Any british born indians in Brisbane?

[javi1979]

Hiya,

 

We're a family of British born indians, (parents imigrated before we were born). I'd say I've grown up in a very multicultural society and although racism has been around have not actually experienced very much directly myself in the uk.

 

I'd say we're very integrated here in the uk and to be honest I usually forget there's any difference between myself and my 'white' friends.

 

I'm a little concerned that emigrating to Brisbane we may be stepping back in time and have a bit of a 'culture shock'. We now have two young kids and here in the UK I am really not too concerned about any issues of racism. It may be around among ignorant groups but on the whole I think the UK is such a mixed cultural pot these days, it's not something I think about. I'd hate for them to suffer any abuse as a result of our decision to move.

 

To those of indian origin but born and bred in the uk, what have your experiences been?

 

Many thanks,

Javi

[blobby1000]

I'm not Indian but I work with many Indian and African people who have lived in both the UK and Australia and although they do like it here the general concensus is that the Uk is multi-cultural and Australia is only multi-racial.

 

I live in melbourne and I hear many comments that in the UK would be described as racist (quite rightly) and result in getting sacked from your job, here these comments are just accepted as the norm...for instance an Aussie nurse asked an African nurse if he knew what an orange was, he then pointed at a banana and said "I bet you know what that is don't you?"

 

I dont speak from direct experience, but indirectly I am very uncomfortable with the racism here. Having said that (and it is no excuse) it's a product of the country being 20 years behind the UK and there are SOME benefits to this in other ways. My understanding is Queensland is far more racist than Victoria.

[Perthbum]

There are a lot of British born indians in Perth as well as Indians born outside of the uk, cannot talk for brisbane

[Petals]

I think the thread says "are there any British Born Indians in Brisbane" so let us not turn it into whether or whether not racism is around in Aus.

 

I believe there are probably many Brit Born people of Indian heritage living in Brisbane, Brisbane is so multicultural now nothing like it was years ago.

 

Its funny when you come as a Brit you think Aus is behind the times, when I returned to UK to work I thought UK was behind the times, just perception.

[whoiam]

I may not be answering your question but just sharing what I know.

There are a lot of Aussies of Indian origin in the Brisbane area--much like you, those whose parents migrated a while back. My cousin is married to an Aussie of Indian origin-- he's just like any other true blue Aussie and doesn't seem to think there is a racial issue at all, they have loads of friends --of different races and cultures and have loads of fun as well. I wouldn't be too bothered if I were you. As long as one doesn't put on airs and graces and has a general laid back attitude one shd be okay!:biggrin:There are also a lot of comparatively recent emigrants as well. Once there is a critical mass of any one racial grp the tendency for people to be overtly racist reduces IMO.

[blobby1000]

I think the thread says "are there any British Born Indians in Brisbane" so let us not turn it into whether or whether not racism is around in Aus.

 

I believe there are probably many Brit Born people of Indian heritage living in Brisbane, Brisbane is so multicultural now nothing like it was years ago.

 

Its funny when you come as a Brit you think Aus is behind the times, when I returned to UK to work I thought UK was behind the times, just perception.

 

No. The post is asking if Australia is racist and whether the OP family will "suffer any abuse over our decision to move"

 

I have answered the question from my experience here.

 

We live in Australia and it is unfair to encourage a British-Indian family (who are asking if the country is racist) to come out here without us being free to give an opionion on the issues that can sometimes be present.

[Petals]

No. The post is asking if Australia is racist and whether the OP family will "suffer any abuse over our decision to move"

 

I have answered the question from my experience here.

 

We live in Australia and it is unfair to encourage a British-Indian family (who are asking if the country is racist) to come out here without us being free to give an opionion on the issues that can sometimes be present.

 

I stand corrected but I would also say that there is no more racism here than there is in any country and I personally have not experienced it have you?

[blobby1000]

I'm not saying don't come. It's a real race mix here in Australia but personally in Melbourne I find that Indian people all seem to hang around together as do Africans (and British!) there does not seem to be much mixing.

Personally I think there is much more ignorance here than in the UK and comments that would be construed as racist in the UK are just seen as normal here. I hear things like "that black doctor" or "the Indian nurse" rather than using names, I never heard that in the UK.

As far as whether I have experienced racism, I suppose I have in a sense, patients have often called me a "pommy c*&t" and the Australians often say stuff about the British but I dont see that as racist, more playful banter. I think the Australians have a good relationship with the Brits (so long as they keep it very superficial).

[Petals]

I'm not saying don't come. It's a real race mix here in Australia but personally in Melbourne I find that Indian people all seem to hang around together as do Africans (and British!) there does not seem to be much mixing.

Personally I think there is much more ignorance here than in the UK and comments that would be construed as racist in the UK are just seen as normal here. I hear things like "that black doctor" or "the Indian nurse" rather than using names, I never heard that in the UK.

As far as whether I have experienced racism, I suppose I have in a sense, patients have often called me a "pommy c*&t" and the Australians often say stuff about the British but I dont see that as racist, more playful banter. I think the Australians have a good relationship with the Brits (so long as they keep it very superficial).

 

Sorry Blobby I am only stirring you up. I know that you are unhappy living in Aus and I am sorry about that. Its not nice to feel that you want to be somewhere else and its natural you are going to pick on stuff.

 

A lot of what you say is true but the thing is we cannot paint a black picture all the time, as a lot of people will never experience racism. Obviously we lean towards people like us so we would not make friends with such people. Calling someone black, brown, white or pink is not racist in my view just a description. We do not mention white because there are so many white faces but its easy to differentiate if someone is in a minority. I have no problem with being in Japan and being called white, or in Africa where I used to live being referred to as white so what is the difference. Racism is much more than a description, its not allowing another race to participate in activities with a so called ruling or superior race.

 

I lived with apartheid as a child so I know all about what racism is and these days its more name calling or descriptive rather than discriminatory.

[javi1979]

Thanks, for your replies!!

 

It does seem from what I've been reading around and your comments that maybe Australia as a nation is more tolerant of racism than the UK. I guess as 'whoiam' said 'Once there is a critical mass of any one racial grp the tendency for people to be overtly racist reduces'. The UK is an older country and has a much larger ethnic mix and so as australia develops similarly, hopefully this will change.

 

Personally being described as indian I wouldn't perceive that as being racist, more descriptive as petals said but it comes down to individual perception really.

 

It is a shame that Australia is not more advanced in this sense.

[Petals]

Thanks, for your replies!!

 

It does seem from what I've been reading around and your comments that maybe Australia as a nation is more tolerant of racism than the UK. I guess as 'whoiam' said 'Once there is a critical mass of any one racial grp the tendency for people to be overtly racist reduces'. The UK is an older country and has a much larger ethnic mix and so as australia develops similarly, hopefully this will change.

 

Personally being described as indian I wouldn't perceive that as being racist, more descriptive as petals said but it comes down to individual perception really.

 

It is a shame that Australia is not more advanced in this sense.

 

There is a lot of banter here in Aus that some Brits take exception to and think its terrible. For instance my son born here and good friend who is Greek, he calls him Wog Boy and he calls my son Skip and there is nothing but pure friendship in their relationship. It actually all started long ago with a TV programme.

 

Also where my oh worked they used to banter about who was who and in derogatory terms but they were all the best of friends and they came from many different countries.

 

Its just the Aus was way to knock, if they knock they like you. Its hard to describe but having lived here so long now its easy for me and I am amazed at what some Brits find offensive. The less pc we are the better, otherwise its all false and how do we know if people do like us or not.