Komi Sellathurai loves writing and Australia. So it looks like she has it made because she is living her dream -- she is a writer living in Australia. Her work has appeared in many publications including ABC’s Unleashed. In a free-wheeling interview, she talks to Tanu about her life, work and opinions.
To start at the beginning, where were you born and brought up?
I was born and bred in Singapore.
Tell us how you chose Australia and how you got here. How long have you been here?
I had always wanted to further my studies in the field of journalism overseas. I had been to Australia before on a school trip many years ago and fell in love with Sydney, so it seemed like a natural choice especially since UTS has a fantastic journalism program. Like many Indians, I come from a strict Indian family and my parents promised that I could go overseas to do my Masters degree only if I made it to the National University of Singapore and graduated with a Bachelors degree first. What better motivation could I ask for?
What were your first impressions? Have they changed over time?
I came to Sydney on my own. I didn’t have any relatives or friends here. From day one, I had to depend on many kind Australians for directions and recommendations when I was house hunting. The Australian people in general are extremely friendly and they have a great attitude to life. I know this personally because my best friend from high school is Australian.
Now that I’ve been here for almost three years, I’ve spent three Christmases with Australian families in the southern coast of NSW and the country, and three birthdays with Australian and Kiwi friends, and I was made to feel like I was one of them. So my first impressions have not changed. I have a deeper respect for them now more than before.
You’ve written a very thought-provoking article for ABC’s Unleashed about how you had sit for the English test to prove that you could speak the language although you work as a journalist for English publications here. You must have some funny stories from your job search in this particular industry.
Yes, my article was really a commentary on bureaucracy and the stereotypes it perpetuated but some people mistook it as an attack on the country which was unfortunate and not at all my intention. But I can respect the instinctive in all of us to defend what we care about and express it freely.
Not many funny stories in the job search really. I think even if people doubt your English language capabilities, once you open your mouth to speak, the doubts disappear. I think Australian people genuinely want to connect with you but once they see that you look somewhat different, they hold back only because they are not used to it not because they don’t want to.
It is funny when people try to pronounce my name though. You know how they greet you before you board an aircraft; they tend to say “Hi Ms so and so. We hope you enjoy your flight”. I’ve been in queues where everyone before me is addressed by their first names until they see my boarding pass with Komathi Sellathurai on it. They just freeze, say hi and wave me in. And I was given the nickname Komi since I was little and I introduce myself as such. Even then people ask if I’m Amy, Tomi or even Kobe like the basketball player.
Do you feel there are enough writers who are from other backgrounds in the media?
If we are talking about Asian writers per se, I would have to say they are represented, adequately I’m not sure. I don’t know what the statistics are. I think the fiction writing world here is more open to diversity but it may not be the case in journalism, but I’m sure this will change in the future. We must also take into consideration that a lot writing is done “behind the scenes” in the form of copywriting or ghost-writing for various industries whereby you don’t necessarily see a by-line or picture attached to the words.
When you get “What nationality are you?” what is your response?
I say I’m Singaporean, which is my nationality, but this tends to be confusing for many people who associate Singapore with the Chinese. I usually end up adding, “My ethinicity is Indian”.
What do you call home?
I’ve actually interviewed someone and asked the very same question and she said home is where the heart is. It is clichéd but there’s no denying it.
What is family for you?
There’s the family you are born into and the family you build when you move away. I’m fortunate to have two families home and away. Family for me is people with whom you feel safe and loved unconditionally and for whom you feel a basal instinct to defend and protect.
What are you hobbies and interests apart from writing?
I love film - watching, reviewing, writing (oops!) and talking about them. To give you a Facebook answer: comedy, plays, live music, art museums, dinners with friends, the beach, excellent coffee, second hand book shopping – pretty much the best Sydney has to offer.
You have one published short story online. Is this something you would like to follow up? How are you going with that?
I had another very short one published quite recently as well. Fiction writing is something I would definitely like to pursue. It allows me to express my romantic side. Unfortunately, I feel I’m still lacking the patience and discipline that’s required for the field but I’m sure that will come with time. I dabbled in copywriting for an advertising agency in Singapore and I especially loved coming up with ideas. And I think fiction writing allows me to do that as well, combine my two favourite things – ideas and words.
What is your idea of assimilation?
Taken from the context of my article where I mention the assimilation of migrants, it would be respect and understanding.
What is your idea of multiculturalism?
My memories of growing up in Singapore. This is not an ad for Singapore which is far from perfect, but as kids we were always celebrating different festivals with different families, eating different kinds of food, sharing secrets with best friends who didn’t look anything like you. And of course learning curse words in different languages!
If you were Prime Minister for a day, what is the first change you would make?
A career change. The biggest changes are made by ordinary people on a grassroots level. They are a part of the community and the changes they make are with the people first and foremost in mind. The bureaucracy of politics has the power to transform even the most committed to disenchanted fools who inevitably reduce individuals to a statistic. But then again, there are some very level-headed and charismatic leaders running the world today. We’ll just have to wait and see.
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