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Fiji Indian Cultural Profile FOR AGED CARE SERVICE PROVIDERS Community Partners Program This profile booklet has been funded by the Department of Health and Ageing under the initiate of the Community Partners Program, and has been developed by Sydney Multicultural Community Services. Rosa Loria – Sydney MCS Director / CPP Manager Maryam Maghsoodi - Sydney MCS CPP Officer Sydney Multicultural Community Services acknowledge the following staff for their contribution to this resource: Vishal Sonule, Eve Goonan and Inae Braz - Sydney MCS Staff 2 CONTENTS Executive Summary 4 Introduction 5 Migration in Australia 6 Hindu family dynamics 8 Religious and spiritual customs 11 Hindu sacred and ritual objects 12 Festivals of cultural and religious significance 13 Food choices and cuisines of India 14 Health beliefs and practices 17 Persona hygiene 19 Beliefs with death and dying 20 Life, leisure and recreation 21 Hindi communication chart 23 Hindu festivals calendar 24 Map of India 25 References 26 3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The “Hindi speaking Community : A Cultural Profile” is produced and developed by Sydney Multicultural Community Services as a part of the Community Partners Program, which is an Initiative of the Department of Health & Ageing. This booklet is a way of enhancing the awareness of the cultural and social aspects of the Hindi speaking clients. The aim of this booklet is to act as an Aid or a tool to assist the staff working in an aged care facility to understand, communicate and interact with the clients speaking in Hindi. It also improves the professional skills of the staff and assists them to be more competent in assessing their clients’ needs. It further serves as a valuable resource for the aged care service providers for the purpose of orientation and educating their staff members in providing culturally appropriate care. It incorporates the important aspects of the lives of the Hindi speaking Community such as migration, cultural and traditional values, and health belief, attitudes towards death and family and social life. It further provides additional information which can assist the clients in their activities of daily living. However, all the information specified in this profile gives a generalised overview of the Hindi speaking community. The customs described may not apply in equal measure to all people from an Indian background. 4 INTRODUCTION Hindi is the second most spoken language in the world. Around 500 million people speak Hindi in the world. Hindi shares with English and most other European languages the same ancestral roots. They evolved from an IndoEuropean parent language. Hindi language has its roots in the classical Sanskrit language and Like Sanskrit, Hindi is written in the Dev Nagari script. Much of the vocabulary of Hindi comes from Sanskrit. Hindi is one of the official languages of India .English and 21 other languages are also recognised by the Constitution of India as official languages. Hindi has more than 10 variations depending in which region of India it is spoken. (http://www.hindilanguage.org/hindi/history.asp) “One way of representing the word "Hindi" in Devanagari” Hindi is the most widely spoken language in India. Hindi is also spoken in 16 other countries such as Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan and etc. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindi) The word ‘Hindu’ originated from the misinterpretation of the word ‘Indus’ (named after a river in India) by the Persians from where the different religious beliefs and practices of Hinduism are believed to have evolved. Hinduism dates back 4000 years but unknown of its origination. It is the third largest religion after Christianity and Islam with around 900 million Hindus worldwide. 5 MIGRATION IN AUSTRALIA According to the 2006 census in Australia, there were about 234,000 persons of Indian descent, including 147,000 India-born persons in Australia. India is now the third largest source of immigrants to Australia. Indian migration to Australia began in the early 1800s. The first group of free settlers came to Sydney in 1816. From 1860 an increasing number of people arrived in Australia with some agricultural workers, mainly Sikhs and Muslims from Punjab, who settled in small rural areas - for example the North Coast of NSW. Before roads and road transport was developed, many Indians had come to Australia to run Camel trains. These brave Indians were called Afghans and kept the communication and supply line open between Melbourne and the