AUSTRALIATHE CULTURE

Mark Eppinga Julie Lewis

Stephanie Kitt Paul Mathenge

Samantha Joseph Ekaterina Maydanskaya

IntroductionOur assignment was to introduce the class to the culture of Australia. We set ourselves a timeline for getting the various parts done and divided up the topic amongst ourselves like this:• Stephanie handled the history of Australia• Julie researched the current gender roles • Ekaterina took on traditions• Paul looked at Australian rituals• Samantha investigated Australian holidays • Mark scrutinized popular culture and media and then

assembled all the slides into a single presentation.

We hope this presentation will give you a brief primer into Australia and elicit interest from you in learning more about it.

History of Australia

The First Australians-The first known people of Australia were the Aborigines. Australian Aboriginal culture is the oldest living culture in the world. It dates as far back as 40,000 years.

-Europeans started exploring Australia in the 16th Century.

-In 1770, Captain James Cook claimed the continent for the British and named it New South Wales.

Australian History: COLONISATION (n.d) retrieved November 3, 2011 from http://www.australianhistory.org/colonisation

The British are Coming

-In 1779, Joseph Banks suggested that Britain use the newly claimed continent to solve its overcrowded prisons problem.

-In 1787, the First Fleet set sail, comprising 11 ships, 1500 people-half of which were convicts.

-The fleet arrived in Sydney Harbor on January 26, 1788.

-This day is celebrated as Australian Day.

Living in Australia (n.d.) retrieved November 1, 2011 from:http://www.studyinaustralia.gov.au/en/Living-in-Australia

A Country is Born-Approximately 160,000 men and women were brought to Australia as convicts from 1788 until 1868.

-The discovery of gold in the 1850’s permanently changed the colony with an influx of free settlers.

-The Commonwealth of Australia was formed in 1901 through the federation of six states under one constitution.

Australian History (n.d) retrieved November 3, 2011 from: http:/ /www.dfat.gov.au/aib/history/

What effects do you think being a former colony have on a modern country?

Australian Holidays

Australia has both native and European holidays. Examples of national Australian holidays:

– Australian Day – January 26– ANZAC Day – April 25– Queens Birthday – June 8– Boxing Day – December 26– New Years Day – January 1– Good Friday – Friday after Easter– Easter Monday – Day After Easter Sunday– Christmas Day – December 25

Lets focus on the holiday Australian Day.Public holidays and school terms. (n.d) retrieved November 10,2011, from Australian Government Web Site: http://australia.gov.au/about-australia/our-country/public-holidays-and-school-terms#NationalPublicHolidays

What is Australia Day?• It is the biggest celebration in the country. It’s the anniversary of the

arrival of the First Fleet of 11 convict ships from Great Britain, and the raising of the Union Jack at Sydney Cove by its commander Captain Arthur Phillip, in 1788.

• Today Australia Day celebrations reflect contemporary Australia. It also is an opportunity to reflect on the nation's history, and to consider how to make Australia a better place in future. It has become a community day.

Australia day. (n.d) retrieved November 8, 2011, from http://www.australiaday.org.au/experience/page31.asp

How Is It Celebrated?

• Formal ceremonies - flag raising, citizenship ceremonies and the presentation of important community awards

• Theatrical performances, music, sporting events, speech days, multicultural and native performances

• The modern population should incorporate the culture of the indeginous people in their ceremonies. Doing so allows the wider community to share in the native culture, and promote a stronger sense of shared nationhood. This is an example of the communication concept ‘Adapting to others’.

Indigenous Australia. (n.d) retrieved November 9, 2011, from Australia Day Web Site: http://www.australiaday.org.au/experience/page103.asp

Are American holidays very different from Australian ones? Why?

Gender roles in Australia

• Aboriginal people have specific roles for women and men but have interdependent relationships as well.

• Men were the hunters of large animals the families main protein.

• Women were the principle food gathers of vegetables, fruits, small insects.

• “The interdependent roles Aboriginal men and women shared are: healers, law makers, performers, painters and making sure that their traditions are maintained and passed on to future generations” (Aboriginal Culture, p.1).

Aboriginal Gender roles in Australia

Aboriginal Culture (n.d) retrieved October 29, 2011 from http://emedsa.org.au/PsychoSocial/EthnicIssues/Culture/Aboriginal.htm

Gender Roles Today

• Men are in a higher economic status and play a bigger role in politics then women.

• “Women were seen as caregivers, homemakers and held jobs as teachers and in nursing. But affirmative action policies since the late 1970’s has been directed toward promoting gender equality in all spheres” (Culture of Australia, p.1).

