DOWN at Swan Hill RSL, next to the portrait of Queen Elizabeth and the Australian flag, hangs a very special crocheted artwork.
Inspired by Anzac Day, the colourful woolen hanging is a symbol of Australia’s lasting connection to our Gallipoli diggers.
And it’s made extra special by the origins of its creator Nyanhial Hial, who emigrated from South Sudan ten years ago.
When Nyanhial arrived in Swan Hill she couldn’t speak a word of English.
Through Mallee Family Care she met Heather Stanbury, who helped her learn the language.
The pair have been firm friends ever since.
“She’s like a daughter to me,” Heather said.
“She’s just a lovely, caring person. She would do anything to help anybody.”
“I am blessed to have a friend like her.”
She’s like a daughter to me.
Nyanhial had never crocheted before, and originally intended to only do a few small poppies, however, the project quickly took on a life of its own.
Nyanhial gradually added more sections to represent the Anzac struggle; blue for the Dardanelles and green for the Gallipoli peninsula.
A cluster of poppies in the shape of a heart depicts the families left behind in Australia, the poppies in the water represent the soldiers who died and the two trails leading upwards are in memory of the soldiers who made it to safety on April 25, 1915.
“I didn’t sit there doing it all the time during the day,” Nyanhial explains.
“I would leave it for a while and then do it at nighttime.
“I had to sometimes run down to Heather — she showed me how to do it.”
When asked what Anzac means to her, Nyanhial pauses for a long time.
“It means so much,” she says at last.
“I understand it’s something very important.
“The way it happened, those people went to the war for the life they wanted to give to others and the world.
“That life, a lot of people who came from far away. For example me — I came a long way and I get the benefit from what they gave.”
Next up Nyanhial is planning to get her hands on some red, white and blue wool to crochet the Australian flag.
“From your old home to your new,” Heather says with a smile.