canter of Australia. Indians also took part in the gold rush in the Victorian gold fields. Several Sikhs also came to work on the banana plantations in Southern Queensland and through their hard work and enterprise, came to own their own plantations. (http://www.hcindia-au.org/indian_in_australia.html) Indian migration to Australia was virtually stopped by the Immigration Restriction Act of 1901, when the Indian population in Australia was about 800. The second waves of Indian migration to Australia started in the late 1940s .Significant Anglo-Indian migrated to Australia following Indian independence. By the end of WW II, the Indian population in Australia was approximately 8,000. The 1950s and 1960s saw the migration of professionals like engineers, doctors and medical specialists from India, including Anglo-Indians. (http://www.mdaa.org.au/publications/ethnicity/indian/general.html). The third wave of Indian migration in Australia started just after Australia abandoned its Whites Only policy. This policy was abolished and many Teachers and Doctors came to settle in Australia. A large number of Indian Computer Software professionals started arriving in Australia from 1976 onwards. The early 1980s saw an influx of experienced, well-qualified professionals in medical, computer, finance, engineering and agricultural fields. Fijian Indians have immigrated to Australia due to political instability over many years. In 1987, due to political insecurity and military uprising there was a growth of Fijian Indian asylum seekers up to 1.1% of the overseas born population and 6 0.2% of the total Australian population (Community Information Summary DIMIA). Today there is a large Fiji Indian population in Australia. These Fiji Indians have changed the face of Indian Australia. While earlier Indian migration was educated professionals, these new Fiji Indians were more dynamic and business oriented. Their arrival has increased the services enjoyed by all Indians. (http://www.sikh.com.au/inaus/index.html). Australian Statistics of Fiji Indian (Hindi Speaking) According to the 2006 Census, there were 147,100 Indian born people living in Australia, this indicates an increase of 54.1 per cent from the 2001 Census. Based on the 2006 Census the India born people living in Australia are represented 3.3 percent of our overseas born population and 0.7 percent of our population overall. Of the India born counted in the Census: • 39 per cent lived in NSW and 36 per cent in Victoria; • 10 per cent came to Australia before 1971; • 41 per cent arrived between 2001 and 2006; According to the 2006 Census there were 48 150 Fiji –born people in Australia, an increase of 9.3 per cent from the 2001 Census. New South Wales with 28 610 had the largest number of Fiji-born people in Australia. Most Fijians in Australia are of Indian- Fiji origin .Based on 2006 Census, 57.2 per cent of Fiji- born people in Australia spoke Hindi language. 7 HINDU FAMILY DYNAMICS India is often called a Sub-continent because of the vast diversity of languages, religions and culture .Hinduism the oldest religion of the world is originated in India. More that 80 per cent of the Indian people follow Hinduism. Religious plays significant role in Indian life and keeps people and families together during crises and difficult times. (www.mdaa.org.au). Indian living in Australia may come from various ethnic background and countries of birth. They may come from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India, Malaysia, East and South Africa, Singapore, Fiji, and etc. Some examples of diverse ethnic groups in India are included as Punjabi, Marathi, Bihari, Bengali, Assamese, Nepali, Gujarati, Kashmiri and etc. Despite all the existence variation, there is a common lifestyle pattern followed by almost all the Indians. In India people usually grow up learning different languages. There are almost 300 languages and dialects of which about three quarters are of Indo-European origin. • • Most Indians would understand English but still an Interpreting service should be provided whenever needed. Some of the aged residents may find it difficult to complete documentation. Appropriate support and information should be provided when filling out forms after explaining the process to them. JOINT FAMILY SYSTEM Every region of India has its own character and traditions: Family life is equally varied. While traditional roles are changing, there are important values shared by most Indian families. Generally, many Indians live in an extended family, in which every member has their own role, often determined by age and gender. Elders are supposed to use their experience and wisdom to help and guide younger family members. Traditionally men have the key responsibility for financially supporting their families. Many women, especially in rural areas, contribute to the family's income but still women are largely responsible for maintaining the household and caring for their children and aged relatives.