Macedonian Australian
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Macedonian Australians make up the 8th largest ethnic group in Australia with 71,994 people speaking Macedonian. The 2001 census recorded 43,527 Macedonian born persons in Australia, although this excludes persons of Macedonian ethnicity born elsewhere, mainly Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Greece and Albania. The same census recorded 81,898 declaring Macedonian ancestry.
The Macedonian Australian community is evident in most major Australian cities with notable communities in Wollongong (arguably the largest), Newcastle, outer suburbs of Melbourne and Perth and southern and the south-western suburbs of Sydney.
Most Macedonian Australians are of the Orthodox Christian faith, although there is a small number of Muslims. There are approximately 20 churches and 4 monasteries in Australia.
Many Macedonians have influenced and helped Australian society. The Macedonian language is one of the most upheld languages in Australia. A high rate of Inter Marriage with the Maceodnian community helps keeps traditions alive.
Major Macedonian Influences in NSW are most evident in the Rockdale and Port Kembla area. Most of these areas have 'Macedonian' shops that range froms Deli's to Burek Shops. Many Macedonians take part in Cultural and Fokloric Groups.
Macedonians play a high standard of soccer and have set up Numerous soccer clubs in all major cities. In Sydney Rockdale Illinden and Bankstown Makedonija and other treams such a Yagoona Macedonia and Arncliffe. Teams in Wollongong include the Wollongong Wolves, Coniston, Port Kembla, Cringila and Lake Heights.
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[edit] History of Macedonians in Australia
Macedonians have been arriving in Australia since the late 1880's on Pecalba. Pecalba is when the man in the family would go and work overseas to eran money then return home with the spoils. This restricted major settlement. After the partition of Macedonia many foreign exchanges of population forced many Bulgarians to leave their native land. Many came to Australia where some reffered to themselves as Macedonian. The two major waves of Early Macedonian migration according to Peter Hill[1] were when, in 1928 America implaced tougher immigration policies and in 1936 when the Metaxas regime came into power.
After World War 2 and the Greek Civil War many people came to Australia some reffering to themselveds as Greeks while other reffering to themselves as Ethnic Macedonian.
When the Yugoslav policy of Overseas Work was started many Macedonians left for Australia. The peak of this Migration was in the early 1970's. They settled in mainly industrial districts. Many Macedonians would also settle the Major Cities and the go off to work in far away parts of Australia such as Port Hedland etc. Most of these immigrants were form a Peasant background. Macedonian Migration sharply stopped in the 1980's only to restart in the early 1990's after the break up of Yugoslavia[2] Many of these migrants were professionals and were highly skilled.
[edit] List of notable Macedonian Australians
[edit] Business
[edit] The Arts/Media
[edit] Politics
[edit] Sports
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