Culture of Australia (n.d) retrieved October 29, 2011 from: http://www.everyculture.com/A-Bo/Australia.html

Gender Roles Today cont..

• Women only earned the right to vote in 1901.• “In 1955, 20% of women were represented in

local, state, and federal government” (Culture of Australia, p.1).

• Women are known to participate more in religious activities but the majority religious leaders are male.

Culture of Australia (n.d) retrieved October 29, 2011 from: http://www.everyculture.com/A-Bo/Australia.html

Are these dates and percentages of women’s liberation and modernity more consistent with the U.S., Europe or Asia?

Marriage and Family

• Marriage is only allowed between heterosexuals and occurs by a civil service or religious ceremony. The ceremony is conducted by a registered official.

• Divorce had been available since 1975, it requires a one year separation period and has a 40% rate in first marriages (Culture of Australia p.1).

• “Family is decided upon the domestic unit, primarily the couple, then couples with children, then one-parent families.” The extended family is important support for most families. Blended families are becoming more common (Culture of Australia, p.1).

Culture of Australia (n.d) retrieved October 29, 2011 from: http://www.everyculture.com/A-Bo/Australia.html

Australian Rituals

Christmas Holiday rituals

• During the Christmas holidays families celebrate with relays in swimming pools, water gun fights, or backyard cricket. Father Christmas/Santa Claus is usually pictured in a swimming costume and a cool drink is left out for him by children at night. School is let out a week prior to Christmas for summer break and resumes after Australia Day on January 26

• Homes are not decorated as heavily as in some cultures but there are two traditional native plants used for the occasion: The NSW Christmas bush and Christmas bells.

• Meals include hot turkey, Christmas pudding, seafood, cold turkey and ham for salads, Panforte and panettone (Christmas cake), mince pies and ice cream .

Australian traditions. (n.d.). Retrieved October 28, 2011 from: http://fits.depauw.edu/mkfinney/culturaleresumes/australia/trads.htm

("Paul eckersley illustration:," )

Rituals in sports• Australia has a rich sporting culture . They are

renowned world wide for their cricket.• In cricket , in the first session of each test, it is a

ritual for the Australian players to wear their baggy green caps; this is a gesture of solidarity and a salute of their heritage.

• At the end of a victorious series, players gather (in the middle of the field) to sing their theme song Underneath the Southern Cross.

• This rituals are important for their sports because are an important ingredient in developing the public image of a sport, and providing the participants at all the various levels with a common bond.

• For cricket it is very important that many of the great traditions of the game are maintained. It provides a sense of order, and when difficult times are encountered by any sport there is a tangible support element for the players and the game itself to look up to.

Flaherty

The importance of rituals. (n.d.). Retrieved November 4, 2011 from: http://www.hindu.com/tss/tss2445/24450340.htm

Funeral Rituals performed by Aborigines

• Funeral ceremonies. Another important time for ceremonies is on the death of a person, when people often paint themselves white, cut their own bodies to show their remorse for the loss of their loved one, and conduct a series of rituals, songs and dances to ensure the person’s spirit leaves the area and returns to its birth place, from where it can later be reborn.

• Burial practices vary throughout Australia, people being buried in parts of southern and central Australia, but having quite a different burial in the north. Across much of northern Australia, a person’s burial has two stages, each accompanied by ritual and ceremony.

McFinney. (2001, 26 January). Australian Traditions.fits.depauw.edu. Retrieved November 13, 2011, from http://fits.depauw.edu/mkfinney/culturaleresumes/australia/trads.htm.

Australian

TraditionsAustralians have many traditions and rituals however I am going to focus on:

ClothingFolklore Food

Folklore Prior to European invasion,

Aboriginal people lived all through out Australia during a period of time called the Dreamtime. The dreamtime is full of various myths and stories that are widely spread all through out the Australian culture. These stories are mainly about how the Earth, Sun and all creation came to be.

Examples are Dinewan the Emu,

and Goomblegubbon the Bustard

The Galah, and Oolah the Lizard

Bahloo the Moon and the Daens

Clothing In the workforce Australians tend

to dress light because of the constant heat. Long socks, tailored shorts, and a light shirts. In the city and workplace areas people tend to dress formal and casual in their spare time as well as on weekends.

Children wear uniforms and sunscreen year round. Sun tans are looked upon as foolishness since Australia has the highest rate for skin cancer.

