The Indian Weekender, 9 April 2021

6 NEW ZEALAND
Friday, April 9, 2021
The Indian Weekender
Ugadi celebrations to mark inaugural
event of new community organisation
of Telugu speaking people in Auckland
SANDEEP SINGH
from Kerala, professional Bharatanatyam from
Tamil Nadu, Punjabi song with Bhangra from
Punjab and Bollywood songs.
More about Ugadi festival
The festival of Ugadi or Yugadi, which
literally means ‘’the beginning of a new age’’
(with reference to the commencement of the
Kali Yuga that started when Lord Krishna left the
world), is celebrated as the New Year not only
within the Andhra region but the entire Deccan
region that lies between the Vindhyachal hills
and the Kaveri river, consisting of the states
of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Goa and
Karnataka.
Traditionally the festivities continue for five
days of merry-making, colours and enjoyment,
with people buying new clothes and jewellery
on this occasion.
Ugadi is a time of family unions. People
gather together to enjoy and feast on this day.
According to ancient traditions, seeking the
blessings of the elders in the family is a must
for a happy year ahead.
A traditional dish called ‘’Ugadi Pachchadi’’
is prepared on this day with jaggery, green
pepper, salt, neem flowers, tamarind and raw
mango pieces symbolic of all the flavours of
‘’life’’.
A special mixture made of neem leaves and
jaggery are distributed among everyone.
Ugadi celebrations this weekend will
mark the inaugural event by Mana
Andhra Telugu Association – New
Zealand (MATA-NZ) – a new community
association for Telugu speaking people in
Auckland.
A cultural event has been planned at Dorothy
Winston Centre on Saturday, April 10 at 5.30
p.m. with a promise to offer a rich display of
Andhra culture comprising of the famous
Kuchipudi dance, Telugu songs, along with
South Indian food, and the organisers are
inviting everyone to take a dip into Telugu
culture.
The Association was recently formed in
December last year with an aim to promote the
Telugu language and cultural events of Andhra
Pradesh among the Telugu speaking people,
especially amongst the younger generation, on this occasion along with a range of cultural and Events Coordinator, Praveen Kumar Kaipu,
and is looking forward to celebrating the Ugadi programs, food and fun associated with our Youth Wing Coordinator and Jaya Kondra,
festival as its inaugural event.
traditional festivity,” Ghouse Majid said. Women’sWomen’s Wing Convenor.
Speaking with the Indian Weekender, Ghouse
The key office bearers of this newly formed Sharing more information about the
Majeed, General Secretary (MATA-NZ), said,
Association include Dr Reginald Samuel, celebrations, Ghouse Majid said, “The event
“There is no better occasion than the festival
President, Shaik Shamsheeruddin, Vice will start with Panchanga Sravanam and filled
of Ugadi, which is an auspicious occasion for
President, Pratap Reddy Nandi Reddy, Founder with scintillating performances, traditional
Telugu people and marks the beginning of the
President and Treasurer, Ghouse Majeed, dances, songs and music from Andhra Pradesh,
new year as the inaugural event.”
General Secretary, Nagabhushanam Gorantla, a traditional folk song from Telangana, Kannada
“We are looking to welcome everyone and
introduce our executive committee members
Joint Secretary, Kiran K Korepa, Joint Secretary song from Karnataka, Mohiniyattam dance
Kiwi-Indian community slams NZ govt’s decision
on temporary suspension on flights from India
• From Page 3
who tested positive had not been vaccinated,
“The people arriving from India with
and that the Government doesn’t appear to
Covid-19 didn’t want to catch this virus or
know why, Mr Bishop says.
pass it on to others. We would hate to see a
“Everyone in New Zealand will want to know
situation where Kiwis are torn apart from
why this border worker wasn’t vaccinated, and
family in India for long periods of time because
how many other staff out there in our border and
our Government can’t get its border defences
MIQ facilities haven’t yet received a vaccine -
right.”
and why they haven’t received a vaccine.
Where are our smart borders?
Has the government been unprepared for
“National has been saying, since January,
such emergence of numbers irrespective of the
that if you arrive in New Zealand from a higherrisk
destination then you should go into a high-
New Zealand citizens and residents from that
countries these cases come from? which bars
are immediately moved to quarantine and have
their results confirmed by a standard PCR test.
risk hotel,” Mr Bishop says.
part of the world to return back to the county.
“Day zero and day one tests are a critical part
“People from higher-risk destinations, like
of our border defences but returnees can be in
“The decision is clearly not based on actual
India, should not be mixing and mingling in
an MIQ facility for up to 24 hours waiting for
science and rationality but on populism,”
MIQ with passengers from the Pacific Islands,
the results, potentially spreading Covid-19 if While they appreciate the need to keep the
for example.”
they are positive.”
team of 5 million New Zealanders safe, they are
Mr Bishop says it’s time for the Government
incensed for being targeted unfairly by being
to introduce rapid antigen testing for all people Why border worker have not been
handed out treatment not shown to other major
getting off international flights in New Zealand. vaccinated?
countries with high incidences of Covid cases.
“You have the results in as little as 15 The most concerning aspect of today’s
Not very long ago, Covid pandemic was
minutes and if anyone tests positive then they Covid-19 revelations is that the border worker
raging very high in countries like the US and
United Kingdom with more deadly strains of
virus, yet the government never had not taken
any such punitive action.
The outrage is at a number of levels and the
community is seeing it where “unconscious
bias” is at play.
National Party slams govt’s half-baked
decision on temporary suspension on flights
from India National Party has slammed the
Choose New Zealand’s
government’s alleged targeting of one country
over the other instead of creating “smart
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borders we were promised.”
National’s Covid-19 Response spokesperson
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the New Zealand-Indian community and is
urging the government to improve their border
management rather than taking recourse to
travel suspension.
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National appreciates our New Zealand-
Indian community and places a huge value on
everything they contribute to our country both
economically and socially, Mr Bishop says.
“The people arriving from India with
Covid-19 didn’t want to catch this virus or
pass it on to others. We would hate to see a
situation where Kiwis are torn apart from
family in India for long periods of time because
our Government can’t get its border defences
right.”
Where are our smart borders?
“National has been saying, since January,
that if you arrive in New Zealand from a higherrisk
destination then you should go into a highrisk
hotel,” Mr Bishop says.
“People from higher-risk destinations, like
India, should not be mixing and mingling in
MIQ with passengers from the Pacific Islands,
for example.”
Mr Bishop says it’s time for the Government
to introduce rapid antigen testing for all people
getting off international flights in New Zealand.
“You have the results in as little as 15
minutes and if anyone tests positive then they
are immediately moved to quarantine and have
their results confirmed by a standard PCR test.
“Day zero and day one tests are a critical
part of our border defences but returnees can
be in an MIQ facility for up to 24 hours waiting
for the results, potentially spreading Covid-19
if they are positive.”
Why border worker have not been
vaccinated?
The most concerning aspect of today’s
Covid-19 revelations is that the border worker
who tested positive had not been vaccinated,
and that the Government doesn’t appear to
know why, Mr Bishop says.
“Everyone in New Zealand will want to know
why this border worker wasn’t vaccinated, and
how many other staff out there in our border and
MIQ facilities haven’t yet received a vaccine -
and why they haven’t received a vaccine.