By Callum Ludwig
Mooroolbark Library has hosted two inclusive storytime sessions on Tuesday 22 March to celebrate cultural diversity week which runs from 19 to 27 March 2022.
The storytimes were read page-by-page in English, and then in Hindi or Hakha Chin to the groups which ran at 10am and 11am respectively.
Team Leader for Supported Playgroups and Early Years Community Support at Yarra Ranges Council Rakhi Khanna said the storytime pilot program will hopefully become a regular event to support diversity and inclusion.
“This event is great for strengthening the community and making everyone feel welcome, no matter where they come from,” she said.
“We hope this is something the libraries are able to offer on an ongoing basis, past the three sessions we are hosting in the next week.”
Hakha Chin is a dialect from Myanmar in South East Asia. The Hakha Chin-speaking group is already part of one of Ms Khanna’s supported playgroups, which provides an avenue for families to bring their kids together and encourage the use of the Hakha Chin language and involvement with culture.
Ms Khanna said storytime at the library has been a great start for the Hakha Chin group.
“Libraries are one of those great community resources, which in Myanmar they don’t have access to. They often don’t even know it’s a free service or resource available in their community,” she said.
“By offering these programs and making it open to the families or the community it keeps them connected the great power that comes from their home language and with their roots and culture.”
The Hindi and Hakha Chin groups had the opportunity to listen to I’m Australian Too by Australian author Mem Fox, a book all about celebrating what culturally diverse groups in Australia all bring to the community. They also got to join in on some singing and dancing.
Ms Khanna said there is often shame associated with not speaking English from immigrant groups, which can result in cautious parents overly prioritising their child learning English.
“Parents are really reluctant and feel a bit shameful if their child walks into a playgroup and doesn’t speak any English,” she said.
“When a migrant community is moving into Australia, they feel a need to fit in this society and think maybe I can just talk the language that might make me a bit more Aussie. These programs and events are important for acknowledging and celebrating diversity.”
Deputy Mayor of Yarra Ranges Council Johanna Skelton had the opportunity to read In English for the Hakha Chin group and was grateful to have done so,
Ms Skelton said the event demonstrated an important role of the Council in representing the community.
“These events and services are important for these communities as it is their council and their rates going towards recognising and servicing their needs,” she said.
“It’s an important role for Council to look at what services and representation is lacking for our residents. We have to be the ones that see our local communities as a whole rather than distinct groups.”
