New exhibition celebrates culture, love and marriage in Woolgoolga
Rich and colourful stories from one of Australia’s earliest Indian communities will be explored in a new exhibition opening in Coffs Harbour.
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Rich and colourful stories of culture, love and marriage in one of Australia’s earliest Indian communities will be explored in a new exhibition opening in Coffs Harbour tomorrow.
The Sikh Museum of Australia exhibition, dubbed Early Settlers to Bridal Glamour, provides a window into the Punjabi Sikh community in Woolgoolga through couples’ personal stories, photographs and objects.
It will be unveiled at the Culture Hub, located at Coffs Central.
“We heard stories of love and stories of the hardworking couples who immigrated here and have made an incredibly successful life for themselves, often with big, beautiful families,” Culture Hub’s Ashleigh Frost said.
Ms Frost collaborated with the Sikh Museum Community co-ordinator Sheerien Salindera to create the exhibition.
She recalled being welcomed into the homes of local couples photographed for the exhibition, gaining insights into their marriages and culture.
“There is great pride in their families, whether the next generation followed in their parents’ footsteps, continuing the family business or found their own way,” she said.
“The best part was the warmth and hospitality in each family’s home, as we turned the pages on old photo albums of their wedding day, or saw some incredible cultural objects from India.”
The exhibition aims to educate the public on local Sikh history, and to immerse audiences into the culture. Reminiscent of a Bollywood scene, there’ll be colourful draping and a couple’s wedding seat to take selfies.
Photographs of local marriage stories will be on show, including a ‘then’ and ‘now’ photo essay.
Alongside the exhibition will be a special program of live music at Culture Hub after dark, spanning Indian classical to Bollywood Groove.
The free exhibition will run until May 29.
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