In 2007 the Immigration Museum provided the relatively small Albanian-Australian community with the opportunity to reflect upon its heritage and its contribution to Victoria. The Kurbet – the continuing journey of Albanians in Victoria Exhibition was the result. In September 2014 Federation Square is providing the community with a further opportunity to tell its story, by restaging the Kurbet Exhibition in the Atrium and the Fracture Gallery, which will display traditional costumes. This exhibition is timely given many misconceptions within the broader Australian community about Muslim people and Albanians.

As an Australian who can trace his heritage from an Albanian Muslim father and uncle who arrived in Australia in January 1940 and an Anglo-Australian Protestant mother whose great-grandmother arrived in Melbourne from Devon in 1849, whose father fought with the 23rd Battalion of the AIF at Gallipoli and the Western Front, I am well placed to comment on what it means to be an Albanian-Australian.

After 450 years of being part of the Ottoman Empire and until the establishment of a hard line Communist regime after World War 2, (WW2) the majority of Albanians were culturally Islamic, however with Christian and Jewish minorities that were treated with tolerance. The Albanian community brought these traditions with them and in the early 1960’s Islamic Albanians built the first mosques in Victoria; in Shepparton and in Carlton. Albanians are often poorly portrayed in the media. British crime dramas have portrayed Albanians as criminals and in comedy Albania is often cited when a reference to something that is remote and backward is required; something “Beyond the Pale”. In the Harry Potter stories, Voldermort, the arch villain, escaped and found refuge in Albania.

In contrast my recollection is of honest, hardworking people, very family orientated with a great emphasis on hospitality and respect. Islamic and Christian Albanians worked co-operatively on the Kurbet project, with the representative of the Catholic community appearing to have no qualms about attending meetings at the Carlton Mosque. An interesting documentary shown in Melbourne in 2014, recounted how in WW2, Albanians, at considerable risk to themselves, provided shelter for many Jewish people from Eastern Europe fleeing Nazi persecution.

1950’s Melbourne was a place where assimilation was expected, where it was often frowned upon to speak a foreign language or be different. The Albanian community consisted of a cluster of families based around the orchards of the Goulburn Valley, market gardeners at Werribee and the Yarra Valley and scattered individuals in Melbourne owning cafes, fish and chip shops, fruit shops, boarding houses or working in factories. There were a great many single men exiled from their families in Communist Albania, many of whom we acknowledged as “Uncles” and were regular visitors to our home. During the 50’s and 60’s there was a gradual stream of Albanian families arriving in Melbourne as refugees, often having escaped from Communist Albania by making a perilous journey on foot over the mountains to Greece. The Albanians kept a low profile and got on with their lives.

By the early 1960’s the community was well enough established to build mosques in Shepparton and Carlton. From my perspective they were built largely as community centres aimed at holding the community together rather than religious centres. My father was the founding Treasurer for the Carlton Mosque however the Albanians I knew drank alcohol and none of the women wore Islamic style head coverings.

At home we lived largely as Aussies with TipTop white sliced bread, Vegemite, cheddar cheese and meat and 3 veg being staples; the only concession to being Albanian being the occasional jar of olives or fetta cheese in the fridge. The Albanian connection was celebrated by annual dances celebrating National Day on the 28th of November and the end of Ramadan. The Albanian “Uncles” and the extended Albanian family were always very welcome in our home, with my mother providing support for many newly arrived women including Aunty Frances an Italian with limited English.

Following the demise of the Albanian Communist government and opening of the borders, the Albanian community in Victoria has been revitalised by the arrival of Albanian relatives who have been able to claim Australian citizenship through fathers who returned to Albania following World War 2. Once again the new arrivals can be characterised as hard working people, very family orientated with a great emphasis on hospitality and respect. The parents often work extremely hard in quite menial jobs, however they have come to provide a better future for their children who have become productive Australian citizens.

From my perspective this story reflects well upon both the Australian and Albanian-Australian communities. My Australian family accepted an Albanian “Mohamedan” son-in-law in to their family, judging him upon who he was rather than his heritage. Throughout his life my father was well accepted at his work place and within his local community; an endorsement of the Aussie tradition of being relatively classless, and giving people a “fair go”. I have interviewed a number of older Albanian-Australians about their life experiences and while they often recount examples of misunderstandings, funny incidents or being called “wogs”, they typically demonstrate good will, resilience and lives well lived.

The Albanian-Australian community has reached a stage whereby 4th generation Albanian Australians will soon be born, while the community is being replenished by new arrivals from Albania. The Carlton Mosque is in the safe hands of an active younger generation who are reaching out to the broader community through open days and participation in events such as Clean Up Australia. They have recently established a youth centre in the western suburbs where Albanian culture and language is being taught. Albanian-Australians are represented in many professions, with at least two Albanian-Australians having played football for either the AFL or VFL. There is an active Albanian-Australian Soccer Club.

The broader Australian community has nothing to fear and much to gain from these people. All communities should be able to value their heritage, while being proud Australians.