DescriptionThis interview consists of one video recording. Edilia Porcu was interviewed on 20 June 2019 at Studio 2166 in the Whitlam Library, Cabramatta by Alinde Bierhuizen.Interview SummaryEdilia was only twenty years old when she decided to move to Sydney, leaving her parents behind in rural Uruguay. Political upheaval and the consequent lack of opportunities to study and work led to her decision. Edilia migrated following the military coup in 1973, when, like in many other South-American countries, democracy was replaced by a military dictatorship. Her journey took her from Montevideo to Buenos Aires and then to Australia via Tahiti.
Upon arrival in Sydney, Edilia felt: ‘a mixture of sorrow, because I left my family and my country, on the other side it was like a door opening, there was excitement.’
She describes starting a new life in Australia as an opportunity to write on a blank page and it was entirely up to her to decide what to write and how to fill that page.
Some of Edilia’s belongings are dear memories of her family and life on the farm. The sound of the metal bell, worn by her
father’s horses, reminds her of her father returning home after a long trip.
Other objects treasure her cultural heritage and traditions. The gourd depicting a horse is used to drink yerba mate. This traditional drink is meant to be shared with guests or family. It was difficult to find the herbal tea when Edilia first arrived in Sydney, as there was only one store in Cabramatta where it was sold.
Food plays an essential role in many migrant communities; it nurtures cultural tradition and brings people together. With more migrants arriving from South American countries including Uruguay, Argentina and Chile in the 1970s, the Spanish speaking community in Fairfield grew rapidly. Subsequently a growing number of South-American shops and services were established in the area, allowing people to buy familiar products and ingredients and meet with people from a similar cultural background.Date20/06/2019IntervieweeEdilia PorcuInterviewerAlinde BierhuizenDuration00:09:39Transcripts availableNoRightsFairfield City CouncilAccess conditionsAccess open for research, written permission required for personal copies and public useNotesThis interview forms part of the exhibition 'Treasures from Home' which was on display at Fairfield City Museum & Gallery from 24 August 2019 to 15 February 2020.
