David wilson, who has been twice to Bangladesh on leaching assignments, talking about the lives of migrants in Australia said, "There are two types of migrants In Australia — the Europeans and the Aslans. Even among the Asians, the Chinese should be treated separately as they have been In Australia for many years more than the Italians nnd Greeks. The migrants have been sitting tn carefully so as not to upset the prevailing culture. In Australia, today, culture is changing. Almost inevitably there will be a multicultural society. As to Indians and Bangladeshis, I have personal experience of them In academics In the universities. They are doing very Hood work and are employed willingly. I don't know about Ihe Korer people coming from ngladesh, as I live In a rural

area, west of Sydney.'

David continued. The influence of the migrants is enormous in Australia. Classical and modem Indian literature Is

out in the market. Australia is geographically extraordinarily isolated. Consequently the Australian people are very parochial In their Interests. However, since the Second World War there Is an enormous change . Australians, for Instance, are conservative caters but all that Is changing tremendously. There arc markets In Australia that provide ingredients from all over the world — not Just Italian, Greek or French but most Aslan countries.Thls is a pretty good start."

Speaking about mixing and blending of the cultures, David added, There isn't resentment of Intermarriage any more although there was before. The Irish Catholic and the English Protestant societies can still be narrow. However, they cannot avoid intermarriage even if they wanted to. Now the migrants have white collared jobs but there is an enormous unemployment problem at the moment. There are two schools of thought On says that the more people you have in the country the more consumption there Is,

Lifestyles of Migrants and Aborigines in Australia

pkiymenl while the other side says that migrants have been coming into Australia to take jobs."

Dwelling on the subject of migrants David commented,’ People migrate lo Australia be cause they think that their opportunities will be belter. Australia has a history of rea-

sonablc distribution of jvcalth amongst the ordinary people. Australia is built on that. There arc no reasons to believe that Australians are not prejudiced either. Many migrants live In ghettoes because they like to stick together due to the need for security. People may bring customs to Australia that might appear very different. My own grandparents gathered together

the Irish lived In very particular areas. Following them the Italians, Greeks, Tilrks and other migrants are doing the same. People are not forced to live in ghettoes by the Australian government.”

Talking in the same vein David continued,' People have difficulty with overseas qualifications because-the standards of education in Australia and other countries arc different. Professions trv to protect them-

selves such as the medical profession. Australians require high standards for their professions. There is not one answer to any of the questions that can be asked about the difficulties in the country. There maybe a combination of answers, with the maturity of thought, which the government can deal with.

There is . for example, an enormous change with the Aboriginals at the High Court decision to recognise native title. Australians now have to face a mature view that has not been faced upto for 200 years. Now the High Court has said that native title docs exist. Many Australians will find this very difficult to accept.When all these complex problems will be adequately dealt with they will become a mature nation."

When asked to comment on the status of the Aborigines In Australia, David remarked, "It is a fact that the Aborigines are looked down upon and they often resort to drinking and suicide. The Australian government has been slow to give them responsibilities. There have been changes as the Aboriginal people have taken the initiative. They want lo lake

the responsibility of their own affairs to the point of self gov unnx-nl. This meansra -hu.< Hon like Europe where you l»i« small countries within a large

• area. Australia has lo wake up to enormous legal compllca lions."

Elaborating on the subject of the Aborigines He said. 1 ad mire the way they combined the unconsce-,,» life with Ihc con setous. The whole of the ir tradl t tonal art Is based on the relationship of the conscious with the unconscious feeling for the land: the two are Inseparable. The symbols that they use, the animals, birds, and highly sophisticated maps arc Invisible Ip the untrained eye. In the past they were using only earth colours but now they use man ufactured pigments. It fa Ignorance that makes the average white Australian fall lo appreciate this art. To the western mind It Is only now that they see their link with their environment. The Aborigines were aware of this long ago In a country very difficult to live In because of lack of water."

Talking about Bangladesh. David observed, "It is a land of paradoxes. Things arc not what they seem. The poor arc the poorest In the world, while I have no contact with the rich.' The Department of Foreign Affairs of the Australian Government. Cultural Assistance Branch financed my project lo come here and teach drawing at the Institute of Fine Arts, Dhaka. 1 loved Old Dhaka and Ils narrow streets reminded me of my boyhood In SydncjL 1 found the 120 students I taught here as good as any I found in Australia, in my experience of 20 years. As for the international style, which prevails even In Bangladesh, it Is something that I find tedious. The western culture is a little bit like acid and It eats away at the iron of other cultures and deadens the creative spirit. As for exhibitions, I feel it is dangerous to expose yourself too much, and I myself have one only .one tn five years."

David teaches nf the . University of Bathurst and at the Julian Ashton Art School in Sydney.