Thursday, April 8, 2010
FLAMEFEST
Geelong Flamefest Friday March 19thThe initial inspiration for Flamefest came from a handful of residents who wanted to help build bridges between neighbours in Whittington, a Geelong suburb, to show multicultural pride and create a fun and affordable day for families.
This is a celebration of community, of cultural diversity and of suburban pride.
The Flamefest draws deeply on the well of creativity that lies within Whittington. It is a once-a-year opportunity for this neighbourhood to tell its own stories. Like many festivals, there are children’s rides and face-painting, but the Flamefest also has a strong Indigenous activities program.
Silvana and I attended this local neighbourhood event as part of the Geelong Interfaith Network. In our tent placed on the edge of the oval, we presented two mandalas; one was of fabric and the other cardboard. Last year I had the inspiration to create a mandala that was easy for people with disabilities to share, thinking at the time of my mum in a nursing home. I printed large positive words on coloured paper and allowed people to paste these on a mandala.
For Flamefest Festival I had a big sheet of red card, drew circles on it and people could choose their words to paste upon it. This proved popular with adults and children alike who either only had a moment to spare or found it a bit daunting to write on the fabric mandala.
For Flamefest Festival I had a big sheet of red card, drew circles on it and people could choose their words to paste upon it. This proved popular with adults and children alike who either only had a moment to spare or found it a bit daunting to write on the fabric mandala.
The fabric mandala too was very popular with additions being made from a culturally diverse range of people.
We loved the evening, even though we couldn't stay until dark to see the lantern parade. Our friends from the Interfaith network were very happy that so many people came and wrote on both mandalas and we had lots of opportunities to chat. Our Geelong Mayor wrote a message on the mandala too.
We loved the evening, even though we couldn't stay until dark to see the lantern parade. Our friends from the Interfaith network were very happy that so many people came and wrote on both mandalas and we had lots of opportunities to chat. Our Geelong Mayor wrote a message on the mandala too.
About Me
Peace Flag Ceremony
Offering the universal prayer "May Peace Prevail On Earth" for each country of the world, symbolically using the flag of each nation.