Creativity Architects
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Australia doesn't have many traditions. Attempts to get Halloween off the ground have stalled due to one too many homeowners telling little kids to get off their property or they will see a scary sight. Australia's equivalent of America's Independence Day is Australia Day on January 26, the landing of the First Fleet of Convicts in Botany Bay. Unlike the French, who proudly celebrate Bastille Day, most Australians are a bit insecure about their Convict heritage thus they aren't too keen on celebrating their patriotism with a tribute to criminals. There just isn't a great deal of emotional resonance in putting the cuffs on your wrists, the old ball and chain on your leg, and subsequently walking down the street in tribute to the founding fathers. The same problem has also prevented Australians ever establishing a thanksgiving day. It is just so much more emotive to remember Pilgrims that broke bread with their Native Americans than it is to remember Convicts that stole bread and were duly hung. Due to the problematic nature of recreating the Convict spirit, few Australians use Australia Day to reflect upon history, or tell yarns about days gone past. Instead, they engage in some kind of Australian pastime. For example, having a barbeque, going to the beach, or attending a music festival. Celebrating Australia is more about the lifestyle, rather than the history or the moral of the story. Although barbeques, beaches and music festivals are all very nice, for some concerned citizens, they are not sombre enough for a national day. As a consequence, they want the date of Australia Day to be changed. As Daniel Bryant, a concerned citizen, argued: " The 26th of January is an inappropriate date for Australia Day as it merely represents the anniversary of the arrival of the British to establish the penal colony of New South Wales. It does not represent of birth of a nation and disengages the aboriginal and non-British communities from their sense of involvement in nationhood. It also sends the wrong message to our Asian neighbors, reminding them of our European roots." Tobin Maker, another concerned citizen, sarcastically expressed a similar feeling of alientation: " Instead of reciting the oath on Australia day, which commemorates the founding of a prison in Sydney, why don't we Victorians recite the oath on the anniversary of the laying of the first stone of Pentridge Prison? " Alternative dates suggested include January 1, the anniversary of the sitting of the first federal parliament. Such suggestions have hit a wall as it is generally accepted that the only thing worse than having a Convict in ones ancestry is having a politician. Another suggested date is December 3, the anniversary of the Eureka Stockade. The main problem with this idea is that the Eureka Stockade has some associations with unionism and white supremacy. Such associations tend to divide Australians rather than unite them. While a barbeque or musical festival may not be sombre, at least they are superior to some kind of political argument over workers rights or genetic superiority. St Patrick's Day is a popular tradition. Even though it may be in tribute to a patron saint of a foreign country, it involves a lot of drinking hence its appeal. A home grown saint is yet to eventuate. A Ned Kelly Day would be a possibility. As a result of Our Ned's Last Stand, police corruption was cleaned up, and a century of painters, novelists, musicians and poets gained a muse of inspiration. The only problem with a Ned Kelly day would be that having a day to celebrate an executed cop killer would be as ridiculous as having a national day to celebrate criminals. Although not Australian, religious festivals such as Christmas are well supported. Of course, Santa Claus looks a bit inappropriately dressed in his North Pole attire in the heat of the Australian summer. It's also quite strange listening to people sing about a white Christmas when the temperature is hot enough to fry an egg. Finally, "traditional" Christmas turkey is also proving to be a little unsuitable for the hot weather. When the temperature is 40 degrees, the last thing people want to do is open the door of an even hotter oven. As a consequence, seafood on ice is gradually becoming Australia's favoured Christmas food. Sometimes people try to get the northern hemisphere Christmas spirit with lights, charity and carols. Again, the Australian environment is a little problematic. Because it doesn't get dark until 10pm, it can be a bit difficult taking the kids on a tour to see some Christmas lights before bedtime. Furthermore, helping a needy person always feels much better when the needy person is freezing in the snow. It just doesn't provide the same emotional gratification when it is hot, and