FOOD, culture and stories were shared in Quambatook on Sunday when the community welcomed Swan Hill’s refugee community to town.
Forty men, primarily Hazaras from Afghanistan and Pakistan, gathered at the Quambatook Caravan Park for the celebration.
About 20 Hazara women prepared a feast of biryani with the assistance of staff from Mallee Family Care.
The event was an initiative of the Quambatook Caravan Park committee of management, which used funds from Gannawarra Shire Council to provide a bus from Swan Hill.
“We considered hosting a community celebration and we approached the Swan Hill Uniting Church Community Issues Group to ask if something like this would be useful,” committee member Robyn Hosking said.
“It’s really to get the two communities together and broaden our horizons. It is also very good for their mental health and wellbeing to get out and about.”
Community Issues Group member Jill Pattenden said the group had been helping refugees in Swan Hill since the first wave arrived in 2001.
“We’ve been able to offer a lot of people practical and social support,” she said.
“Only that first wave of men has been able to get their families here and now there are about 35 families in Swan Hill and 60 to 80 men without their families.”
Ms Pattenden said events like that in Quambatook and those hosted by the Gannawarra Refugee Support Group helped change perceptions and foster relationships between refugees and local people.
“This is an opportunity for them to visit a new place and learn more about Australian life,” she said.
“It also gives Quambatook people the opportunity to learn more about Hazara people and change people’s understanding of refugees and boat people.”
The Quambatook Football Club also helped out by teaching Aussie Rules skills to youngsters, while the Quambatook Craft Group led craft activities.
