Culture - HOW TO ASK QUESTIONS: Learning through respectful curiosity

17th June, 2025    |    By  Project Rockit    |     51

“You’re inviting them to share rather than pushing them into a corner where they feel like they have to defend themselves.”

In Episode 6, Machar and Sucheta share what to consider when asking questions about someone’s culture or background—and why intention and curiosity matter.

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PRTV Season 5 is part of our “REAL TALK SERIES”, created in partnership with Culture Spring, a youth-led social enterprise powered by the Centre for Multicultural Youth (CMY), with support from the William Buckland Foundation.

Produced by Momentum Studios Australia.


Also check the related topics:  

Cultural Indentity Managing friendships

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Culture – HOW TO ASK QUESTIONS: Learning through respectful curiosity

I was, you know, reflecting on my experiences in school. And one thing I was really grateful for is that I went to schools that were quite diverse.

– Yeah, for me, there were a few people of colour, while in primary school it was just me and my sister. So it was kind of a new experience for myself and for the Caucasian people in my school. It was a challenge finding friends, a challenge connecting with people. No one really understands you.

– A way to avoid that segregation happening is through—I would probably say—conversations. I would have loved for someone to ask me something about me and my cultural identity. For someone to show some curiosity, just to see where that goes in terms of connecting groups together.

And I understand that can sometimes be a bit sensitive, and it can sometimes feel a bit like, “Oh, am I doing the right thing? Are they going to want me to ask a question?” For me, it was always: please ask. For others, it might be, “I’m not as comfortable talking about this.” But I think when it comes to having a conversation, it requires the courage of both sides.

– Sounds like what’s really important in that conversation is letting them have the option to engage in that.

– How would you suggest that people approach others about their culture in a respectful way?

– With all things, right—intentions always show. When someone comes in with the right intentions, you can totally tell.

To be even more specific, the way you say things, the words you choose, are also important. It could even be something like, “Hey, I’m so curious about this, and I think you’re the perfect person to ask. Do you mind if I ask…?”

So you’re inviting them to share—

– Rather than injecting yourself?

– Yeah, pushing them into a corner where they feel like they have to defend themselves.

– I think genuinely building a relationship with the person matters. You know what I mean? Try to get to know them, be around them.

Like, I had a couple of mates who were actually genuinely my friends, and they would really want to learn about my culture. They would ask me to take them somewhere to eat, want to try our food.

When you build a genuine relationship, it feels different than someone I don’t really know.