MAWAI

Mexican Australian Welfare Association Incorporated.

The Mexican Australian Welfare Association Incorporated is a non-profit organisation staffed by volunteers. It was established in August 1988 with the help of the Mexican Consulate and 11 members of the Mexican community. Since then, community participation has increased.

The Aims of MAWAI are:

1. To promote Mexican culture through organising parties to celebrate traditional Mexican festivities and by participating in multicultural activities organized by other groups.
2. To be a medium for newly arrived people to get to know the Mexicans residing here.
3. To provide Mexicans with a support network i.e. when they are in need of help someone in the community will assist them.
4. To unite people who are interested in Mexican history, culture, music, food and dance no matter what background they come from.
5. To fund raise for disadvantaged groups in Mexico and Australia.
6. To promote multiculturalism in NSW. To give the children of Mexicans the opportunity to learn about their Mexican background.

MAWAI is made up of people who form part of the Mexican Community in Australia. The Mexican Community consists of people of Mexican descent, Mexicans who live in Australia, friends of Mexicans and anyone who has an interest in Mexico and Mexican culture. In comparison to many other ethnic communities in NSW and even Australia, the Mexican Community is quite small, with a population of approximately 500 established families in NSW. Many of the Mexicans who arrived here in the 70’s were women married to Australian men or men of different nationalities who had migrated to Australia. Mexicans residing here have taken Australia as their adopted home.

A great number of the events organised by the Association are based on Mexican traditions. The aim of this is to help Mexicans residing in Australia overcome homesickness and feel closer to their own families, customs, food and traditions. MAWAI’s events also provide an opportunity for newly arrived Mexicans to get to know the Mexicans already residing here.

Furthermore, MAWAI’s events promote Mexican Culture within the wider community. One way the Association has achieved this is by helping the Mexican Dance Group of Australia with various forms of assistance when necessary so that they can continue to promote Mexican colour, music and art through their dancing.

MAWAI contributes profits made in our events to welfare causes in Mexico. In the past contributions have been made to: Casa Franciscana in Guaymas, Sonora; La Matraca in Jalapa, Veracruz; the Home for Protection & Orientation of Young Females in Pachuca, Hidalgo; the Manuel Barron Library in El Abra, San Luis Potosí, the Skuse Orphanage in Chiapas; and the Mexican Red Cross. MAWAI has also supported the needy here in Australia, for example, through the Youth Of The Streets Program. We also have provided families who are in need of financial or other support with assistance. At present, we aim to continue supporting the Skuse Orphanage in Chiapas, the Na Boloom Educational Centre also in Chiapas and the Tarahumara Mission in Chihuahua.

The Independence Day Party had for years been organised by the Gomez Family, but when they were unable to continue, the Acting Mexican Consul, Mr Socrates Gudino Astudillo, invited the Mexican community to form a social committee to continue this tradition in 1987, and the Mexican Independence Day has since been one of the main objectives of the committee, with other events being added over the years.

Currently, MAWAI holds events such as: Posadas (Mexican Christmas celebrations), Mother’s and Kid’s Day parties, Independence Day celebrations, Day of the Dead celebrations, Masses for the Virgen of Guadalupe and Pachangas.

MAWAI Presidents:

• Antonio Fernandez  1987, 1988
• Julieta Morabito  1988, 1991, 1996,1997, 1998
• Carmen Robinson 1991,1992, 1994
• Lucy Figlia ahora Lucy Robles 1992, 1993, 1994
• Toña  Prada 1994 – 1996
• Kimberly Chiswell  1999 – 2002
• Megan Blaxland  2002 – 2003
• Alida Pronk 2003 – 2004
• Sara Chiswell  2004 – 2005
• Lupita Feint – 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
• Ed Ramon-Kane – 2010 – current

url: http://mawai.org