Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
Kerem Doruk

School renames Easter hat parade to reflect diversity

This year's annual Easter hat parade at Arawang Primary School marked the end of term one but it celebrated more than the traditional Easter festivities.

With the annual Easter hat parade coinciding with the Muslim month of Ramadan, principal Jacqui Chapman wanted to ensure all her students could feel welcome in the event and display their culture.

Hot cross buns, coffee and a warm autumn morning greeted mums and dads at the school basketball court where hundreds of students paraded their hat designs.

Some students designed hats based on their favourite sporting teams. Picture by Keagan Carroll.

The school in Weston has a very multicultural cohort so Ms Chapman renamed the annual event as the "funky hat parade".

The renaming worked well with hat designs varying among students. Some opted for traditional bunny ears and others got creative with video game and sport-inspired designs.

As Canberra welcomes a growing number of new families with different multicultural backgrounds, Ms Chapman's decision to change the annual event was welcomed by parents.

Chinese-Australian parent Carla Gee's two children participated in the event.

She thanked principal Chapman for taking the decision to rename the parade as she felt it reflected the changing face of Canberra.

"Multiculturalism, diversity and inclusivity is so important for our family and I think it's about time Canberra recognise that we can all be allies for each other and that's what I love about this parade," Ms Gee said.

Year 5 student Lulu Buchanan opted for a mask design inspired by her favourite game Zelda.

Rachael Buchanan cheered her daughter Lulu on as she paraded around the basketball court with her Zelda inspired mask. Picture by Keegan Carroll

Among all of the creative designs, Lulu's mask stood out as she expressed her artistic expertise with bright colours and tribal art forms.

We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on The Canberra Times website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. See our moderation policy here.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.