🔗 Share this article

Repeatedly, the story of the Arab Australian is presented by the media in limited and harmful ways: people suffering abroad, criminal activities in communities, protests in public spaces, detentions associated with extremism. These depictions have become synonymous with “Arabness” in Australia.

Frequently ignored is the complexity of who we are. From time to time, a “success story” appears, but it is presented as an anomaly rather than part of a broader, vibrant community. For most Australians, Arab experiences remain unseen. Daily experiences of Arab Australians, balancing different heritages, caring for family, excelling in business, academia or creative fields, scarcely feature in public imagination.

The stories of Arabs in Australia are more than just Arab tales, they are Australian stories

This absence has implications. When only stories of crime circulate, prejudice flourishes. Arab Australians face accusations of extremism, examination of their opinions, and hostility when speaking about the Palestinian cause, Lebanon's situation, Syrian affairs or Sudanese concerns, although their interests are compassionate. Not speaking could appear protective, but it carries a price: erasing histories and separating youth from their families’ heritage.

Multifaceted Backgrounds

In the case of Lebanon, characterized by enduring disputes including civil war and numerous foreign interventions, it is hard for the average Australian to comprehend the nuances behind such bloody and seemingly endless crises. It is even harder to come to terms with the repeated relocations endured by Palestinian exiles: born in camps outside Palestine, children of parents and grandparents forced out, raising children who may never see the territory of their heritage.

The Strength of Narrative

Regarding such intricacy, literary works, fiction, poetry and drama can accomplish what media fails to: they craft personal experiences into structures that encourage comprehension.

In recent years, Arab Australians have refused silence. Creators, wordsmiths, correspondents and entertainers are reclaiming narratives once diminished to cliché. Loubna Haikal’s Seducing Mr McLean portrays life for Arabs in Australia with wit and understanding. Randa Abdel-Fattah, through novels and the collection her work Arab, Australian, Other, restores "Arab" as selfhood rather than charge. The book Bullet, Paper, Rock by El-Zein reflects on conflict, displacement and identity.

Expanding Artistic Expression

Alongside them, authors including Awad, Ahmad and Abdu, Sara M Saleh, Sarah Ayoub, Yumna Kassab, artists Nour and Haddad, among others, produce novels, essays and poetry that assert presence and creativity.

Grassroots programs like the Bankstown spoken word event nurture emerging poets investigating belonging and fairness. Theatre makers such as James Elazzi and the Arab Theatre Studio interrogate relocation, community and family history. Arab women, in particular, use these opportunities to combat generalizations, positioning themselves as intellectuals, experts, overcome individuals and innovators. Their contributions require listening, not as secondary input but as vital additions to Australia's cultural landscape.

Immigration and Strength

This growing body of work is a reminder that individuals don't leave their countries easily. Migration is rarely adventure; it is essential. Those who leave carry profound loss but also strong resolve to start over. These aspects – loss, resilience, courage – run through Arab Australian storytelling. They validate belonging molded not merely by challenge, but also by the cultures, languages and memories carried across borders.

Cultural Reclamation

Cultural work is greater than depiction; it is reclamation. Accounts oppose discrimination, requires presence and resists political silencing. It allows Arabs in Australia to discuss Palestinian territories, Lebanese matters, Syrian issues or Sudanese concerns as individuals connected through past and compassion. Writing cannot stop conflicts, but it can display the existence during them. The verse If I Must Die by Refaat Alareer, created not long before his murder in the Gaza Strip, persists as evidence, penetrating rejection and preserving truth.

Extended Effect

The effect extends beyond Arab groups. Autobiographies, poetry and performances about growing up Arab in Australia resonate with immigrants of Greek, Italian, Vietnamese and additional origins who acknowledge comparable difficulties with acceptance. Writing breaks down separation, cultivates understanding and initiates conversation, alerting us that relocation forms portion of the country's common history.

Request for Acceptance

What's required currently is recognition. Printers need to welcome writing by Australian Arabs. Academic establishments should include it in curricula. Journalism needs to surpass generalizations. Furthermore, consumers need to be open to learning.

Accounts of Arabs living in Australia are not merely Arab accounts, they are Australian stories. By means of accounts, Australian Arabs are incorporating themselves into the nation's history, until “Arab Australian” is ceased to be a marker of distrust but an additional strand in the rich tapestry of Australia.