Mural traces Keshava roots

By Bridget Cook
A NEW mural in Dandenong South celebrates the City of Dandenong’s cultural diversity, specifically the heritage links with the Macedonian village of Keshava.
The mural, located on the wall of the milk bar at 102 Kirkham Road, Dandenong, is a tribute to the city’s multiculturalism.
Local artist, Dennis Lopez, met with members of the community and designed the work to accurately portray Keshava.
“People with Keshava heritage put in their ideas and I put it together,” Dennis Lopez said.
Red Gum Ward councillor Jim Memeti, who came up with the idea, said more than 500 families who live in Dandenong South have direct links to Keshava either through their parents or grandparents.
“In the 1960s people from Keshava settled in Dandenong South because of the area’s industrial sector and the potential for income,” he said.
The mural was funded by the City of Greater Dandenong’s Community Safety Mural Program, designed to deter illegal tagging and graffiti throughout the city.