The West Australian town of Broome prides itself on being a multicultural melting pot.
The town boasting the largest Japanese cemetery in Australia, street names like Yamashita, Johnny Chi and Stracke, and many locals who have mixed Chinese, Aboriginal, Japanese, Malaysian and other heritage.
But recent census results showed a drop in people bringing international cultures to Broome.
Of the 14,000 residents in Broome, 30 per cent have one or more parents born overseas.
It is a far cry from the overall Australian statistic of half of residents having immediate family ties overseas.
A long-term resident of 82 years with Chinese, Japanese and Aboriginal heritage, Pearl Hamaguchi, said she had seen authentic celebrations of multiculturalism in Broome fade over time.
Ms Hamaguchi said the town was a multicultural place in the past due to the influx of pearl divers and labourers from countries like Malaysia, Japan and the Philippines, but that continuation of strong cultural ties had faded in modern times.
Celebrations losing touch with culture
The main celebration of Broome's multicultural heritage is the Shinju Matsuri, the Festival of the Pearl.
Held annually since the 1970s, the event is based on traditions such as Japan's Obon Festival, China's Hung Ting, Malaysia's Independence Day and local Indigenous Yawuru culture.
But Ms Hamaguchi said believed the festival had forgotten some of its cultural roots in favour of tourism exposure.
In 2000, Ms Hamaguchi and her husband were part of the last Shinju Matsuri festival that was organised and paid for by the Japanese community members of Broome.
She said these days, the festival was too commercial.
"It was just impossible to continue, it just became so superficial," Ms Hamaguchi said.
"It's human beings that make culture and atmosphere, and it's not the superficial aesthetic things that are happening, which I think a lot of Broome people get disappointed [about the commercialisation], but there's nothing we can do about it."
However, fellow Broome-born history enthusiast Doug Fong said culture still permeated through Broome's community events.
"I think there are still people here who are community-conscious and trying to present Shinju in its different aspects," he said.
He said culture was alive to "a lesser degree than it used to be" but was still there and running through the blood of mixed-race descendants.
Increase of Filipino culture
One emerging trend from the 2021 Census results showed Filipino people in Broome were the third-largest immigrant group, behind the English and New Zealanders.
As someone who came from overseas to Broome, Jennifer "Jaycee" Alba said she felt multiculturalism was still alive in the town.
Ms Alba is the secretary of the Filipino community in Broome, a group of about 300 people, and said it was vital the community made sure their culture continued.
The Filipino presence has been in Broome since the 1800s but the official community was formed 36 years ago.
"The community has evolved over the years, initially it was just a place for all these immigrants to just come by and have dinners on the Friday and Saturday night, and go to church," she said.
Ms Alba said the acceptance of different cultures was an indication of Broome's modern multiculturalism.
"My daughter has no problem being a Filipino and identifying as a Filipino," she said.
"When a child actually is in an environment where she's like, 'I'm Asian', and she's proud of it, that's how I know the society is still very much welcoming of the other cultures."
She said the Shinju Matsuri float parade was an opportunity for community members to celebrate and show Broome who they were.
"For me, the festival is more of what we represent and how we translate that into art and music … this is us and this is our colours," she said.
"It is the fabric, it is in the language and it's how we how we have our meals together, how we cook and stuff like that. For me, that is culture."
