Carrying significance
Cecilia Chiu, who grew up in Hong Kong before relocating to the southern island state of Tasmania where she is a translator, said maintaining traditions such as Mid-Autumn Festival is important to Chinese people.
"It is the many different aspects of our traditions that shape our culture. In this sense, yes, Mid-Autumn Festival is important to us," she said in an interview with the translation service Alexigo.
"I have not always celebrated Mid-Autumn Festival since I moved to Tasmania. Celebrations in Tasmania are very different from what I used to have in Hong Kong where festive foods and paraphernalia were readily available off the shelf.
"Here in Tasmania, we have to make our own things, such as the lanterns for Mid-Autumn Festival. We even bake our own mooncakes if we have time. To a certain extent, this is good. Celebration activities here are less commercialized and 'getting our hands dirty' makes us appreciate the traditional aspects more."
For Chinese people, Mid-Autumn Festival holds great cultural and personal significance. It is a time for families to come together, exchange gifts and reminisce. The festival is also a time for individuals to reflect on their personal growth and make wishes for a better future.
Over the years, Mid-Autumn Festival has grown in Australia, reflecting the growth of the country's Chinese community.
Today in Sydney, Mid-Autumn Festival is no longer only celebrated in the Chinatown district of Haymarket, but also in suburbs such as Chatswood and Fairfield, which have large concentrations of Chinese Australians.
