Malayalee Association of Western Australia (MAWA) is the formal incorporated organisation for all Malayalees in the State of Western Australia. It is a non
It is a non-profit, non-political, non-religious community and cultural organization. Malayalees hail from the State of Kerala, known as ‘Gods Own Country’, which is located in the western shoreline of India. They are also known as Keralites and speak the language Malayalam. The Malayalees have migrated to all parts of the globe including Australia. Keralites are always proud of their unique cultu
re and traditions. Malayalees maintain their own identity and rich cultural traditions. The earliest of Malayalees to arrive in Western Australia was in mid 1960’s. When the number of Malayalee community increased, the need for an official forum was felt. After much contemplation it was decided to register an Association and in July 1996, the Malayalee Association of Western Australia (MAWA) came into existence. MAWA takes the responsibility of conducting traditional festivals such as Onam and Christmas with overwhelming support from the Malaylees in Western Australia. It is a leading partner in hosting of other cultural functions and sporting competitions, including staging of Soorya-Perth programmes. This allows the community to come together in the preservation and progression of the unique Malayalee culture. MAWA has always remained a very proactive entity in providing assistance for settling in to Australian way of life to new migrants to Western Australia. It has strong links to other organizations in Australia, and being the official member of World Malayalee Council, it has strong international links. MAWA strives towards making Australia a more multi cultural society. MAWA is an active member of the Indian Society of Western Australia Inc. (ISWA), Perth. The ISWA is the apex body representing around 14 community organisations in WA and it acts as a major channel of communication between the Australian Indian Community in WA and various government and non-government organisations in Australia.