(Rajani ,C., Vemuri, S,: 2002) . 8 Namaste “I bow to you out of respect'. Namaste is a traditional Indian style of greeting or goodbye phrase as well as a gesture. Derived from the Sanskrit language - Namas (meaning - to bow) and Te (meaning - to you). Thus, it means “I bow to you out of respect'. Namaste is a polite gesture of love and respect and can be said to anybody regardless of their age. Normally when you say Namaste, you press both your palms together with all the fingers pointing upwards and place them vertically in front of your chest and simultaneously, you bow your head slightly. The Namaste gesture with your hands without actually saying the word, it will mean the same thing. Namaste can be said in different ways, depending on the person you are saying it to. For instance, when you greet your friend, the traditional style Namaste will be sufficient. To show your respect to another person of a higher status, you place the hands in front of the forehead. To show your deep respect and love to God or a holy person you place the pressed hands above the head. (www.iloveindai.com) • • • • • It is a custom to greet the eldest or most senior person first Hugging and kissing are not appropriate Shaking hands are common, among the more educated Men may shake hands with other men and women may shake hands with other women Handshakes between men and women are restricted because of religious beliefs. Respecting Elders One common characteristic you will find amongst Indians is that children show highest respect to their elders. It is an unsaid rule in India that a person cannot answer back to elders. It is disrespectful in India to refer to an elder by his / her name. Instead people prefer calling them Uncle and Aunt, especially if the person is very elderly. It is also customary in India for the youngsters to touch the feet of their elders as a way of showing respect. The costume of touching feet used to be an everyday practice in India but this costume is practiced now on important occasions like at religious festival and weddings. When an elder person's feet are being touched, he /she, in turn, is supposed to touch the head of the person doing the act and bless him /her for long life, fortune and prosperity. The Indian gesture of touching someone's feet means the 9 person who is doing the act is showing his/her respect to the elders. It is important to mention that the person whose feet are being touched is always superior in age and position. (http://www.iloveindia.com/indian-tradiotions/touching-feet.html) The costume of ‘touching feet of the elderly’ is believed to be a sign of respect for the age, nobility and divinity that elders personify. Traditional scientific belief says that the extra energy of a person flows to earth through the feet. Also while blessing by touching hands on the head energy is passed on to the other person. Thus, touching feet and getting blessings maintains our energy. (www.indiadivine.org/audarya/hinduism-forum/250790-significance-touchinglords-feet.html) • It is respectful to call an elderly as uncle or aunt in Indian culture • Touching the feet of elders is considered a respectful act among Indian • Showing respect to elderly is highly valued in Indian culture Building a rapport Indians meeting for the first time generally greet each other formally and respectfully. • • • • • • • The namaste allows people to greet each other without physical contact. Questions about birthplace, family and marital status are accepted ways of establishing communication. For a care worker, using one or two words in Hindi such as “Namaste” or “Kaise ho aap?”