13th Congress of the International Society for Folk Narrative Research

Presentation Abstracts

MYCAK, Sonia

A Discovered History: 'New Australian' writing as a folk narrative in the contemporary world

Immediately following the Second World War, the Australian government instituted a revolutionary immigration policy that would forevermore change the nature of Australian society. In the years from 1947 to 1954 some 170 000 refugees - so-called 'displaced persons' - arrived in Australia from war-torn Europe under the auspices of United Nations International Refugee Organisation resettlement. Breaking with previous policies of British-dominated immigration, the Displaced Persons Mass Resettlement Scheme was a bold initiative that had far-reaching effects beyond the post-war years. The arrival of these 'new Australians' was a seminal chapter in Australia's history that paved the way for the multiculturalism that marks Australian society today.

Although the immigrants were penniless on arrival, they quickly arranged themselves into communities and organised a social infrastructure for themselves. Working within their own communities, the immigrants established cultural organisations, dance troupes, choirs, newspapers, presses, churches, meeting halls, and schools. With this a lively literary life also flourished and a distinct literary culture emerged, a culture that included writer's clubs and associations, recitals and festivals, competitions, and the production of books.

I have researched the literature and literary culture of this particular group of Australians - writers who came to Australia as so-called 'displaced persons' immediately after the war. My research involved 'archaeological' work: I personally compiled databases, contacted 764 community organisations across Australia, liaised with seventy seven key individuals and found 295 writers. I have since audio-recorded structured, formal interviews sixty authors.

In this paper I would like to analyse this ‘fertile environment’, interpreting this body of Australian writing as a form of folk narrative in the contemporary world. I will speak of these writers and their work as a discovered history. I will address issues of diaspora, globalisation, national myths and community identity.