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ABC News: Generational change for Italian migrants, 1958

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Italian man and son stand in field
ABC News: Generational change for Italian migrants, 1958

SUBJECTS:  History

YEARS:  9–10


What would it be like to start life in a new country without much knowledge of the language or culture?

The clip shows the strength of the cultural traditions that Fortunato Galluzzo and his wife brought with them from Italy.

See how the older family members maintain their Italian heritage and the younger generation adapt to life in their new country.


Things to think about

  1. 1.What are some key differences (including beliefs, abilities and expectations) between each generation in your family?
  2. 2.Think about how the imagery and the narration of this clip might represent a view of migration and settlement held in the 1950s. What examples does the narrator use to suggest that the generations of the Galluzzo family have adapted to life in Australia in different ways? Is there a value judgement being placed on this? Why or why not?
  3. 3.Discuss the ways in which the two generations of the Galluzzo family have adapted to life in Epping. List what factors might have influenced this (such as language, work and religion). How might not being able to speak the language of the country you live in affect how you settle into life there?
  4. 4.Find out about the Australian policies on migration and assimilation in the 1950s. Explore how these policies differ from the policies of today. Create a storyboard showing how the experience of the Galluzzo family might have been different if they had arrived in Australia today.



Date of broadcast: 20 Apr 1958


Copyright

Metadata © Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Education Services Australia Ltd 2012 (except where otherwise indicated). Digital content © Australian Broadcasting Corporation (except where otherwise indicated). Video © Australian Broadcasting Corporation (except where otherwise indicated). All images copyright their respective owners. Text © Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Education Services Australia is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0).

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