Meet new friends, be inspired and share stories and food at the Illawarra Women’s Day of Dance + Culture

Words Emily Perkins Images Salty Dingo and Shebin Shajan

This year’s International Women’s Day in the Illawarra will be showcasing the wonderful diversity of local women. And the Illawarra Women’s Day of Dance + Culture, run by Healthy Cities Illawarra, on Sunday, March 5, provides the opportunity to share, connect, listen and learn.

The coordinator of the Day of Dance + Culture, Elizabeth Boachie, says days like this are important as a lot of women face barriers in engaging with the community.

“We are focusing on minority groups that experience a lot more barriers, we all have barriers to engaging in the community, connecting and being part of the general Illawarra community,” Elizabeth says. “We are focused on women who experience higher barriers, for example, the Illawarra’s refugee migrant women and women experiencing domestic violence… bringing them together with other women in the mainstream community and providing a safe place.”

Elizabeth has worked in the area for a long time and is happy to provide opportunities for women to form connections.

“It’s not easy to meet someone from a different culture, have a conversation and engage with them – it can be so daunting when you try to do that in a public space,” she explains.

According to Elizabeth, attendees of the event can expect a big day – colourful, filled with music, and with lots of diversity and fun! The event will kick off with a Welcome to Country and a First Nations women’s choir and dance group, organised by Local Elder, Aunty Dr Jodi Edwards.

Aunty Jodi is a Yuin woman with kinship connection to Dharawal Country. She works for the Illawarra Aboriginal Corporation and has been in the education sector for over 23 years. Involved in many Indigenous research and art projects, including practices of fish-netting, boat making and possum skin cloaking, her work has been exhibited at the Museum of Australia.

Also featuring on the day are African and Bollywood dance groups, and the Let Us Dance group. Nachle Dance School has brought Indian culture to life for adults and children in the Illawarra for 10 years. Bollywood dancing connects participants to each other and their heritage, teaches teamwork and confidence, as well as enhances creativity.

Let Us Dance is a local ladies’ dance company where older women come together for ‘fun, fitness, friendship and fulfilment’. The group travels between nursing homes, services clubs, and festivals to perform. And the African dance group is formed by family members from the Congo, plus Illawarra women from Zimbabwe and Togo.

“There’ll be some great panellists as well, sharing on the four things that made the most difference in their lives,” Elizabeth says.

Panellist, Nyan Thit Tieu, is Wollongong’s Senior Citizen of the Year and has dedicated her life to supporting migrant and refugee communities through education programs and her own, The Sister Cancer Support Group.

Also in attendance will be Rosemary Kariuki, advocate for migrant and refugee women and Australian of the Year – Local Hero 2021. Rosemary works as a multicultural community liaison officer for the Parramatta Police and specialises in helping with domestic violence, language barriers and financial distress.

JJs Indian Restaurant will be catering the day, Multicultural Health will be offering free women’s health checks (including pap smear and breast cancer checks), there will be free child mining, transport support, and other support services available.

“This event provides the best avenue for us to connect women in the Illawarra, and to see beauty in culture and community,” Elizabeth says.

The event will be held at Edmund Rice College, 112 Mount Keira Road, West Wollongong, on March 5, 12-3pm. Grab your ticket here.