Indonesia Festival 2009 in Southbank

Indonesian students who join in PPIA Queensland presented an Indonesian festival “Pesta Rakyat” 2009 as a part of celebrating Indonesia’s Independence Day.

This festival were held in Parklands Southbank on yesterday (Saurday) from 10am to 10pm which was divided into two main parts : the Day festival from 10 am to 5 pm and the Night festival from 5.30 to 10 pm.

This festival was filled by performances and exhibition as well as Indonesian traditional foods.

Some of the cultural performances that presented were traditional music which called angklung, gamelan and dances from many provinces in Indonesia, such as Saman Dance from Aceh, Bali Dance from Bali and dance from Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) Province.

In front of the performance stage, there were some tents selling delicious Indonesian food such as pempek, nasi campur, siomay, batagor, es campur, es cendol and satay.

Many Indonesian people came and enjoy the festival such as Alimatul who came to the event because she wanted to meet other Indonesians in Brisbane, and also to remember her country.

“It’s a good event to promote Indonesian culture to Brisbane’s citizens,” a postgraduate student from Griffith University said.

Not only did the Indonesians enjoy this event but also the Australian and other visitors who were in Parkland Southbank at that time. They bought some food from the food tents and got pleasure from the performance.

One of the performances that attracted the visitors was Saman Dance which was presented by 21 Indonesians students in the afternoon session. The applause from audience when the dancers finished their beautiful performance showed that the audience did enjoy this dance of a thousand hands.

The Day festival was ended with and Indonesia traditional fashion show while the night festival was followed with performances by two famous band from Indonesia, Kahitna and Nidji.

from the link :
http://www.crescentsofbrisbane.org/Newsletter/CCN0255.asp

Butterfly Boxing for Female Students (TBM)

At the Griffith University Gym on Tuesday evening, seven women students prepared themselves to do their training in the boxing class. When the clock struck 6 pm, the coach started to yell warm up instructions. The students then run circling the room. Boxing class for women which is Butterly Class on Tuesday evening just begun.

After 30 minutes, Fenella Scmidt, the coach, told the students to be prepare for fighting with a man. It was the final class for the students. After the class, they will get the certificate as the sign that they have already finished their six-meeting in the course. “Because today is the final class, we will spar with a man,” Vienglaty, a student from Laos, said.

The boxing class is one of courses that provided in Griffith University (GU) for students who want to exercise after studying. It teaches basic skills of boxing such as hand wrapping, correct stance, correct attacking, defensive skills and footwork. “This program suits beginners of all ages and fitness levels and offers a fun, safe and 100% supportive environment,’’ the website promotes the program.

Is it difficult to do boxing at the beginning? Vienglaty said that it always difficult if we started a new activity which we never done before. “At first, I felt lost. I couldn’t catch her [the coach’s instructions]. I’m not sure what position of my legs and how I should punch. Now, she just tells me what style or technique she wants me to use,’’ she said. However, she notices that all of her friends are the same.

Rashidah, an international student from Indonesia, said she joined the boxing class because she wanted to develop her martial art skill. “I want to challenge my body because I know that boxing is hard and typically man sport but I want to try and see how far I can go with that,” she said.

After joining the class, Vienglaty and Rashidah feel more confidence with themselves. Vienglaty mentions she feels healthier, stronger and relaxing at the same time. Whereas Rashidah said, “Now I can say I can do that, just as man do that.’’

The interview with the Manager of Griffiith University Gym, Gareth Williams.

an interview with Rashidah

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBoIoTaGMj8

Fear for Jobless on Labour Day (TBM)

“No journalists, no news…”

“Hardest work, lowest pay.”

“Bosses get paid off. We get laid off”

There were some slogans that appeared on the march of Labour Day, 4 May 2009. Thousands of people joined the march in Brisbane. The workers from different areas and different job backgrounds had come on the place on the corner of Wharf St and Turbot St since 8.30 am. They prepared for the march that was started at 10 am. Police closed some roads and streets for public during the 2.3 kms march.

The march was shadowed by joblessness because of the economic crisis. In this celebration of Labour Day, the labour sent a similar message: better payment and focus on the impact of the economic crisis today. “This year, we are more serious regarding the crisis,” said Christ from Queensland Union Teacher (QUT) when asked about the differences between this year celebration compared to last year’s.

Not many citizens watched the march that finished at about 11.30 pm in Brisbane Exhibition Grounds on Gregory Tce. Just some city dwellers who were accidentally met them on the way or some shoppers in the route of the march. However, some other groups such as solidarity for Aborigines in addition to the group that was against abortion, were on another action.

These two groups demonstrated posters to the labour. Some of their watchwords were: “human rights for all human beings”,” support mothers not abortion” and “stop blackdeaths in the custody”. There was also a small group of people who illustrated a picture of a man that already passed away. The group was asking for justice.

The Premier of Queensland, Anna Bligh, who wore a red shirt and polka dot skirt, gave a speech in the finish place where the labour enjoyed their meals along with live music. In her speech, Ms Bligh repeated her promise to provide 100,000 jobs in this state.
Anna Bligh’s speech on Labour Day

Buddha Birthday Festival Magnetized Citizens

Many people had fun with the Q150 Buddha Birth Day in The Parklands of South Bank during last weekend. This every-year-event was part of the multicultural celebration in Brisbane where citizens can join lots of activities for free in three days from Friday afternoon to Sunday night.

