1988: Lily

A young girl in a light blue plaid dress raises her arms enthusiastically, wearing black shoes and white socks. She has dark hair styled in pigtails and is smiling widely, exuding happiness and energy.

In this episode Lily’s cousin Phuong arrives with her parents from Vietnam. But the perfect cousin turns out to be a real threat to Lily’s standing at home and school. Through jealousy and discomfort, Lily begins to understand family dynamics and cultural differences.

1980s Decade Overview

After the social revolution of the 1970s, the 1980s witnessed an economic transformation and growing grassroots activism for environmental and First Nations rights.

1983: A national campaign to stop the damming of the Franklin River led to a High Court victory—an iconic moment in environmental protest.
1984: The Sex Discrimination Act made it illegal to discriminate on the basis of gender, advancing women’s rights.
1985: The Hawke government handed back ownership of the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park to the Anangu people—a milestone for land rights.
1987: Sally Morgan published My Place, a powerful First Nations memoir that expanded mainstream awareness.
1988: First Nations activists protested at the Commonwealth Games in Brisbane, chanting The whole world is watching to call attention to land rights.

First Nations Focus: Students can explore how land rights, storytelling, and protest shaped identity and reconciliation during the 1980s.

Provocation Questions

Is speaking English what makes someone ‘Australian’ or is there more to belonging than language?

How do the stories we tell and hear shape who feels included?

Clip 1: First Day

Lily brings her cousin Phoung to her school for the first time. Lily and her friends assume that Phoung cannot speak English and have a conversation about what it means to be Australian.

Tuning In

Watch the clip closely and pay attention to how first impressions shape the way Lily and her friends treat Phuong.

How does Lily feel about Phuong coming to school?
What does this tell us about friendship and welcoming someone new?
How is Phuong misjudged because of how she looks, speaks or where she is from? How might she feel?
What assumptions do Lily and her friends make about Phuong’s English?
Does speaking English make someone ‘Australian’? What else might make someone feel they belong?
How can we support others to feel included and prevent unfair judgments?

Finding Out & Sorting Out

In pairs, brainstorm the ways you feel welcome at school. Record three key ideas that come from your dicsussion.

Compare these to Phuong's experience in this clip:

Did Phuong experience any of these welcoming actions?
What was missing for her?
How might those missing actions have changed her first day?

Rewrite the short moment in the clip where Lily introduces Phuong to her friends so that everyone's interactions are welcoming and supportive.

Making Connections

Think about the clip where Phuong visits Lily’s school and how first impressions shaped her experience. Now, connect this to your own life.

Write a personal journal entry in response to one of these prompts:

A time I felt included and welcome…
A time I felt misunderstood and what helped (or could have helped)…

Make sure your journal entry includes the following:

Describe what happened and who was involved.
Explain how you felt and why.
Reflect on what made the experience positive or what could have improved it.

Clip 2: The Bicentenary

Lily and her friends are painting the school sign for the Bicentenary when she tells her cousin, Phoung, a false story about how convicts were treated in early Australia. Phoung repeats this story to the class as part of a report on the First Fleet.

Tuning In

Start by watching the clip about Lily, Phuong and the Bicentenary, and think about how one story can change the way we see history and each other.

Reflect on Lily’s story and Phuong’s reaction. Was there a miscommunication?How does Lily’s impatience or assumptions affect Phuong’s understanding?What is the Bicentenary, and why do perspectives on it differ? How can one story be misunderstood when only one voice dominates?How do the stories we tell shape who is included or excluded?

As a class, discuss:

Whose stories are heard, and whose are overlooked?
How do the stories we tell shape who we think belongs?
Can one story ever tell the whole truth?

Finding Out & Sorting Out

Now dig deeper to find out the stories behind the Bicentenary and explore why hearing different voices matters. In small groups:

Research different accounts of the Bicentenary, including First Nations perspectives and historical protests.
Compare these perspectives: Which voices were dominant in mainstream narratives, and which were overlooked?
Discuss how including multiple viewpoints changes our understanding of the past.
Create a Bicentenary poster that presents multiple perspectives, ensuring First Peoples’ voices are included and respected.

As a class, discuss the following questions:

Whose stories are heard, and whose are overlooked?
How do the stories we tell shape who we think belongs?
Can one story ever tell the whole truth?
What makes a story trustworthy or powerful? Consider honesty, perspective, emotions and evidence.

