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SP-Diversity-matters

Diversity matters in faith

Metropolitan Memorial Park

14 October 2024

Over the last 60 years, Sydney has grown to become Australia’s most populated and multicultural city, with nearly 40 percent of its residents—close to two million people—born overseas.

 

Our memorial parks are planning proactively to support our communities today and for generations to come. Metropolitan Memorial Parks is committed to understanding and responding to the evolving needs of the diverse communities we serve, embracing the many faiths and traditions celebrated both now and into the future.

 

Through ongoing research and consultation, we engage communities living along the coast from Sydney to Newcastle and surrounding localities. This population is culturally and linguistically diverse, with over 100 different cultural and spiritual groups represented.

 

Honouring spiritual and cultural traditions

Our eight memorial parks are located on the traditional lands of the Awabakal and Worimi, Bidjigal, Dharawal, Dharug, Cammeraygal, Gaimariagal, and Wallumattagal people.

 

The First Nations people and communities have unique spiritual practices around death and memorialisation. Sorry Business, a period of mourning, brings communities together in ceremonies to honour the deceased. Rituals guide the spirit back to the place of Dreaming, back to the campfires in the night sky. Connection to ancestral lands offer a space for collective grieving and healing to take place. Customs vary between language groups, with some communities preferring burial while others practice cremation. Cultural items and personal belongings may be included as part of these ceremonies.

 

Alongside First Nations traditions, our communities also reflect the migration waves from the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, China, South-East Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the Pacific Islands. Recent arrivals from the South Asia, South Korea, Africa, and Central Asia continue to enrich our communities. Each cultural group brings its own perspectives on death and memorialisation, influencing preferences for burials, cremations, and how cemeteries function as shared spaces.

 

These diverse traditions encompass a wide range of practices. Jewish communities follow Halacha (Jewish law) for burial within 24 hours, and memorials like Yahrzeit ensure ongoing remembrance. Islamic customs also prioritise swift burial, with the body positioned towards Mecca and prayers guiding the deceased. Christian ceremonies may include church services, hymns, and annual remembrance days like All Souls' Day. Hindu rituals often involve cremation, with ashes scattered in sacred water as part of the soul’s release.

 

An enduring place for every community

As a place of reflection and remembrance, our memorial parks aim to respect and respond to the varying needs of all the communities we serve. We are committed to creating inclusive spaces that accommodate the unique cultural and spiritual practices of all people, now and in the future.