(How are you?) is a good strategy to start communication with Indian clients. For most Indians, touching a stranger is seen as uncomfortable. Some Indians people avoid saying “Please” and “thank you” since they feel that actions are done from a sense of duty towards each other. Indians are more likely to avoid saying direct “No” and would rather say “I will try” to be more polite. (Rajani, vemuri,2002) Moving the head from side to side is considered as a sign of agreement by some Hindus form India. (Hinduism: 2005) 10 Attitudes to Aged care Services Within Indian society, extended family members usually live together. Privacy and the desire to save face are highly valued among Hindus. The family issues are always discussed within the immediate family before seeking outside help, (Bhungalia, Kelly, Van De Keift, and Young). For many Indian elders the activities of social workers and home care providers are new concept. Home visit by these providers are not always appreciated and accepted. Because of the close – knit family structure in Hindus family, they seek help from family and other friends and are unlikely to place an elder in a nursing home except as a last resort, (Alagiakrishnan, Chopra). RELIGIOUS AND SPIRITUAL CUSTOMS Worshipping Worshipping is an important part of the daily life of Hindu people. Central to Hindu worship is the image, or icon which can be worshiped either individually at home or in the temple. During the worship or puja, water, fruit, flowers and incenses are offered to god .It is believed that Hindu worship is an individual matter rather than a public one. Hindus usually have a shrine at home which is a room or a small alter or simply pictures or statues of Gods and Goddesses. Family members often worship together. (www.bbc.co.uk/religion/) Generally, A Hindu person becomes more spiritual and religious as s/he ages and will try to follow certain customs and rituals in his daily life. A Hindu may recite a prayer, read a scripture or meditate. A mantra (sound representing an aspect of the divine) may be recited in front of a small statue or a picture of the deity while using a Mala (prayer beads strung together). Hindus also worship the river ‘Ganges’ and consider it a mother goddess. It is holy and the most sacred river in Hindu mythology. • • Care must be taken while handling any spiritual items around home Removing of footwear before entering a Hindu home or a place of Hindu worship is customary 11 • Hindus consider water used during prayers as sacred and it is kept in a small utensil or glass. This water should not be thrown in sink and should be disposed whilst watering plants or in gardens. HINDU SACRED AND RITUAL OBJECTS Hindus use a variety of symbols and things which signify Hindu concepts, gods or a characteristic of a god. For instance “AUM” is the most sacred symbol to Hinduism where alphabets “A” “U” “M” stand for Creation, Preservation and Destruction, respectively. It is considered as the highest of all mantras and represents a trinity of Hindu gods. nexusnovel.wordpress.com/.../ Swastika: a swastika symbol is considered as auspicious symbol. The four wings define four directions which signifies stability and strength. It is also a symbol of the sun representing lord Surya and hence is used in art and architecture by Hindus • • • • As an aged care provider it would be a good idea to keep a record of the Hindu festivals and give the clients the opportunity to increase their participation on those occasions. Aged care providers can also try to incorporate their needs and preferences surrounding these festivals such as food. A care worker should take the necessary measures when handling the religious items in their household. Indian women belonging to the Hindu community, they generally wear a red round dot called the bindi, which signifies the fact that they are married. 12 HOLIDAYS AND FESTIVALS Hindus consider everything, animate and inanimate, as sacred and divine. Hence It is believed that Hindus celebrate each and everything. Indians have many occasions to celebrate. Every religion and region has its own festivals, and there are also many national holidays. Both Hindu and Muslim holidays follow the lunar calendar, and thus fall on different dates each year. The Hindu calendar is called “Panchang”. All the auspicious occasions for rituals as well as dates for festivals are still calculated on the basis of the “Panchang”. The important Hindu festivals are highlighted at the end of this resource. Republic Day – January 26 January 26 is the anniversary of the day India became a republic. it is India’s national Day. The Celebration of Republic Day is often combined with festivals of Australia Day. Indian Independence Day -- August 15 Independence Day (August 15) celebrates India's freedom from the British in 1947. The main festivals of Hindu calendar which are widely celebrated in Sydney are Holy and Diwali. Holi “The Festival of Colours The most colourful Hindu festival is Holi, held in February to mark the beginning of spring. Indians celebrate by throwing colored water and powder at each other. Holi festival welcomes the spring and celebrates the new life and energy of the season. Distinctions of caste, class, age, and gender are suspended during Holi. Diwali” or The Festival of Lights During Divali, the five-day festival of lights held in November, Hindus light lamps in their windows and set off fire crackers. They clean their houses and everyone dresses in new clothes and visit friends and relatives. It celebrated victory of good over evil and light over darkness In many Indian communities, people participate in both their own and their neighbours' celebrations (Rajani, Vemuri: 2002). 