At the time these Chinese people arrived in Victoria, people of European descent believed in their racial superiority. Therefore everyone else had to be inferior.

They came to this conclusion because people from other cultures appeared to be different to them. They were strange people with strange customs that the European Australians did not understand and did not always want to understand. Often it was easier to see them as being different or strange, as inferior, as a danger to their society, as people they could blame when things went wrong. By taking this attitude, many people did not have to take the time and make the effort to understand them.

The four pages following this one in the menu look at four aspects of Chinese culture that appeared strange to people of European descent living in Victoria in the nineteenth century. They are:

-- Language --
-- Names --
-- Writing --
-- Burial practices --

Here are some questions to think about as you read the four web pages following:.

• What can you learn from the experiences of people in the nineteenth century?
• What would you do that was the same as people in nineteenth century Victoria? What would you do differently? Why?
• How would you treat people who came to your school or to live in your street who seemed to have strange customs and ways?
• What could you do to make these people feel welcomed and to make their adjustment to living in your community easier?

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