Zealand partnership, she noted that “our two countries have marked 70 years of diplomatic relations, two years ago.” The Indian diaspora was “a living bridge between our two countries,” she observed.
Next up, National’s Nicola Willis started by praising Kiwi Indian cricketer Rachin Ravindra for scoring a century against Australia in the cricket tournament held in India on October 28.
“It is a joy for us today to come together with our communities to celebrate Diwali, the coming of the light,” she told the audience.
Willis acknowledged “the incredibly strong relationship between India and New Zealand, the significant contribution that Indian New Zealanders make and, in particular, with our recent Indian immigrants who have chosen to make their lives in New Zealand, because they see the promise and potential that we all see here.”
Once the dignitaries left the stage, it was taken over by the bright young talents from various dance academies, such as the Natraj School of Dance, Mayur, Mudra, Shivam, Chakra, among others, that defined the cultural landscape of Wellington.
The dance routines that followed covered the gamut of Indian dance forms, from the classical Bharatnatyam to Kathak, folk and the quick-tempo Bollywood favourites.
The food stalls at the venue served up popular Indian cuisine, while an array of retail outlets displayed Indian jewellery, garments and accessories.
Women and children queued to get their hands tattooed with henna.
“Henna tattoos are temporary tattoos, skillfully drawn by artists, which last for about a week. Henna is a natural, plant-based product. This is a 5000-year-old art [originating] from South Asia and Africa,” explained Sundar Raman, who, along with his wife Usha, has been practising the art for over 22 years.
The Wellington Hindi School ran a story-telling workshop, using posters depicting Hindu mythology, and conducted craft activities such as Toran (door hangings) and Diya making .
A first-time highlight of the festival was the stall run by the Rainbow community of Wellington.
Said Arrun Soma of Indian Origin Pride New Zealand: “We’re here mainly to offer information to people about who we are. We want to celebrate ourselves as Indian people, but also as part of the Rainbow community, LGBT QIA+.”
Soma added: “Lots of people have been coming to our stall. Indian community leaders in New Zealand welcome the work we’re doing. The Wellington Indian Association, the Auckland Indian Association, the High Commission of India in Wellington, have [all] been talking with us.”
MCs Neelima Bhula, Neelisha Kumar, Manisha Kumar, Ishant Ghulyani and Sagar of Radio Tarana engaged with the audience, while Yudhishtar regaled the gathering with his live band.
The evening climaxed with fireworks on the Wellington waterfront.
Venu Menon is an Indian Newslink reporter based in Wellington