The famous UGG made initially for the Australian deserts and hot beaches

FoodAustralia is abundant in seafood, meats, as well as fruits and vegetables.

However, the most famous meals are…

Vegemite A yeast extract and salt spread

Meat PieMade from beefpork, or lamb.

PavlovaMade of soft meringue, cream filling and fruit

LamingtonSponge cake coated with chocolate and coconut

Despite a lot of similarities to the U.S. their favorite foods are quite different than ours, why?

Australian Media

George Bernard Shaw once wrote: “England and America are two countries

separated by a common language” and the same can certainly be said of America and Australia. Australia has its own distinct accent that while similar to the British accent is very unique.

Press PLAY for a quick primer on the Australian accent

Language

Australian Tip of the Day (n.d) retrieved November 2, 2011 from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RuoXH2fBDA

TV

Although originally a British colony, the most of the highest rated programs in the metropolitan centers do not come from the BBC but mostly from the US along with a few Australian produced programs.“60 minutes” and “7 news” are consistently among the top 15 highest rated programs in the nation with rugby and football games topping the ratings whenever they are played.

Oztam Ratings (n.d) retrieved November 6, 2011 from: http://www.oztam.com.au/documents/2011/OzTAM-20111016-EMetFTARankSumCons.pdf

Oztam Ratings (n.d) retrieved November 6, 2011 from: http://www.oztam.com.au/documents/2011/OzTAM-20111002-EMetFTARankSumCons.pdf

MusicThe popular Australian music charts mirror the American music charts with many of the same songs and artists.You can see in the music chart below from the week ending 11/14/11 that almost all of the top perfumers are from the US.

Aria Top 50 (November 14, 2011) retrieved November 14, 2011 from: http://www.ariacharts.com.au/pages/charts_display_singles.asp?chart=1U50

We hope you have enjoyed our brief look at Australia and all it has to offer. As you have seen, Australia shares a lot of similarities to both the United States and the Great Britain. This combination of cultures makes for an extremely hospitable tourist spot and a vibrant culture.

Conclusion

ReferencesPublic holidays and school terms. (n.d) retrieved November 10,2011, from Australian Government Web Site: http://australia.gov.au/about-australia/our-country/public-holidays-and-school-terms#NationalPublicHolidays Australia day. (n.d) retrieved November 8, 2011, from http://www.australiaday.org.au/experience/page31.asp

Indigenous Australia. (n.d) retrieved November 9, 2011, from Australia Day Web Site: http://www.australiaday.org.au/experience/page103.asp

Culture of Australia (n.d) retrieved October 29, 2011 from: http://www.everyculture.com/A-Bo/Australia.html

Aboriginal Culture (n.d) retrieved October 29, 2011 from http://emedsa.org.au/PsychoSocial/EthnicIssues/Culture/Aboriginal.htm

Australian traditions. (n.d.). Retrieved October 28, 2011 from: http://fits.depauw.edu/mkfinney/culturaleresumes/australia/trads.htm

Flaherty, C. (n.d.). First blood to the poms as fans hijack ashes tickets - cricket - sport. Retrieved from http://www.theage.com.au/news/cricket/english-fans-hijack-ashes-tickets/2006/06/01/1148956482844.html

The importance of rituals. (n.d.). Retrieved November 4, 2011 from: http://www.hindu.com/tss/tss2445/24450340.htm

Paul eckersley illustration: Father christmas. (n.d.). Retrieved November 4, 2011 from: http://www.pauleckersley.co.uk/fatherchristmas.html

McFinney. (2001, 26 January). Australian Traditions.fits.depauw.edu. Retrieved November 13, 2011, from http://fits.depauw.edu/mkfinney/culturaleresumes/australia/trads.htm.

Langloh Parker, K. (n.d.). Australian Legendary Tales. Sacred-texts.com. Retrieved November 13, 2011, from http://www.sacred-texts.com/aus/alt/index.htm.

Aria Top 50 (November 14, 2011) retrieved November 14, 2011 from: http://www.ariacharts.com.au/pages/charts_display_singles.asp?chart=1U50

Australian Tip of the Day (n.d) retrieved November 2, 2011 from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RuoXH2fBDA

Oztam Ratings (n.d) retrieved November 6, 2011 from: http://www.oztam.com.au/documents/2011/OzTAM-20111002-EMetFTARankSumCons.pdf

Oztam Ratings (n.d) retrieved November 6, 2011 from: http://www.oztam.com.au/documents/2011/OzTAM-20111016-EMetFTARankSumCons.pdf

All images are from google Images