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What Do You Think Are the Most Powerful Influences That Impact on an Individual’s Sense of Belonging?; Romulus, My Father

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What Do You Think Are the Most Powerful Influences That Impact on an Individual’s Sense of Belonging?; Romulus, My Father
What do you think are the most powerful influences that impact on an individual’s sense of belonging?
In your answer refer closely to your prescribed text, and at least TWO other related texts of your own choosing.
An individual’s sense of belonging is composed of many aspects and influences, the most powerful being cultural influences, and influences from having a connection and affiliation to a place. This can be seen in; the memoir ‘Romulus, My Father,’ by Raimond Gaita, in which Romulus’ culture is seen to have a large impact on his sense of belonging, as is his lack of connection to his new home in Australia. The poem ‘ We are going,” by Oogeroo Noonuccul demonstrates the importance of the influence of belonging to a place, and the effects of the loss of this to the Aboriginal people. Liz Lofthouse’s picture book ‘Ziba Came on a Boat,’ illustrated by Robert Ingpen, explores the significance of cultural living of a young girl, in her traditional Arabian village, and the loss of everything as she takes refugee from an outbreak of war.
In Romulus, My Father, the protagonist Romulus “always considered himself Romanian.” Due to this, when he arrived in Australia as a migrant, the first thing he did was search for people of the same culture as him. His son Raimond recounts; “As soon as my father arrived…he asked the man who greeted the new arrivals whether there were any other Romanians.” Romulus was seeking people of his culture, as he would be able to relate to them through similar culture and nationality, and thus, impact on his sense of belonging, as he would experience a sense of affiliation and connection.
In Walker’s poem, We are going, the power of culture as an influence of belonging is investigated. The poem explores ownership of land that white settlers have inhabited. The land was previously used as a bora ring, for traditional Aboriginal Corroberees, which are a very important part of Aboriginal culture, used for celebrations and initiations of

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