Giacomo+Bell-+Wiki+Project

=**Migrant Australia**=
 * Giacomo Bell - Wiki Project**

Introduction


Welcome to my Wiki page. On this page, I will explore and investigate the 'Migrant Australia' perspective of Australia. Australia has a strong migrant population; it is comparativly a newer country that still has a clash of identities and unknown idea of what is 'Australian'. I have chosen a cartoon, a poem and a short story as my three resources.

Poem - 'Nobody calls me a wog, anymore' by Komninos Zervos


Migrant Australians face unique challenges in trying to maintain their own culture whilst living in a society that demands for conformity and assimilation. The poem, ‘Nobody Calls Me a Wog, Anymore’ explores modern Australian society’s insensitive and misrepresented views on migrants. The responder views Australia through the eyes of a Greek Australian citizen, the iconic images of a multi-cultural Australia and an easily accepting society is immediately dissolved; ‘Point my finger accusingly / Thump my fist demandingly / Assert my identity’ Zervos confronts the issue, phrasing his comments and anger to apply also to the responder through the personification of ‘Australia’ using the second person pronoun ‘you’. The techniques make the responder feel somewhat of the guilty party. By generalising Australia, Zervos conveys that only the followers of the stereotypical Australian culture will be accepted into society. ‘Yes that’s right, it’s a Greek name / Yes that’s right, there’s no English translation / Yes that’s right, it’s my first name / Yes that’s right, it’s rather unusual’ Zervos makes no intent on apologising or reconciling. He asserts that his heritage, along with himself, can be accepted into today’s multi-cultural Australia, as it’s generally perceived to be. Assertive language and strong repetition confront the reader. A sense of pride is shown, but more importantly, the responder is positioned to feel as though an act of apology is necessary.

The poem draws on the notion that Australia is still young and trying to find its identity. The two points raised in the poem are very valid in todays society. Australia is a young country, it still is developing its identity and heritage. Zervos's literary techniques work incredibly well; he uses strong Australian colloquial language and constant beat changes to emphasize new points and ideas. He is intent on proving himself as Australian, but unique Australian, with his own culture and his own sense of self; he expresses to be apart of Multicultural Australia.

**Cartoon - Excerpt from 'The Bulletin'**





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Short Story - 'Neighbors' by Tim Winton
Migrants settling in Australia often face judgement and hostility based on their different appearance, nationality and customs. The treatment they receive is often based on first impressions. Tim Winton’s short story ‘Neighbours’, explores this idea. The story starts with a new family moving in to a mainly European street. The author refers to the characters by their simplest trait, in most cases, their nationality. This is a highly effective technique that highlights the divide between all the characters. It’s also a representation of real life where migrants often have been stereotyped by their race or nationality. ‘The Macedonian family shouted, ranted, screamed.’ The beginning of the story refers to many stereotypes with negative connotations. All of the characters are presented as sceptical and unsure of what they think of their neighbours; mutually oblivious of their neighbour’s social customs. Migrants are often treated as the outsider; someone not understood in society. Society does not recognise that they are also humans, with common goals and interests. Winton’s short story has a change in perspective towards the end where the characters commonalities are found. The birth of a child was an event that all nationalities could relate to: ‘The Macedonian family waved and called out what sounded like their best wishes’. The author very much exaggerates the racial divide, only to break it down through the various characters’ now apparent commonalities. It proves the unity of a community through mutual understanding regardless of nationality.

**Film - 'They're a Weird Mob' (1966)**

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Culture shock is a common experience with migrant Australians. The nature of Australian society can be confrontational and intense. A scene from the 1966 movie, ‘They’re a Weird Mob’, offers a migrant’s unique perspective of their first experience of Australian culture. The scene is set in an Australian bar, a social custom and a well-known aspect of Australia life. The most significant technique is the point of view shot and the strong diegetic sounds. The viewer enters the bar through eyes of the Italian migrant, the outsider’s perspective. The dominant idea is that Australia is welcoming and helpful, yet only if you embrace Australian culture and lose your own. Note the following dialogue between the two characters “Now listen, in this country, if you wanna keep out of trouble, you always return a shout.” “Oh, is it a custom?” “Bloody hell it’s the custom, it’s your shout!” The dialogue is kept light, humorous and helpful, until it is the Italian who is resistant to Australian customs. The scene is somewhat a representation of a clash of cultures. The responder’s view is that of a society that knows only itself, not closed off, but similarly ignorant and bewildered by the differences in other people’s culture.