Indian spices, snacks, prepacked meals and exotic Fijian foods that have satisfied the taste buds of Sydney's migrant Indians for several decades, have now started to tickle the fancy of many westerners who flock to more than 100 speciality grocery shops in Sydney to spice up their appetites. The recent exposure of the Indian culture through bollywood movies such as Bride and Prejudice, street fashion, and the catwalks, and TV advertising of products such as Lipton Chai latte, tandoori and raita sauce in McDonald's healthy foods promotion, to large western and multicultural audiences has meant a much deeper appreciation of things that are of Indian heritage or exotic Fijian. This article draws attention to this recent trend which is sweeping through the land Down Under.

The food scene in Sydney, which is Australia's multicultural hub, is complex—reflecting cultural diversity caused mainly through migration and globalization, while demonstrating the triumph of uni-polar cultures. Hence, it is "cool" to be seeking out the exotic Fijian foods as well as the spicy Indian brands while donning the colorful Indian skirts, bling bling, and chappals.

These items are readily available through a chain of mostly Indian-owned speciality shops and fashion houses as well as the major retailers. Some small businesses are home-operated and these import their stocks directly from India or travel to specific destinations to hand-pick the items. Buying Indian costume jewelry from home-operated businesses is a common practice among Indians living in Sydney. I get my grog, Fiji fish, spices and vegetables every week at the local Fiji Market … so how can I be totally Australian and not a bit of Kaiviti (Fijian) and Kaindia, (Indian)" says a 50-year-old Fiji-Indian migrant living in Sydney for 15 years.This nostalgia sums up the feelings of the 27,083 Fiji Indians and 37,887 mainland Indians living in the state of New South Wales, within which Sydney sits as the most densely populated city (Australian Bureau of Statistics 2001).

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