ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on Darwin, a small tropical northern city with a population of polyethnic heritage that is an outcome of interracial mingling between Aboriginals, ethnic minority migrants and Anglo-Australians. Although the Indian population of Darwin is very small, they are visible in public spaces by gender, class, age and physical appearance as they work, shop or engage in leisure activities. The chapter explores the contemporary nature of these contacts in more detail by focusing on two Indian festivals that are held in prominent public spaces of the city: 'India@Mindil' held in the dry season (June) on Mindil beach and the 'Holi festival' held at the end of the wet season at Alexander Lake, East Point Reserve. The lives of Indian-Australians have attracted a great deal of global media attention due to the spate of racist attacks on taxi-drivers and students that took place in Melbourne in 2009-2010.
