We are all children of immigrants

[seaboy4hire]

Like it or not we are all children of immigrants. Our ancestors came from near and far to call this place home, for a new beginning and better opportunity. http://mashable.com/2015/09/07/ellis-island-portraits/?utm_cid=mash-com-Tw-main-link#DxlKTRI7gkqI my peeps came from Mexico, England and Ireland.

 

Hugs,

Greg

[+ sync]

Interesting presentation. However, whenever I read or hear "we are all immigrants" or similar statements, I'm reminded how those statements discount the Native American population.

[seaboy4hire]

Interesting presentation. However, whenever I read or hear "we are all immigrants" or similar statements, I'm reminded how those statements discount the Native American population.

 

I would consider them immigrants as well. They prob just happen to be here first.

 

Hugs,

Greg

[+ glennnn]

I would too. Scientific research indicates that North America was settled by waves of ethnic groups arriving from Asia. I think it is indesputable that they were immigrants who came much earlier than the European arrivals, but immigrants nonetheless. The point is that people will migrate for survival, safety, food, opportunities, or just to see what is over the mountain. 'Native' is a very imprecise and relative term. One meaning is "born here". Under this meaning I am a Native Californian.

[mike carey]

I would consider them immigrants as well. They prob just happen to be here first.

I disagree. Immigrant is a term that applies to human societies, not to areas of land. 'Immigration' starts to happen when areas are already occupied by humans, so I wouldn't call first nations people 'immigrants', be they Australian Aborigines (who may have arrived 60,000 years ago) or NZ Maori (who may only have arrived 600 years ago).

 

The really difficult part is who else 'belongs' there. Born there? Parents born there? 10 generations? My forebears arrived here from England, Scotland and Ireland between 150 and 200 years ago, but I don't know how long their ancestors had been there: the English maybe 1500 years, the Scots and Irish could have been first nations people in their lands, but I will never know. Another distinction is between where one's family came from and where they arrived from. My forebears came here directly, but Greg, were your Mexican peeps from there or were they from Spain with a couple of generations in Mexico?

 

I don't have a lot of time for the (mainly) white cultures in Australia and the US that ignore their indigenous antecedents (and in the case of the US the slaves that helped build their society) and sees the predominant white culture as being the Australian and US societies. I love the broader view that our two countries, along with Canada, Brazil, NZ, Argentina, Chile and others have built vibrant societies that look forward rather than back to define themselves.

 

One of the things that characterises indigenous Australians is their attachment to their country, and that does not mean to Australia. I consider myself Australian and I could live happily anywhere in Australia (or overseas) but my country is in SW NSW. It's part of my dreaming.