The Lao in Sydney

Ashley Carruthers; Phouvanh Meuansanith

doi:10.5130/sj.v2i2.1498

Boys sailing boats on Kippax Lake, Moore Park c1977

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.5130/sj.v2i2.1498

Keywords:

Lao, Laotian, Refugee, Buddhism, festivals, local history, Australian history

Ashley Carruthers

Australian National University

Phouvanh Meuansanith

Abstract

The Lao community of Sydney is small and close-knit, and concentrated in the outer southwest of the city. Lao refugees started to come to Australia following the takeover by the communist Pathet Lao in 1975, an event that caused some 10 per cent of the population to flee the country. The majority of the refugees fled across the Mekong River into Thailand, where they suffered difficult conditions in refugee camps, sometimes for years, before being resettled in Australia. Lao Australians have managed to rebuild a strong sense of community in western Sydney, and have succeeded in establishing two major Theravada Buddhist temples that are foci of community life.

Issue

Vol 2 No 2 (2010)

Section

Sydney's People

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Author Biographies

Ashley Carruthers, Australian National University

Ashley Carruthers is a lecturer in the School of Archaeology and Anthropology at the Australian National University

Phouvanh Meuansanith

Phouvanh Meuansanith is a part time social worker affiliated with the Lao Community Advancement Co-op

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Article Details

Ashley Carruthers, Australian National University

Phouvanh Meuansanith