the needy person looks like a bogan whose been kicked out of pub for having too much to drink. The hot weather is also having an effect on the design of the Christmas tree. In the northern hemisphere, the Christmas tree is of great importance due to the amount of time a family spends indoors around it. But in Australia, families spend more time outdoors on verandas and barbecue areas where the tree is never seen. Consequently, the tree is often some stringy shrub that has only been included because it's the "traditional" thing to do. With so much time being spent outdoors, Christmas is strongly associated with sport. A game of backyard cricket may put a gift to quick use, and also smooth tensions between distant family members who, despite thinking they should be together on Christmas, really don't like each other. For those who find playing sport a bit strenuous, Christmas is followed by Boxing Day where they have a great opportunity to watch it. Boxing Day marks the beginning of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht race, and tens of thousands of Sydney-siders will flock to see the Yachts commence their 628 nautical mile journey to the Apple Isle. For the next week, Australians all along the south east seaboard will gaze across the ocean to see the Yachts go by. While Sydney has its Yacht race, Melbourne has its cricket. Up to 100,000 people will flock to the MCG to see the opening day of the test. Some will be there to get drunk and enjoy the summer sun. Some will be there because they are seriously interested in the cricket. Others will be there because it is Boxing Day tradition. After Boxing Day comes New Year's Eve. Being in the heat of the Australian summer, this is likely to be spent outside under some fireworks, in a park laying on some grass, on the beach looking at the ocean, or standing on a crowded street looking at an even more crowded nightclub. Couples with enjoy a countdown before heading on their merry way to do what couples do. As for singles, they will await the countdown as an excuse to take the first step towards those things that couples do. In regards to home-grown traditions, the most notable are Melbourne Cup where punters show their patriotism with gambling and drinking, and ANZAC Day where old diggers show their patriotism with gambling and drinking.
Considering that that Australia's top three heroes are a cricketer, a bushranger and a race horse, perhaps it is fitting the only time the nation stops as one is to have a wager on a dubious sporting pastime. The discovery of gold in 1853 led to a huge influx of gamblers to Australia's shores. If the diggers struck it lucky on the goldfields, they would head for the track to see if the luck would continue. Invariably it didn't and racing clubs sought bigger and bigger meetings to relieve the prospectors of their gold. The Victoria Turf Club staged the first Melbourne Cup in 1861 and by 1866, the Government had proclaimed the day a public holiday. To make life difficult for punters, the race is run over the unusually long distance of 3200m, it may have up to 30 starters and the favoured horses are handicapped with extra weight. Although knowledge of the form is still a prerequisite to talk like a guru at pre-race functions, the many variables make picking a winner a case of pinning the tail of the donkey. The most successful method seems to be whether it has a good name or not. With the exception of Kiwi which evokes sheep imagery, all winners have had impressive names like Phar Lap, Black Knight or Vintage Crop. The fact that the cup is such a lottery has helped it gain popularity amongst those with no interest in racing. There is a certain charm associated with seeing a guru who has studied the form all year, grimly stewing as some novice gloats about how she picked the winner only because she thought its name would still be pronounceable after downing her second bottle of Champagne. But the Melbourne Cup is more than just a horse race, it is also one of the few times where Australians celebrate looking stylish and acting like a pompous wanker. In a land of the ugg boot and cork hat, world fashion designers rarely seek their inspiration with a trip down under. But on that first Tuesday in November, the dark clouds part and the elegant ladies come out to shine. It is a day when the famous proverb, " the bigger the hat, the smaller the property" is transformed into "the bigger the hat, the smaller the skirt." Although it is only a public holiday in Victoria, around the country kind bosses stop work and use the day as a team-building exercise. There is usually a sweep, a prize for the best hat and a drink or two or many. Roughly speaking, the popularity of a boss is proportional to the quantity of alcohol drunk and inversely proportional to the amount of work completed on the day.
