Dai-Chura is a Nepalese celebration, held in June as the people are at their busiest planting crops for the coming year. The Community eat, sing and dance together and it is a time of great merriment and happiness. They hope and pray that God will smile and bless everyone with a good harvest.

At this week's session, our sisters from Nepal cooked the special yogurt and rice flakes meal which is always consumed at Dai-Chura.

When all was prepared we invited everyone from the building, including the young people using the computers in Telecentro, to share the meal. Before we ate however, we were treated to a few folk songs traditionally sung during Dai-Chura festivities.

Today Chambers Crescent Theatre in Malak rang with the sounds of songs, laughter and happy chatter!

Spring Bustle is a barbeque lunch, swimming, drama games, activities and a performance by young actors from the multi-arts disability project 'Afloat'.
Young adults with a disability, their family, friends and carers are welcome!
Cost: Free, (barbecue $5)
Venue: Lower Pool, Berry Springs Nature Reserve
Note: If you are planning to swim, you MUST bring a carer or family member.
Info: springbustle@gmail.com
Spring Bustle poster

Are you under 18? Wondering what to do this Saturday Night??!!! Get yourself to Youth Blast Dance Party with DJ Gusto from awesome Darwin Hip Hop group Pott Street laying down the lastest Hip Hop and RnB beats. There will be free Pizza, soft-drinks for sale, and security will be onsite to make sure all is safe and alcohol and drug free.

Venue: Chambers Crescent Theatre, Malak Shopping Centre.

Time: 7.30 - 10pm

Thanks to Melaleuca, Danila Dilba, The Shak, MCNT and MyNT for making it all possible!!!

We now have a venue manager for Chambers Crescent Theatre: Brenda Logan. She will manage bookings and other matters to do with making Chambers Crescent Theatre more accessible, useful, and productive for our communities. The Theatre now has two additional new airconditioners, which makes the space more comfortable for users. A new kitchen bench, cupboards, and sink have also been installed, as well as a new toilet sink. The physical upgrades have been contributed by Henry Yap, owner of Malak Shopping Centre, and supporter of DCA. More upgrades are planned for the Theatre in the coming months. Email Brenda about venue matters: venue@darwincommunityarts.org.au.

More than 140 locals and volunteers celebrated at the Volunteer Family A-fair on the afternoon of 16th May at Holzerland Park, Malak. The A-fair was also the Malak Monthly Gathering for May and was co-organised with Melaleuca Refugee Centre. Volunteers from Melaleuca, DCA and other organisations, along with local families, enjoyed shared food and drink, free massages, entertainment from an African music and dance group, kids' games compliments of FREEPS, and each other's company. After the A-Fair, the monthly Youth Dance Party at Malak resumed after a hiatus since February 2009. The dance party was jointly organised by The SHAK and DCA as before; there were fewer party-goers (about 40) compared to previous parties but the energy and fun was still high, with competitions and prizes spicing up the party.

A free rehearsal/workshop for anyone interested in exploring the tools and techniques of The Theatre of the Oppressed method!!

The Theater of the Oppressed, established in the early 1970s by Brazilian director and political activist Augusto Boal, is a form of popular theatre, of, by, and for people. It is a tool for empowerment and is open to all and any who wish to develop skills and capacities for facing everyday oppressions in life. No ‘acting’ experience is necessary as this form of theatre is inclusive and tailored to meet the needs of everyday people.

These initial sessions are intended to be a fun sharing of past experiences of anyone involved in this method in the past, and an introduction for those who haven’t – no prior experience required. Open to all ages, genders, cultures etc.

Spend an evening with author and permaculturist Rosemary Morrow at The Groove Cafe, Nightcliff. Rosemary will talk about her experience working with communities to design and create sustainable agriculture systems in different countries.
The evening will also feature a short film, 'Eating Your Park', and an introduction to the new Alawa Community Garden. Entry is free while food and drinks will be available at usual cafe prices.
Be early to get yourself a table before the start of the evening's program at 7pm. Nightcliff shops are very accessible by bike path and public bus number 4 so please consider earth-friendly transport to the event. In conjunction with co-organisers FoodCare NT, we look forward to seeing you there.

We have set up a BookCrossing point at Malak. What is it? Simply put, it's a place where you can find free books. For more about the BookCrossing concept, see www.bookcrossing.com. For the books themselves, come into the ancient Malak shopping centre and have a look at the bookstand in the hallway. There are all kinds of books there, most generously donated by Darwin City Council libraries. Please feel welcome to find a book you fancy and help it on its journey. You can also leave books there for other people if you have some to give away.

A meeting to detail the F@B 2009 concept (Fringe at the Bank) will be held at Frog Hollow. DCA and Darwin Festival will describe the preparations so far and set out the guidelines for participation in the Fringe. Representatives of key Fringe partner organisations have been invited to attend. Individual artists with an interest in the Fringe are also welcome.
We are looking for a F@B 2009 logo. If you would like to submit a design, please contact Alan at DCA on mail@darwincommunityarts.org.au, 89457347.