13 FOOD CHOICES AND CUISINES OF INDIA Hindus consider food as a gift of god and believe in treating it with respect. Indian food has varied taste and style in different parts of India and assumes cultural and religious significance. There are different cuisines which are popular amongst the Indian Hindus such as south Indian, Guajarati, Bengali, Punjabi, Maharashtrian, Hyderabad and etc. Generally most of the Hindus are vegetarians since it is recommended in the Hindu scriptures, but some of them do eat different types of meat. Cow is considered to be Holy and hence beef is not offered to Hindus. Pork is also not preferred. It is therefore important to inform the person if a medication contains animal products before administering or prescribing them. Spices are an important ingredient in most of the foods prepared by Hindus. Cardamom Indian naan flatbread There are different types of bread in India. Naan is the Flat, oval bread cooked in the tandoor. Chapati /Roti is the thin bread cooked on the griddle in the west of India. Kulcha is the tender, pita-like bread cooked in the tandoor. Paratha is the thick fried bread fried on the griddle in the north and central regions. Dhosai is the rice and wheat flour crepes in the south. 14 Drinks Tea (chai) is the most popular form of drink in India and it is more popular than coffee. The Indian Masala chai or spicy Indian tea is widely known throughout the world. Masala means spice and Chai is the generic word for tea in Hindi, Punjabi, Persian and many other languages around the world. To prepare Masala tea, the tea leaves are boiled with spices such as cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and ginger, and large quantities of milk are added to create a thick, sweet, milky blend. There are different recipes for Masala Chai. The main ingredients for masala chai are tea, sugar, milk and spices. Masala chai recipe 4 tsp Loose tea, usually black, 2 cups of Water, 1 piece dry Ginger, 3 crushed cardamom pods, 3 Whole Cloves, 1 Cinnamon stick Milk and to Sugar to taste Preparation: Boil 2 cups of water, then add tea and spices. Boil for another half minute then remove from heat. Let sit for 1 minute. Strain out the spices and serve, with milk and/or sugar. (http://www.indiaforvisitors.com/food/food.htm) Milk is popular in a variety of forms such as plain or flavoured butter milk drinks. Lassi is a refreshing, creamy iced yogurt drink that can be served sweet or salty. 15 Cuisines of India Indian Samosas Indian Chana Masala Indian cuisine has become popular around the world. The most popular forms of Indian foods are curries and bean dishes which can be prepared in many different ways. Indian food is not just curry. Religions and regions affect Indian eating patterns. The food from North India traces its descent from Persian ancestors and later Mughals who came to power. Some examples of north Indian foods are fragrant Persian rice dishes, such as pilafs and biryanis (meat-based pilafs) and spicy kormas (braised meat in creamy sauces). In South India rice is served everywhere. The south Indians use chillies, mustard, coconut oil and various other spices. Eastern India is close to the sea and gets plenty of rain. Hence rice and fish are staple all over this region. The other great attribute of eastern cuisine is their delicate sweets. The original cuisine of western India is principally vegetarian. (http://www.indiasite.com/cuisine/food.html) 16 At home, Indians often eat meals sitting cross-legged on a floor mat. Instead of cutlery, the right hand is used for eating and a piece of fresh banana leaf or stainless steel plate (thali) serves as a plate. If utensils are used, they are generally a tablespoon and a fork. While the rest of the household eats, women serve the meals and wait until everyone has finished dining before sitting down themselves. (Rajani C,. Vemuri S., :2002). Most Hindus do not eat beef and beef products since the cow is considered sacred. • • • • • • • • • All Jains and some Hindus are strict vegetarians, though they do consume dairy products. Eating with the right hand, without cutlery, is the traditional