Dancing to an Aussie beat
“We dance for laughter, we dance for tears, we dance for madness, we dance for fears, we dance for hopes, we dance for screams, we are the dancers, we create the dreams.” (Author unknown).
FEET began slapping against the ground, shoulders were becoming loose with the beat —- the atmosphere in the room was certainly building. After an hour of intensive English tutoring, 10 Sudanese women stood up and said they would like to show us a dance.
As the dancing started, the struggles of making a life in Australia melted away, the horrific images of family suffering back home were briefly shelved. Gradually, the Jewish women joined in the dancing and, for 20 minutes, we experienced a whirlwind of horas mixed with African rhythms punctuated by shouts of excitement.
“To dance is to be out of yourself. Larger, more beautiful, more powerful.” (Agnes De Mille).
It was a special moment, a carefree blissful moment, shared between women from vastly different backgrounds.
I observed this unique dance-off when I visited the Jewish Aid Australia (JAA) women’s group in the Melbourne suburb of Dandenong last week, a group that meets on a regular basis providing mentorship, social opportunities and English tutoring for newly arrived refugees and their children.
Many of these women from Darfur and the Nuba Mountains have had little or no opportunity to gain an education. After fleeing their homes, African refugees have had to learn to survive in a world foreign to them, not speaking the language or understanding the culture. The JAA assists in running programs, like the women’s group, that provide opportunities for the refugees to acclimatise to Australian society.
When Judy Warren, the JAA women’s group coordinator, asked the women what they wanted to get out of this fortnightly gathering, the heart-rending response was: “We want to be like you.”
These refugees look at the Jewish community’s success and seek to emulate the story of Holocaust survivors making a new start in this lucky country and prospering. This will not happen overnight. Indeed, there are many hurdles ahead: financially supporting family left in Sudan; finding a job in Australia with poor English skills; getting a qualification; and dealing with regular racist insults.
The Sudanese have found refuge here from horrendous persecution. Their testimonies sound uncomfortably similar to Holocaust survivors. They arrive in Australia and, in a relatively short time, are expected to become settled. They need empathy and genuine support along their journey to happiness and wholeness. We are able to provide that empathy and support.
Nietzsche observed: “And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.”
There are some in the Jewish community who think that these Jewish women are “insane”. One of the group’s regular volunteers mentioned to me that her family does not support what she is doing. Those detractors cannot hear the “music”.
People can be hesitant or even apathetic towards embracing anything or anybody that is different. Embrace the music.
You can keep reading articles in the newspapers about the clash of civilisations and the constant terror attacks being perpetrated in the name of religion; or you could proactively seek out groups that are working against this culture of distrust and hate, like the JAA women’s group, which is fostering a culture of peace and religious harmony.
Some of the Sudanese women who attend this group were originally reluctant to be involved with a Jewish community initiative. As children, they were taught that Jews are dangerous, sinister and greedy people. After several months of being involved in this group, their views of Jewish people have radically changed.
I left the women’s group meeting completely inspired, with a renewed faith in humanity. Lisa Buchner from the JAA, who has been coordinating these programs for the past several years, will next week be attending a function at Government House to accept a Victorian Multicultural Award for Excellence, on behalf of the JAA, for the organisation’s work with the Nuba Mountains and Darfur communities. It is clearly well deserved.
Gary Samowitz is CEO of Jewish Aid Australia.