Muslims across the region will celebrate Eid, the three-day religious holiday to mark the end of Ramadan for Muslims worldwide, which begins this weekend.
Eid Mubarak is an Arabic term that means have a blessed feast or festival, and is essentially used to wish someone a good Eid.
The celebration begins on either Friday or Saturday, with different branches of Islam marking the occasion on different days.
Iman Sudi is a Somalian and First Nations Muslim woman who lives in Shepparton and graduated from McGuire College.
She said Ramadan was the holy month in the Islamic calendar, with the last 10 days of the month representing an elevated time “to appreciate what God’s given you”.
Ms Sudi said fasting during Ramadan was all about feeling solidarity with people in need, and realising what we take for granted every day.
“If you’re staying at home, fasting isn’t hard. If you’re actually working every day or going to school it’s really hard; some kids fast and do sports, so yeah, it can be difficult,” she said.
“Thirst is probably the biggest part of it that’s hard.”
During Ramadan, healthy adults fast from dawn to dusk for 30 days.
There are exemptions, including for children, the elderly, pregnant women or those that are physically incapable.
“Ramadan gives me time to step back and reflect on what being a Muslim means to me, why I appreciate it and why I’m fasting,” Ms Sudi said.
“Eid al-Fitr is the celebration after Ramadan. You get to celebrate and eat in the day and dress up and go out with your family because you did all that for Ramadan, so it’s celebrating it as an achievement.
“Everyone would see their family, the older people would give money to the kids, there would be big spreads on the tables and there would be an Eid festival sometimes.”
Ms Sudi said her immediate family did not live close to her extended family, so Eid was a much more private and relaxed celebration for her.
“We have a very nice, relaxed day, because if you’re fasting for a whole month, having food during the day is a blessing at the end of it, so for us it’s just like a family day,” she said.
Ms Sudi said given Shepparton’s diverse community and large Muslim population, she would like to see more representation, celebrations and events during Ramadan, and to see non-Muslims involved.
“I think we all stick to our different ethnic groups and for someone whose ethnic group is not in Shepparton, it kind of leaves you just to do your own thing,” she said.
“I think the biggest thing I wish non-Muslims knew about Ramadan and Eid is it’s not so different to their celebrations.
“At the root of it when you celebrate Christmas, how you appreciate your family and how it brings people together, Ramadan and Eid are the same things for Muslim people. We’re not so different in that aspect.”