Making Connections

Write two short diary entries about the classroom moment when Phoung repeats the false story about convicts, which she learned from Lily.

Entry 1: Lily’s perspective: How does she feel when Phoung repeats the story? Why did she tell the false story in the first place? How did assumptions or impatience influence what happened? Did she notice the misunderstanding? Did she correct it?

Entry 2: Phoung’s perspective: How does she experience sharing the story? Does Phoung feel betrayed by Lily in this moment? Does Phoung feel she belongs? Why or why not?

Compare your two entries and discuss the following questions as a class:

Where are Lily’s and Phuong’s experiences similar or different?
How did assumptions and impatience affect communication and belonging?
How do the characters’ experiences influence their sense of belonging?
How does this connect to your own life, family, or community?

Australian Curriculum Links

Explore different historical narratives surrounding the Bicentenary. Investigate how events are commemorated and whose stories are centered or omitted.

Year	Content Description	CCP Integration
Year 3	AC9HS3K02 Significance of celebrations and commemorations in Australia	Explore how migrant families and First Nations Peoples interpret national celebrations like the Bicentenary
Year 3	AC9HS3K01 Causes and effects of changes to the local community	Investigate how cultural migration shaped daily life in the 1980s
Year 4	AC9HS4K01 The role of shaping individuals, events and groups in shaping communities	Compare First Nations perspectives and migrant family experiences through food, language and tradition
Year 5	AC9HS5K02 Causes and effects of change in Australian society over time	Examine changing views on migration, cultural identity and historical narratives such as 1800s colonial Australia
Year 6	AC9HSK01 Democratic values and processes in Australia	Link Lily’s experiences to inclusion, civic voice and participation in schools and society

Analyse character motivations and narrative voice. Compare perspectives, challenge historical assumptions, and reflect on storytelling as a vehicle for truth.

Year	Content Description	CCP Integration
Year 3	AC9E3LE01 Discuss connections between personal experiences and character experiences in literary texts and share personal preferences	Reflect on Lily’s emotional journey and how assumptions about culture influence relationships
Year 4	AC9E4LY06 Plan, create, edit and publish written and multimodal imaginative, informative and persuasive texts…(see full descriptor online)	Write from varied perspectives and promote empathy across cultures
Year 5	AC9E5LE01 (Abridged) Analyse character motivations and emotional depth AC v9 Present an opinion on a literary text using specific terms about literary devices, text structures and language features, and reflect on the viewpoints of others	Explore identity, jealousy and resilience in intercultural settings
Year 6	AC9E6LE01 Identify responses to characters and events in literary texts, drawn from historical, social or cultural contexts, by First Nations Australian, and wide-ranging Australian and world authors	Challenge stereotypes and foster critical thinking about cultural portrayal and historical accuracy

Country/Place
Lily’s school and home life invite reflection on how everyday spaces can serve as sites of cultural negotiation and belonging. Compare these experiences with First Nations connections to Country, focusing on land, language, and community practices that shape identity.

Culture
Use Phoung’s Vietnamese family practices, like food preparation and storytelling as springboards to explore how cultural heritage is celebrated, misunderstood or hidden. Encourage respectful comparisons to First Nations cultural protocols and oral histories.

People
Investigate how stories passed between generations, like Lily’s false Bicentenary account can shape public understanding. Highlight First Nations voices and the importance of truth-telling in historical narratives. Discuss how young people can become stewards of cultural accuracy and representation.

Asia and its Diversity
Phoung’s experiences provide rich insight into the diversity of Asian cultures within Australia. Activities like making rice-paper rolls and navigating school life illustrate how traditions, values and language contribute to a multifaceted Asian-Australian identity.

Achievements and Contributions of Asian Peoples
Celebrate the role of Vietnamese-Australians and other Asian communities in shaping modern Australian society. Use Phoung’s skilled food preparation and quiet resilience as openings to discuss broader contributions in hospitality, education, and civic engagement.

Asia–Australia Connections
Examine how migration stories like Phoung’s move to Australia build cultural bridges. Encourage reflection on bicultural relationships in families and classrooms, and link these to Australia’s evolving identity as a diverse and interconnected society.

Additional Resources

Additional Clip: Food and chores

Lily and her cousin are working in the family restaurant, creating rice-paper rolls. The rolls are tricky and delicate to make and need an experienced hand. Phoung is congratulated for her skilful making of the rolls and Lily is embarrassed by her efforts.