In a recent discussion I was made to think about my heritage, not so much my nationality because I am Autralian, but rather my background, where my parent's and grandparents are from. This came up as we were talking about how people identify themselves - do I use my parents background as a marker or indicator for who I am today, or where I have come from?
With Australia being a largely migrant country - it's hardly surprising that I have such a mixed cultural background. A Catholic Lebanese mother and a Protestant Scottish father. So with this mix, how could I identify as anything other than Australian.
But that's the thing, children will always rebel against their parents, and in some ways my parent's complete assimilation into Australian culture has perhaps forced me search for a past that doesn't exist - or rather hasn't existed for them.
My parents are both 1st generation Australian, but from mixed language background (Lebanese and Scottish/English), so English has always been the only language spoken at home. Even though my mother only ever spoke Lebanese as a small child - she never even tried to pass this onto either me or my sister. Looking back I can probably say that because of the lack of Arabic in my childhood I probably identify more now with my Scottish heritage - being that English is a common language spoken in Australian and Scottish cultures. My ability to identify with my Scottish heritage has developed to the extent where I have my family tartan kilt which I wear out with pride to the pub or coffee with friends...
So could I be a victim of 2nd generation Diaspora? My grandparents both came to Australia willingly, and both my parents are so "Australian" that they (1st gens) are ironically quite racist and bigoted when talking about immigrants, refugees and "boat people". But perhaps their lack of connection with any past has caused me to want to discover it more.
Who knows... Personally, I just like wearing a kilt.
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