method. If they want to use cutlery , they use spoon and fork. Vegetarians would prefer to use separate dishes and utensils for vegetarian and non vegetarian foods. Orthodox Hindus and most vegetarians avoid alcoholic drinks. Onions and garlic are avoided or restricted by some of the strict vegetarians. Aged care providers need to have individual consultation for the food preferences and choices of the Hindu elderly clients. Some Hindus fast on specific days. It would be important to record these and provide them suitable alternatives. Some Hindus may fast when they are ill to restore their health but they may still have fruits, juices or tea which needs to be provided appropriately. HEALTH BELIEFS AND PRACTICES There are aspects of the Hindu religion that commonly affect health care decisions. Hinduism is a social system as well as a religion; therefore customs and practices are closely interwoven. "Karma" is a law of behaviour and consequence in which actions of past life affects the circumstances in which one is born and lives in this life. For Indian people, health is usually related to the connectedness of the body, mind and spirit. 17 Despite complete understanding of biological causes of illness, it is often believed that the illness is caused by "Karma". Some believe that mental illness is due to possession of the evil eye and mental illness is considered as a stigma.(Alagiakrishnan .K,. Chopra.,.A: 2001) . Many of the elderly believe in the traditional Indian system of medicine, ‘Ayurveda’ where ‘Ayu” stands for ‘Life’ and ‘Veda’ means ‘Knowledge’. It can be observed that migrants from an Indian backgrounds share an understanding of both ayurvedic and the western concepts of medicine. The popularity of the ayurvedic system stems from the fact that it is based on the principles of prevention and has significantly less side effects. Ayurvedic medicine is a holistic system with great emphasis on prevention. In the Ayurveda system, the body is comprised of three primary forces, termed dosha. The state of balance between the dosha is perceived as a state of health; the state of imbalance is disease. There are approximately 1,400 plants used in Ayurvedic medicine. The herbs used in Ayurvedic remedies tend to gradually metabolize and have few side effects on the body. (Bhungalia et al.) Indians from Fiji, Malaysia or South Africa may have less understanding of Ayurvedic principles.(http://www.health.qld.gov.au/multicultural/health_workers/Indian-pregprof.pdf) • • • • Some Hindus may feel that their illness is caused by karma. Mental illness is considered as a stigma and is due to possession of the evil eye. Home remedies such herbal medicines and massage are popular among Hindus women. Hospital visits are a very important way to provide support for the sick person and family. Traditional foods and medicine In India, in most of the Hindu homes you can find the holy basil, commonly known as Tulsi. The Tulsi plant is a strong symbol of the Hindu community. Having a Tulsi plant at home is considered very auspicious. The leaves of the 18 Tulsi plant have medicinal properties and have long been known to be used in the treatment of various sicknesses. Tulsi leaves are very aromatic, so some people like to add them to their tea to get a unique flavour. • • • • • Patients often eat Tulsi, the sacred basil or ‘holy basil’ plant, to calm the mind. Prashad “blessed food” is a traditional food given to those in bad health. Prashad is a mixture of the five holy foods, namely ghee, milk, honey, sugar and yogurt. The coconut is considered by Hindus as a sacred food. The coconut is found in many ayurvedic medicines and considered very beneficial to sick people. PERSONAL HYGIENE Bathing Generally, Hindus would like to have a daily shower before their prayers. • • • • • • • Most Hindus wash before prayer and before eating. Traditionally Hindus wash after toileting, they may require a mug or cup of water to clean themselves after toileting. Some Hindus may prefer to use running water rather than a bath for shower. A care worker should be mindful of the religious items one is wearing while showering. For instance, they may wear a sacred ‘thread’ from shoulder to waist diagonally which traditionally shouldn’t be removed at all. Married Hindu women wear a thread around their neck (mangalsutra) and it should not be removed. Hindu women have a red dot marking (bindi ) and orthodox Hindu men usually have a religious marking (tilak ) on their foreheads. Hindu woman also wear red powder in the parting in the hair and also bangles which symbolises marriage. The breaking of bangles is considered as a bad omen which may be agonising to the woman. 