Christmas Islanders Community Club celebrate end of Ramadan fasting with first Hari Raya event in Katanning

Katanning’s Christmas Islanders Community Club Association hosted its first Suasana Keharmonian Di Hari Raya event, celebrating the end of Ramadan with a community feast and dancing at the town’s Pioneer Hall. Unable to take part in Katanning’s Harmony Week events because of Ramadan, the club put on the social to celebrate the end of a month of fasting. Club president Vincent Chew said Malays from Christmas and Cocos islands came to Katanning in the 1970s and helped the town prosper. “Our association is advocating for the recognition of mistreatment to these Malay Islanders by the Commonwealth in the 1970s,” he said. “They contributed significantly to Katanning and other regions such as Pilbara and Geraldton. “Our club aim is to make sure they are not forgotten.” The event had 95 attendees and was a first for Katanning, with the celebrations usually city-based. The food was a feast while traditional drummers and Malay band Chandrawashi, all the way from South Hedland, helped the families and friends dance the night away. Mr Chew said the occasion had been a significant one. “Katanning is a multicultural community, it is important to bring harmony to dispel Islamophobic attitudes,” he said. “It’s also important for families after fasting to build better relationships and harmony within themselves.”