There are more than 20 activities in the area such as  Diabolo Arts Performance, Taiwanese Folk Play Instruction, Lion Dancing Instruction, Tai-Chi Instruction, Taiwan’s Eco-Friendly Paper Art and free meditation sessions. Some activities were especially created for children such as colouring-in competition. To help visitors finding the exact activity in such area, the organizer provided an information booth with many leaflets and some booklets along with the timetable.

The Q150 Buddha Birth Day Festival is one of the Queensland’s biggest cultural event with more than 200,000 visitors who are coming to join the lovely moment. On Friday afternoon, the opening ceremony which is Bathing Buddha Ceremony attracted a lot of people. They watched the opening until the end. Some of them took pictures of the activity that were run in Mandarin language.

“I just walking around here and find this celebration so I watch that ceremony,” said Lee, a visitor from Canberra who was in Brisbane for three days only. He was sitting in the SuncorpPiazza stadium and watching the opening ceremony of Buddha Birth Day on Friday afternoon. Some other visitors indulge in Buddha Bathing rituals even though they were not Buddhists.

The Marketing Manager of the Festival, Ralph Smith, said that the celebration was not only for Buddhist in Brisbane but also for everyone in the city as it was a celebration of gathering and friendship.

Not only was the attraction interesting, the food fair also captivating. Many people clustered around food stalls which sold different kind of Chinese food. The sellers also promoted cheap price to magnetize buyers.

High Risk Situation in Thailand

If you have a plan to visit Thailand today, it is probably good if you consider what the Australian Government advise. In smartraveller.gov.au, the Government suggests to “exercise a high degree of caution” because of political instability in Thailand.

On 12 April 2009, the Thai Government has declared an emergency situation in Bangkok because of the demonstration related to protesters’ action that asked the Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to resign.

However, a Thai student in Brisbane, Eddie, hoped that the Australian Government could be more specific about the warning, because “For people who don’t know Thailand well they would think that every part is dangerous.” In fact, he said,  a part from Bangkok, other cities are still safe for tourists to come and visit such as Phuket and Krabi.

Lots of Fun on Easter Holiday

For many people, holiday means a lot of fun. So that’s why, the citizens have already had their own plans during this Easter holiday.

The Griffith University Ausaid Liason Officer, Lesley Ann-Mack, says her family is going to camp in Stradbroke Island.

“I’m hoping it doesn’t rain, because rain is predicted over the weekend,” she says.

Meanwhile Yumna’s family from Indonesia who new comer in Brisbane, prefers to go to Southbank beach and Currumbin Sanctuary in Gold Coast. In the meantime, Indonesian community in St. Lucia has a plan to visit Movie World-Sea World-Wet ‘n’ Wild which give special ticket’s price.

Whereas public libraries provide some unique activities for children.

“There are caption photos, Rainbow of Dragons and Kooky kid’s cartooning,” says the information services person in Garden City Library.

Whales Stranded Last Night

Many whales stranded in the beach last night. After being helped by the guardian beach and the official government, the whales were going back to the sea.

That event is usually happen but not in the large number like what happened last night.

No one knows what is the exactly happened at that night. It was just coming suddenly and making the beach very full of whales.

According to a beach guardian, Xuan Zhang, he just knew it when he came to the beach this morning. “We helped the whales recovering their pain giving chemical injection in their body,” he said.

Picture : http://dailycontributor.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/whales-stranded-in-australia.jpg

A Long Way for Accommodation

One of the most important issues for international students is finding accommodation.

Mat, studying Master in Environmental Protection, said when he came in Griffith University, he have already had a temporary accommodation. “But when I should find permanent accommodation, it was difficult because it should in walking area from campus and provided internet connection, for example.”

John from Columbia tried to look forward information from internet particularly real estate website. “They asked me a lot of money before I could get the accommodation, so I cancelled it,” he said.

Meanwhile Zahir, an international student from Bangladesh, should move three times in three months before he got on campus accommodation.

Centre for Indonesia’s Environment Issues in Griffith Uni

CESDI Office in N13 Building

Indonesian official government and lecturer from many universities in the country could learn more about environment in Griffith University (GU). Since February 2009, CESDI (Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development for Indonesia) is operated officially in GU Nathan Campus. Its main duty is giving training and assistant for Indonesia’s human resources in the area of environment and public health.

“CESDI is tailor made for many training and assistant for Indonesian, both official government and universities,” assistant lecturer in School of Environment, Ermi Ndoen, said.

Even though it just launching last month, Mr. Ndoen says, there have been many activities under CESDI’s umbrella since 2005. He says that CESDI is an answer for environment problems in Indonesia related to climate change issue.

Eating prawn? Think again…

https://www.dinnisselect.com/prawans%20OK.jpg

For everyone that loves eating prawn, you should be more careful.  A last week disaster in North Stradbroke Island has given a serious effect in prawn catchment area that maybe affect to the prawn is living there. read more