Introduction
Migrants always bring a piece of their culture with them to their new place of residence. Things remind them of their home, allowing them to maintain their identity in an unusual and alien environment. Often a mixture of introduced and local cultures leads to new and interesting customs. Food and music reflect how Jewish and Italian migrants bridged their places of origin and their adopted homes in Melbourne.
Discussion
Food has always been especially important for Jewish migrants for religious reasons. Judaism is relatively rigid in its definition of what food is kosher and therefore fit for consumption. The inability to consume part of the local diet created additional difficulties for Jewish migrants in a new place. Since the nineteenth century, Jewish communities have existed in Australia (Rutland, 34). Their cuisine was directly connected with traditional distinctive holidays such as Passover. This could also cause further misunderstanding on the part of the local population and result in anti-Semitic sentiments. Despite this, Jewish migrants even founded restaurants in Melbourne, which have become local attractions (Wasserman, 470).
Italian cuisine is widely known and famous all over the world. Dishes such as pasta or pizza have long become familiar, first for Americans and then for world mass culture. After the Second World War, many Italian migrants arrived in Australia, which was no exception (Ricatti, 24). Sharing food is very effective in bringing strangers together. Neighbors and work colleagues cooked and ate together, which led to good neighborly relations. Not surprisingly, Italian restaurants have been springing up in Australia since the early 1920s (Boccabella, 34). The cuisine greatly simplified the integration of Italians with a predominantly Anglo-Australian population. Because of the traditional food, the Italian culture was recognizable, demonstrating that Australia’s population is not only composed of a majority of Anglo-Saxon origin (Boccabella, 34). It would not be wrong to say that multiculturalism emerged in Australia due to Italian cuisine.
Another critical cultural aspect that influences the integration of migrants is music. It positively affects cognitive abilities, including the ability to learn languages (Kornhauser, 98). In traditional culture, music is inextricably linked with songs and dances that represent this culture. Through songs, children often learn the language and expand their vocabulary. It is possible that due to these traditions, the Australian migrants of Jewish origin managed to keep their language (Kornhauser, 98). Dancing, in turn, is an event where young people meet, make friends, and get romantically involved. In many Australian cities, including Melbourne, there were Italian music and dance clubs in the sixties. Local groups of Italian origin performed there, as well as cabaret dancers. Both “folk” and “modern” music are gaining considerable popularity. Artists such as Egidio Bortoli have made a massive contribution to the development of Australian musical culture (Whiteoak et al., 309).
Conclusion
Having a place that can be called “home” is very important for every person. Since people are social beings, attributing oneself to any community is necessary for self-identification. The concept of “home” includes, among other things, social and cultural interactions with other people. Sensations are also significant, including sound and taste. Food and music are the essential parts of the culture that make a person feel at home. Bringing this part to the new home simplifies adapting to a new place for migrants and their descendants.