DescriptionThis interview consists of one video recording. Albert Oshana was interviewed on 20 June 2019 at Studio 2166 in the Whitlam Library, Cabramatta by Alinde Bierhuizen.Interview SummaryAt the age of sixteen Albert left his home in Baghdad, Iraq. It was 1973 and the country had endured political unrest for decades. A coup d’état in 1968 by the Arab Socialist Ba’ath party triggered the eventual rise to power of Saddam Hussein, who would remain in charge until the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq.
Albert and his family are Assyrian; a predominantly Christian ethnic group of the Middle East, including Iraq, Iran, Syria and Turkey. Assyrians have been forced to migrate due to persecution for many years and the Assyrian diaspora stretches far and wide.
Albert’s father saw no future for his family in Iraq under the Ba’ath regime and on the 17th of August 1973 they closed the door of their family home in Baghdad for the last time.
They travelled via Syria to Lebanon, where they stayed for seven months awaiting the approval of their Australian visas. They left behind Albert’s older sister who was already married and had decided to stay in Iraq. His older brother had migrated to Australia previously to avoid compulsory military service.
The Oshana family was welcomed at Sydney Airport by Albert’s brother and aunt. On arrival Albert noticed that: ‘Everything was different; from the environment, the trees. It was raining that day - it doesn’t rain as much in Iraq - and everything smelled different, even the people, their perfumes and so on.’
They initially stayed with relatives before moving into a house in Yennora. Within ten days after arriving, Albert and his family found work in the area too. Albert’s treasures include this striking Semaver, used to boil water and make tea. Despite its size and weight, it travelled many miles with the family to Australia.
Albert Oshana Oral History (20/06/2019). Fairfield City Heritage Collection, accessed 10/08/2026, https://heritagecollection.fairfieldcity.nsw.gov.au/nodes/view/880