19 Culturally appropriate care • • • • • • Modesty is highly valued among Hindus Hindus are more comfortable with and feel secure with same sex care providers Health care decisions are usually discussed with the family Women are more passive in the Indian culture and usually men play significant role in family Care needs to be taken regarding the sacred thread across the chest in Hindus men and around the neck in Hindus women Care providers should not remove or cut the sacred threads without the care recipients’ permission. (Alagiakrishnan .K. Chopra. A, 2001) . • Care recipients may usually say yes to the service providers even though they may not understand their care plans. • Hindus may pray when they are in hospital and appropriate personal space should be provided. Care needs to be taken that the medication given to the Hindus is free from beef products such as gelatine. It is important to check with the care recipients if they are taking herbal remedies • • BELIEFS WITH DEATH AND DYING Death is a hugely significant life event and life after death is a strong belief of Hindus. Most of the Indian elderly people believe in preparing souls for new life after death. Most of the elderly prefer to die at home and would like to follow specific rituals and practices. Chanting and prayer incense and various rituals are part of the process. Family members are likely to be present in large numbers when the elderly is close to death. In order to be more close to mother earth, a dying person is moved to the floor. The body is given a wash after death by a family member and this member should be of the same sex as the deceased. There is preference for cremation as well. The body is cremated and it is preferred that the ashes are spread over the holy river, the ‘Ganges’. At the funeral a ‘Brahman’ performs the prayer and the mourning family members wear 20 all white whereas the males shave off their hair as a symbol of mourning (Bhungalia, et al). • • • Healthcare staff should touch the deceased body as little as possible. It is very important to handle the deceased with dignity and modesty. A light or candle is left burning safely near the head of the deceased to show respect and comfort to their soul. The time after the death or passing away of a person in India is very important since the Hindus believe that the soul of the person is on its way to the next level of existence at such a time. Hinduism encourages family members to not be excessive in their mourning so the soul can leave and journey on. They are also encouraged to remember the departed with happy thoughts as they believe the soul will receive those positive thoughts. LIFE, LEISURE AND RECREATION Socializing Most of the time older people would prefer to go out and visit friends and extended family members. They would also enjoy sightseeing, touring, eating out or participating in activities and festivals. Mostly, going out for a walk in the evening in parks with friends and having chats is quite common amongst the elderly. However some of them may also go to the temples in the evening daily for prayers and then catch up with a group of friends there. Television and Radio Watching Television shows and listening to radio is a favourite pastime for the Hindu elderly, especially the older people who would prefer to listen to the radio most of their time. Some of them may engage themselves in music or reading newspapers. 21 The following are the Indian radio shows running Hindi programs: Radio channel SBS Hindi radio Frequency 97.7 FM Day Time Sunday Wednesday Monday 9 am 12 noon 3 pm Voice of Oz 88.5 FM Indians Radio Dhanak 107.3 FM Saturday 2pm Sunday 12 noon -5 pm SBS news Mon-Sat Sunday 11 am 11 am Hindi TV SBS ONE SBS TWO Movies/Sports For Indians movies and cricket are like religion and people are most passionate about them. Bollywood, one of the biggest film industries produces the maximum number of movies each year. The elderly Indians prefer to watch the old Hindi movies and listen to old Hindi songs. Hindi movies or Cds can be bought from local shopkeepers and stores around. There are a number of movie theatres in Sydney which play ongoing Hindi Movies. Hindi Magazines/Newspapers There are a number of Fiji Indian Magazines and Newspapers available in Sydney free of charge. They are not published in Hindi but are for the Indian community which is quite relevant and useful. They are available in the local Indian shops and stores. Popular magazines include the Indian Link, Fiji Times, Indus Age, Beyond India and Indian Voice. Shops and Services Buying and getting Indian products such as Indian grocery, clothes, movies, CDs and beauty items is not difficult in Sydney. There are many shops and services which cater to the needs and tastes of the Indian communities. 