Culture is all around us

• 9 years ago
• Posted in:Geography, Interactive Sites, Ipad Education
• 110
• Author: Jan
• Tags: Geography

List five examples of cultural influences in Australia

Give one reason why cultural influences might be positive for people living in
Australia.

A lot of cultural influences have come from the trade, tourism and
migration.. Trade brings foods and other products from different countries; tourism
and migration brings people who share their culture when they visit or
come to live. Australians who travel overseas are also tourists who bring
back elements of culture from other countries to share as well.

Read the transcript below from an interview with Mrs L. Wetheral, a woman who
migrated to Australia from Scotland in 1938, then answer the questions.

When we came here it felt very different. Mainly because it

was so hot and there were flies and it was very different from

Glasgow. But we soon settled in. We lived for a while with my
Aunt and Uncle Bertram, until Dad had found a job shovelling
coal in the power station. Then we got a house in Graceville and
my sisters and I settled into school and in lots of ways it was just
like Scotland. There was a bit more food and lots more meat.
Mainly mutton and beef, and Ma said there were more fresh
veges than back home. But we could still buy oats. We still had
our porridge in the mornings in winter.
After the war we got Greek neighbours and that was when I
tried some very different foods like souvlaki and baklava, which
I really love. And Mr Kalikates played a balalaika, which is
a beautiful instrument. I remember him sitting with us, and
having us in stitches with his stories about life in Greece. It
sounded really exotic. I even went to a dance with his son. We
all got into a circle and linked arms and kicked our feet. I loved
it. Mikos was the son’s name. He was very handsome and a lot of
fun but back in my day I couldn’t have married a Greek boy.
Our other neighbours on the street are really interesting too.
There are so many different faces and types of dress. Every
evening there are people sitting out on their verandas chatting
in different languages, and their children playing football in
the street. I notice there are multicultural festivals in the parks
and things like that now too. I think it’s wonderful. My children
think it’s wonderful too, because they have friends from so many
different countries.

a) Which country did Mrs Wetheral come to Australia from?

b) Name one similarity and one difference that Mrs Wetheral found, between her home
country and Australia.

c) What different cultures has she been exposed to through food?

d) Besides food, in what other ways did Mrs Wetheral experience other cultures?

e)  How do you think Mrs Wetheral felt about the changes?

Multiculturalism is when several cultures co-exist together within one society.
People from different countries are able to preserve their own cultural backgrounds
whilst being welcomed and accepted into a country such as Australia.

 Give two to three benefits of having a multicultural society?

Culture can change places.
People from different cultural backgrounds often
build or open businesses to establish a sense of
belonging. This is commonly seen in the building
of places of worship, restaurants or shops.

3. Complete the table below by providing two examples of the cultural influences of migrant groups that you have experienced.

Two examples from the Brisbane area are provided
for you.
Place: building or business              Place of origin: cultural influence
Villa Maria — Restaurant                                       El Salvador — Spanish-South American
                                                                                                                          food, pottery, art

Sikh temple on the hill near my house                              India — religion and culture