Although ANZAC Day has been around for a long time, its mainstream popularity is a recent phenomenon. Of course, those hoping for a degree of respectability after the dubious horse race are tantalised and disappointed for although Anzac Day begins solemnly, it descends into a party affair with drinking and gambling. Some politicians have wanted make it the Australia Day but the veterans have told them to piss off. During battle, dawn was one of the most favoured times for an attack as the half-light played tricks with soldiers' eyes. Therefore, soldiers were awoken in the dark, so that by the time the first dull grey light crept across the battlefield, they were awake and alert. The fresh light instilled a sense of optimism for the new day tempered by the fear that it could be their last. For those who survived, it bequeathed memories of burying a mate along with the awareness that they would have to preserve the feelings of what they had lost. When the soldiers returned home, the first light of the morning would once again remind them of their experiences and they sought out the company of those who could understand. On 25th April 1923 at Albany in Western Australia, the Reverend White led a party of friends in what was the first ever observance of a dawn service. It wasn't until 1927 that the first official service was held at the Sydney Cenotaph. A central feature of the Anzac Day service is a paragraph taken from the poem 'Ode for the Fallen'. They
shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; The poem neither attributes right or wrong nor does it glorify war as the liberator of freedom. It simply articulates what the war meant to those who were involved in it. For decades, families and young people were not welcome at these dawn services but in recent times, they have been encouraged to take part. They have also been encouraged to take part in marches wearing the war medals of deceased relatives. Arguably this was brought about due to necessity as the stars of the show had a habit of dying each year leading to the very real prospect of crowds one day cheering on an empty street. Another suggested change is to allow the Australians who had relatives that fought on the opposite side, to take part wearing the war medals of the deceased. In 1998, eligible Turks in Australia were allowed to march for the first time. For the Turks, it was the culmination of two decades of campaigning as they tried to bring the spirit of friendship out of the catastrophic loss of life. It was also their way of implementing the wisdom of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, their first president and mastermind of the Turkish resistance in the Gallipoli campaign, who said: "Your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land, they have become our sons as well." Mustafa Kemal Ataturk
The 26th of January is an inappropriate date for Australia Day as it merely represents the anniversary of the arrival of the British to establish the penal colony of New South Wales. It does not represent of birth of a nation and disengages the aboriginal and non-British communities from their sense of involvement in nationhood. It also sends the wrong message to our Asian neighbors, reminding them of our European roots. Daniel Bryant Australia Day should be changed to a more suitable date, rather than the one that not only insults the rightful owners of this land, our indigenous peoples, but conveniently disregards the non-White migrants. Australia Day = Shame Day Nature and diversity of culture for me is Australias beauty. I wonder how Aboriginal people would view this lunacy. Michele Walker Instead of reciting the oath on Australia day, which commemorates the founding of a prison in Sydney, why don't we Victorians recite the oath on the anniversary of the laying of the first stone of Pentridge Prison? Tobin Maker We must be the only country in the world that marks its national day not by celebrating its identity, but by questioning it. Ken Boundy
TWO days on the nation's collective kitchen calendar, Anzac Day and Cup Day, bring us together like no others. And although one begins with darkness and grievous loss, while the other is all colour and fun, both capture elements of the larrikinism and egalitarian impulse that are embedded deep within this nation's unique spirit. As a handicap, the Cup is the most egalitarian race the world takes notice of, and we are the only country that celebrates such a race as our featured event: it takes a super horse to win, but every nag starts with a show. Adding to this element are the many paths that can bring a horse to the starting gate at Flemington at 3.10pm on the first Tuesday in November. Alongside high-profile favourites such as Makybe Diva - bidding to become the first mare to win the Cup twice - are dark horses such as On a Jeune. But what stories they have to tell! On a Jeune emerged from the South Australian bush circuit only in May, and scored an upset victory in the Cranbourne Cup last month. Her trainer, Peter Montgomerie, will set foot on Flemington racecourse for the first time in his life today. Or what about Kiwi entrant Catchmeifyoucan? Completely unheard of a fortnight ago, this mudlark carrying only 49kg is suddenly in with a show.
This extraordinary annual event will once again be celebrated at special lunches
and in office sweeps around the country. And yes, for around three minutes and
20 seconds, the race will stop the nation. All of which raises again the perennial
question: why is Cup Day, one of our quintessential annual rituals, not a national
public holiday? Wowsers hate the idea, and so do cultural cringers who say we
should not announce to the world how deeply we feel about a horse race. Monarchists
always suspect a plot in the suggestion that Cup Day could replace the Queen's
Birthday holiday, but what about replacing Labour Day? It celebrates a class distinction
long since dead in Australia while Cup Day celebrates something brimming with
life. |
Customs and Values The Great Divide Aborigines |
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Melbourne
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