David Li, Shinju Matsuri (DOCUMENTARY & STREET 2025)

Each year, the remote town of Broome in Western Australia comes alive for two weeks to celebrate Shinju Matsuri—a vibrant festival that commemorates the region’s pearling history and pays tribute to the Japanese and broader Asian diaspora that has settled in town since the late 1800s. Following the outlawing of blackbirding in the late 19th century and the introduction of deep-sea diving suits, many Japanese, Chinese, Malaysian, and Filipino divers were brought to Broome to work in its booming pearling industry—a notable exception to the White Australia policy introduced in 1901. Many descendants of these pioneering communities still reside in town today. In light of the current wave of anti-immigration sentiment sweeping across Australia, this year’s celebrations carried a deeper significance, serving as a powerful reminder of Australia’s multicultural roots and resilience.

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