the statement that Pearson made is reflected in the poem
written by Dorothea Mackellar published in Australia in 1911:
' I love a Sunburned Contry,
A land of sweeping plains,
of ragged mountain ranges,
Of Droughts and flooding rains.
I love her far horizons,
I love her jewel- sea,
Her beauty and terror-
The wider brown land for me!'
it reflects the country itself as the ultimate joke; the wave you body-surf into shore after a day at the beach could contain a shark or a rip-tide and, when you get back, your house could have been burnt to the ground in a bush fire. That's where the whole 'no worries' thing comes from. Australians will make fun of the land and turn it into a joke or comedy.
some facts about Australian Identity
The people-
Australia’s original inhabitants, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, have been living in Australia for at least 40 000 years. The rest of Australia’s people migrated or are descendants of migrants who have come from nearly 200 countries since the start of European settlement of Australia in 1788. In 1945, Australia’s population was about seven million people. Since then, more than 6.5 million migrants, including around 675 000 refugees, have settled in Australia. Today, Australia has a population of 21 million people, of which 43 per cent were either born overseas or have one parent who was born overseas. As mentioned in Life in Australia Governement Department of Immigration and Citizen.
The first Europeans From the early 1600s, Dutch, Portuguese and Spanish explorers reported sightings of various parts of the coastline of what was. In 1770 an Englishman, named James Cook, in his ship The Endeavour, charted the east coast of Australia and claimed it for the British Crown. Britain then decided to use the new outpost as a colony for convicted criminals. As mentioned in Life in Australia Governement Department of Immigration and Citizen.
European settlement started with the arrival in Sydney Harbour on 26 January 1788 of a fleet of 11 ships. The First Fleet, commanded by Arthur Phillip, brought around 1500 people, including 750 convicts, to the new colony. As mentioned in Life in Australia Governement Department of Immigration and Citizen.
(Bell 2003: 75). In Australia, this narrative includes the ‘discovery’ of Australia, British colonization and ‘white’ settlement, convict transportation, bushmen and pioneers, bushrangers, ANZACs, immigration post-World War II, and of course,Australian sporting heroes (Wesley 2000; Day 1998; Holton 1998; Ward 1958). As mentioned by Donoghue, and Tranter (2007).
When the first Europen settlers came to live in Australia most Australians lived in the bush or where pioneers. Who Started a tough life in Urban country rather than city life. The blocks (men) an Australian term are represented as strong and tough men who come across as loyal and strong. This is how the term mateship becoming about.
The meaning of the word mateship and a fair go and what it represents to Australians came from the tough battle for survival by Australia’s early settlers against a strange, harsh and often hostile environment; they were reinforced by later generations of men and women in the Australian bush who relied on and supported each other through floods, fire and drought. The qualities of mateship and loyalty were further enriched in the Australian psyche by Australians’ experiences in World War I, and the battle by the Anzacs at Gallipoli. As mentioned in Life in Australia Governement Department of Immigration and Citizen.
there is a poem called the Man from the Snowy River which sums the men and women up of that live in the Australian bushland who relied on support for floodsd, fire and drought.
The Man from The Snowy River: Written by Banjo Paterson in 1890
There was movement at the station, for the word had passed around
That the colt from old Regret had got away,
And had joined the wild bush horses -- he was worth a thousand pound,
So all the cracks had gathered to the fray.
All the tried and noted riders from the stations near and far
Had mustered at the homestead overnight,
For the bushmen love hard riding where the wild bush horses are,
And the stock-horse snuffs the battle with delight.
That the colt from old Regret had got away,
And had joined the wild bush horses -- he was worth a thousand pound,
So all the cracks had gathered to the fray.
All the tried and noted riders from the stations near and far
Had mustered at the homestead overnight,
For the bushmen love hard riding where the wild bush horses are,
And the stock-horse snuffs the battle with delight.
`He hails from Snowy River, up by Kosciusko's side,
Where the hills are twice as steep and twice as rough,
Where a horse's hoofs strike firelight from the flint stones every stride,
The man that holds his own is good enough.
And the Snowy River riders on the mountains make their home,
Where the river runs those giant hills between;
I have seen full many horsemen since I first commenced to roam,
But nowhere yet such horsemen have I seen.'
Where a horse's hoofs strike firelight from the flint stones every stride,
The man that holds his own is good enough.
And the Snowy River riders on the mountains make their home,
Where the river runs those giant hills between;
I have seen full many horsemen since I first commenced to roam,
But nowhere yet such horsemen have I seen.'
The video above is from the 2000 Sydney Olympics and it shows the past tradition life of Australis that are described in the poem by Banjo Patterson- Its a reflection on Australian Idenitity Culture (as the first stockman, Horseman rides his horse into the aremna with the Australian flag and then the horse leaps high) that they chose to have it as part of the olympics that most citizens still feel that Australian Identity is to do with the pioneers, the
bush rangers, the stockmen and the urban country lifestyle.
bush rangers, the stockmen and the urban country lifestyle.
Back in 2008 it was important to acknowledge the Aboriginals (the first owners of the land) as Freedom of Speech says All Australians are free to say or write what they think. Its part of Australian Identity (nation) as it was an histroic event- most importantly it was a chance to say sorry and move foward and reconcile with the Aboriginals. here is the video of the speech that Kevin Rudd said in 2008
Part of Kevein Rudds Speech:
'That today we honour the indigenous peoples of this land, the oldest continuing cultures in human history.
We reflect on their past mistreatment.
We reflect in particular on the mistreatment of those who were stolen generations - this blemished chapter in our nation's history.
The time has now come for the nation to turn a new page in Australia's history by righting the wrongs of the past and so moving forward with confidence to the future.
We apologise for the laws and policies of successive parliaments and governments that have inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss on these our fellow Australians.
We apologise especially for the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families, their communities and their country.
For the pain, suffering and hurt of these stolen generations, their descendants and for their families left behind, we say sorry.
To the mothers and the fathers, the brothers and the sisters, for the breaking up of families and communities, we say sorry.
A future where all Australians, whatever their origins, are truly equal partners, with equal opportunities and with an equal stake in shaping the next chapter in the history of this great country, Australia.
There comes a time in the history of nations when their peoples must become fully reconciled to their past if they are to go forward with confidence to embrace their future.'
The sydney Morning Herald (2008) Kevin Rudd's Sorry SpeechAustralian Identity- Context within the role Comedy plays in Australian Identity
The influence of comedy on national identity Multiculturalism is now part of the changing Australian national Identity and this experience affects and influences changes in Australian comedy as well as changes in Australia's perception of the meaning of national identity. Australian Governement your connection with the governement (2007) Australian Comedy
For example, Crocodile Dundee was a character who was essentially a 19th century bushman living at the end of the 20th century. His relationship with the character played by Aboriginal actor David Gulpilil reflected changes in Australian culture. Australian Government your connection with the government (2007) Australian Humour
The history of Australian comedy and the distinctly Australian humour, reflects the country's search for a national identity based on both Australia's convict origins and the convict sense of humour and Australia's physical characteristics. Australia comedy often manifests itself as a comedy of extremes. Australian Governement your connection with the governement (2007) Australian Comedy. Comedy started since the first arrivals of the convicts to Australia
.
.
No comments:
Post a Comment