Yuga Maya Pokharei, from Wodonga, enjoys time at The Cube with her young nephew Rajiv Bhandari, 17 months, and Sumitra Bhandari, from Wodonga.
Bhutanese refugees Biula Rai, Devi Khanal and Ambika Monger, all from Wodonga, were busy making dumplings. Pictures: KYLIE ESLER
BHUTANESE dumplings were one of the biggest success stories at a Refugee Week celebration in Wodonga on Saturday.
About 800 of the tasty treats were snapped up at a family fun day at The Cube.
Wodonga TafeSpace teacher Emilia Gladstone said the dumplings were so popular “they could have cooked double that”.
Ms Gladstone, a teacher in the adult migrant English program, said she had approached organisers with the idea of running a cooking demonstration.
“We were very pleased with the outcome — we had a lot of interest in what we were doing,” she said.
“The students had a chance to show people what they do, how they make their traditional food, but also to explain the process to people using their English.”
Bhutanese community member Yuga Maya Pokharei said the fun day was an ideal way for people to learn about her culture.
“There was some very nice cooking there and people coming down to see, with lots of talking,” she said.
The St Vincent de Paul Society ran the event along with groups including the Albury-Wodonga Volunteer Resource Bureau and Centrecare and the Albury and Wodonga councils.
Cultural performances and dancing by Asian and African members of the refugee community complemented multicultural food, stalls and craft activities.
Ms Gladstone said that next year she might get some of her African students to cook.
“It was a good chance for people to show off their skills and explain to people how they do things,” she said.
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