22 HINDI COMMUNICATION CHART Good morning Good night Good evening Namaskar Shubh raatri Namaste Monday Somwar Tuesday Mangalwar Wednesday Buddhwar Thursday Guruwaar 0 1 2 3 4 5 Shunya Ek Do Teen Chaar Paanch Come here Now Stand up please ho jaye Krupaya baith jaye Let’s go now Be careful How are you? Pain? Family? Lonely? Sick? Head Eye Ear Teeth Dentures Chest Greetings Good bye Hello/Hi Days Friday Saturday Sunday Holiday Numbers 6 Che 7 Saat 8 Aanth 9 Nau 10 Dus Alvida Namaste Shukrawaar Shaniwaar Raviwaar Chutti Giving instructions Yahan aaiye Slowly Abhi Important Krupaya khade Clean your teeth Sit down please kare Aahiste Mahatvapurna Apne data saaf Chalo chalte hain Do you need to go to the toilet? Dhyana se Kya aapko shauchalaya jaana hain? Feelings/pain Aap kaise ho? Fainting? Behoshi? Dard? Pariwar? You need a doctor? Akelapan? Aapko doctor ki zaroorat hain ? Bimaar? Where is the pain? Dard kaha ho raha hain? Body parts Sar Back Aankhen Shoulder Kaan Arm Daant Stomach Nakli/krutrim daant Leg Seena Muscle Peeth Kandha Baanh Pet Pair Maaspeshi (The above communication and pronunciation chart in Hindi is a general guide to assist the care workers. It should only be used as a tool in general and not to develop fluency in Hindi language skills.) 23 Hindu Festivals Calendar 2010 13 Wednesday Lohri 14 Thursday Makar Sankranti 14 Thursday Pongal 15 Friday Mauni Amavasya 20 Wednesday Vasant Panchami FEB 2010 12 Friday Mahashivratri MAR 2010 01 Monday Holi 01 Mon day Hola Mohalla 16 Tuesday Bikrami Samvat (Hindu New Year) 24 Wednesday Ram Navmi 30 Tuesday Hanuman Jayanti APRIL 2010 13 Tuesday Baisakhi MAY 2010 16 Sunday Akshaya Tritiya/ Akha Teej JUNE 2010 11 Friday Ganga Dussehra JULY 2010 13 Tuesday Rath Yatra 25 Sunday Guru Poornima 23 Monday Onam 24 Tuesday Rakhi /Raksha Bandhan 02 Thursday Sri Krishna Janmashtami 11 Saturday Ganesh Chaturathi 08 Friday Navratras begin 17 Sunday Dussehra 25 Monday Karva Chauth 03 Wednesday Dhan Teras 05 Friday Diwali 06 Saturday Govardhan Puja 07 Sunday Bhai Duj JAN 2010 AUG 2010 SEP 2010 OCT 2010 NOV 2010 24 25 REFERENCES Alagiakrishnan K,. Chopra A., : 2001. CURRICULUM IN ETHNO GERIATRICS Second Edition ,HEALTH AND HEALTHCARE OF ASIAN INDIAN AMERICAN ELDERS http://www.stanford.edu/group/ethnoger/index.html Bhungalia S., Kelly T., Van De Keift S, and Young M., Indian Health Care Beliefs and Practices http://bearspace.baylor.edu/Charles_Kemp/www/indian_health.htm Rajani , C , Vemuri S: 2002 , Anti –Racism, Multiculturalism and Native Issues (AMNI) center , Faculty of Social Work ,University of Toronto Hinduism: An Introduction, BBC Home, accessed 16th June www.bbc.co.uk/schools/religion/hinduism/ History of Hindi Language. www.hindilanguage.org/hindi/history.asp Festivals: Free Hindu Festivals calendar 2010, Hindu Holidays http://festivals.iloveindia.com/hindu-festivals.html Subhamoy.D, The Hindu Calendar system, Hinduism, http://hinduism.about.com/od/history/a/calendar.htm Hindu symbols, Religion Facts http://www.religionfacts.com/hinduism/symbols.htm Profile of Hinduism in Ireland www.hse.ie/eng/services/publications/services/social inclusion/intercultural guide Culture and Religion, Information sheet, Hinduism, Hindu Association of Western Australia (Inc) October 2005 www.omi.wa.gov.au/publication/crdiversity/hinduism.pdf India: Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/india-country-profile.html Hindu Forum, Special requirements, Hindu resources www.hinduforum.org Country Profile: India http://www.immi.gov.au/media/statistics/country-profiles/_pdf/india.pdf 26 India-born Community information summary DIMIA www.immi.gov.au/media/publications/statistics/comm/india.pdf Indian General Information: Ethnic Communities and Disability http://www.mdaa.org.au/publications/ethnicity/indian/general.html Sikhs in Australia http://www.sikh.com.au/inaus/index.html Significance of Swastika in Hinduism http://www.thecolorsofindia.com/swastik/swastika-in-hinduism.html Indian Healthcare: Beliefs and Practices http://bearspace.baylor.edu/Charles_Kemp/www/indian_health.html INDIAN ETHNICITY AND BACKGROUND http://www.health.qld.gov.au/multicultural/health_workers/Indian-preg-prof.pdf Photos are taken from Microsoft office Publisher 2003 27 Published June 2010 3 General Bridges Cres Daceyville NSW 2032 Email: [email protected] Phone: (02) 9663 3922 Website: www.sydneymcs.org.au 28