African House’s Eid al-Fitr celebration draws crowds, with mouthwatering cuisine stealing the show

By Caleb Francis

May 1, 2023

Cooking up a storm: Jessica Carminati helping to prepare food for the event. Photo by Megan Fisher

St Paul’s African House in Shepparton was abuzz with excitement and joy as more than 500 people gathered to celebrate Eid al-Fitr on Sunday, April 30, marking the end of Ramadan.

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The event was organised by the Wise Well Women in partnership with the Ethnic Council of Shepparton and District.

It attracted people from Congolese, Sudanese, Iraqi, Afghan, Syrian and mainstream communities.

The occasion provided a much-needed opportunity for people from different cultural backgrounds to come together and share their traditions and religious beliefs.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the 2022 October floods have significantly impacted communities’ ability to come together and celebrate cultural and religious events.

Flavour: It was a sizzling Eid al-Fitr celebration with Ali Saad's shish kebabs at African House. Photo by Megan Fisher

Thus, the celebration of Eid al-Fitr was extra special and heartening for the attendees.

Flood-affected community members, including children, were among those present, leading the way in the celebrations.

Shepparton FoodShare co-ordinator Matt Dowling recognised the event’s significance and emphasised the importance of developing a formal working relationship with the multicultural communities.

“We’re all about meeting community needs and understanding that people from refugee and migrant backgrounds have unique needs,” Mr Dowling said.

“It’s been a really important development for us, and we look forward to this relationship developing into the future.”

Christine Nunn and the community health educators of Wise Well Women were equally thrilled with the community turnout.

“We did this last year and were really surprised when so many people came. This year, we catered for 800 and it was even busier,” Ms Nunn said.

Ethnic Council of Shepparton and District project worker Donna Baldwin expressed her delight at the event’s success and emphasised the importance of cultural awareness and understanding.

“Ramadan is a very special time for our Muslim community,” she said.

“It’s a privilege to be invited to share such a spiritual celebration. Learning and understanding are hallmarks of our diversity.

“We’re very lucky to live in Shepparton.”

The event was a significant milestone in fostering a greater understanding of the unique cultural needs of different communities.

Shepparton FoodShare hopes to continue collaborating with multicultural communities to provide culturally appropriate food for future events.

It is hoped that the celebration of Eid al-Fitr will become an annual event on the Shepparton and Goulburn Valley calendar, promoting unity and inclusivity.