How are Greek Australians perceived in Australia?

By: | Post date: 2017-02-07 | Comments: No Comments
Posted in categories: Culture, Modern Greek

I should know the answer to this, being one of them. But it’s actually reasonably hard to introspect this, especially as the novelty of Greek Australians has long since worn off.

I’m going to offer some stereotypes, but as I often do with this kind of question, I’m hoping for someone to step in with a better thought out answer.

  • 1st generation. Factory fodder and fast food vendors. Insular, hard working, devious, loud, volatile. Bottom of the totem pole at the time.
  • 2nd Generation. Surprisingly insular compared to other ethnicities: still speaking Greek (sometimes), still intermarrying. Arrogant disco bunnies. High achievers, although not everyone noticed at the time. Still loud and volatile compared to Anglo-Australians, almost certainly not compared to Greeks in Greece.
  • 3rd generation. Assimilated. Held up as model minority. (The 60s are easily forgotten.) Now at last turning up in areas where high achievers didn’t need to: they are civil servants and musicians, not just lawyers and doctors. Don’t actually stand out that much anymore.

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