Living in the United States is an interesting experience for someone who was born and raised in Australia. Quite often, I get asked a lot of questions about what it is like back home. Sometimes I even get questions such as, "Do you know Crocodile Dundee?" - To which I reply a line made famous by Kevin Bloody Wilson: "Know him? Mate, he's my brother!"
The longer I live here in the US, the more it becomes clear that a lot of Americans have some really interesting concepts and visualizations about what the land down under must be like. For example, I get the impression, quite often, that many of our American friends see Australia like these images:
If you ask an American who the current leader of Australia is; or what the capital city of Australia is, they would be hard pressed to answer you correctly; despite Aussies and Yanks being quite close friends on the international scene. If you ask an American what images (besides kangaroos) come to mind when they think of Australia, they would talk about these landscapes:
Well, I'm here to tell you that there's more to us Crazy Australians than koalas, kangaroos, the outback, and Sydney. So, to help you understand why we are the way we are, I have compiled a list of things that culturally shape Australians into the fun-loving, laid-back, hard-asses that we are. On we go:
Christmas during Summer
In Australia, during the Christmas season, we don't have snow or winter wonderlands, or any of that rubbish. In fact, it's summer during Christmas down under, and it is something that I've found a lot of Americans find difficult to fathom when telling them. While Americans tend to try to "stick to tradition" during the holiday season, Australians are more flexible. Yes, there are those families that have the big traditional meal on Christmas Day, but there are other families that celebrate with a barbecue at the beach. Other families might go out and have some fish and chips. I remember one year, our family celebrated Christmas with a champagne breakfast. There's an element of Aussie families wanting to make the most of the holidays (so much so that we have two public holidays for it - Boxing Day is on Dec 26). And the warmer weather helps the beer go down better too.
Australia Day
It would be remiss of me to not include this in the list, but Australia Day is the country's national day of celebration. It is similar to Independence Day, except it's not about the beginnings of a war for independence. Originally, it was established as a celebration of when the British started colonizing Australia; but has since become more about a celebration of our Aussie identity. People hang out on beaches and in parks for spectacular fireworks displays. Music fans listen to Triple J FM to find out which songs made it onto the Hottest 100; and many hope that the number 1 band is an Aussie one. Families go out to lunch; and people flock to the beaches to enjoy the summer weather on Australia Day.
Kangaroos can box
One of the greatest aspects of our national symbol, the kangaroo, is that it can kick your ass; seriously. Americans seem to think of the kangaroo as a cute and cuddly marsupial, representative of the land down under - and this is true to a degree. But get to close to one of them, and it'll rear back on its tail then propel its legs forward to kick your sorry ass across the room. And before you can regain consciousness, help yourself up, and try to figure out shit from Sherlock, the kangaroo will most likely follow up with using its paws to box the hell out of you. Believe me, if you try to go rounds with one of our roos, you'll go down like a sack of shit. Ask SilentJay74 for verification on this. This is why the kangaroo represents Australia; not just because it's native to the land - but that we may be cute and cuddly, but we can also kick your ass. Some Americans have likened this Australian nature to being a "Work hard, but party hard" philosophy. It's ingrained into us.
Ned Kelly
Aussies seem to have a respect for the "underdog", meaning we tend to want to support those who have the odds stacked against them. Ned Kelly was an outlaw known as a bushranger, and was basically the equivalent to the American Billy the Kid. Yes, he was a criminal, but as the years moved on, an air of myth and legend surrounded Kelly and his gang to the point that they are now looked upon as cultural heroes of our history. He is well known for his metal armor. Heath Ledger portrayed Kelly in a recent film made in Australia. If you haven't seen it, you should. Like, right now.
Comedy
Australian comedy is different from American comedy. It's a little closer to the British sense of humor, but is indicative of how laid-back we are. It is irreverent and views nothing as sacred. As far as Aussie comedians are concerned, anything is game. Take a look at some of these videos - but be warned, Americans, some of these may be considered NSFW. But believe me, you would be seen as a much cooler person by Aussies after having watching them.
Don Bradman and Cricket
I'm not going to explain how cricket is played, because the Americans I've tried to explain it to have about as hard a time as I do trying to understand American football (That is, I just don't get it, and may never will). However, the sport itself is ingrained in our culture, as it is not just about good sportsmanship and skill; but a game of strategy. Australian cricket fans take pride in the accomplishments of our national team. Donald Bradman is heralded as a hero of Australian Cricket, and like Ned Kelly (though Bradman was no criminal!) his story has been influenced by legend and myth over the years. He is regarded, worldwide, as the best cricket batsman of all time, and faced up against a reprehensible set of tactics called Bodyline established by the English cricket team (bloody Poms!). It is a fantastic game, played not only by Australia, but in over 100 countries. It's better than bloody baseball; and besides, you guys stole baseball from cricket anyway. Nevertheless, it is a huge aspect of shaping Aussie culture.
Real Barbeques
American men love to "grill"; but I can tell you, with absolute conviction, that you have not had a real barbeque until you have had an Australian barbeque. I'm not talking about the stereotypical shrimp on the Barbie (they are actually called prawns, not shrimp), but you will not see any ribs or hot dog wieners on an Aussie barbecue. You would have real Australian barbeque sausages (which, I'm sorry to say, do not seem to be found anywhere in the USA), some great steak, and maybe some barbecued onions. There might be some bread rolls - and as far as Aussie barbecues are concerned, there will be some salad if the sheilas are in attendance. Aussie barbecues are usually accompanied by great beer, great music, and great times.
Larrikinism
Larrikinism is something that has shaped our culture over the years, and it is something that Americans seem to have a little difficulty understanding. Because of our laid back attitude, we seem to find amusement in some misbehavior from time to time. Think humorous smart ass remarks, pranks, and typical "naughty boy" behavior. Because of this, some Americans find the Aussie sense of humor a little "too much" - but it's part of our humor, and exemplified by many of our national heroes and celebrities. Let me give you an example. Media personality John Safran is renowned in Australia for his larrikin style behavior in all aspects of his reporting. When cricketer Shane Warne announced he was quitting smoking, Safran set a remote controlled fake seagull onto a cricket ground Warne was playing at - complete with smoking cigarette on offer for Shane. Now if this kind of thing would have happened in America to a popular sportsperson, a lot of people would have taken it seriously. Let's try a reverse example. If the notorious Superbowl wardrobe malfunction had happened in Australia, there would have been no controversy. People would have found it funny, and Timberlake's action would have been labeled as good old larrikinism. Basically, what it comes down to is that you guys take things way too seriously.
Mateship
Mateship is different from friendship. It means more than that. In Australia mateship is not just the expression of being one's friend, but being loyal to one's friend. You stick by your mates, no matter what. If they are in a bit of strife or under fire with criticism, you stick up for them. If your mate needs a helping hand, you give them that helping hand, and then enjoy a beer with 'em afterwards. Having moved to America, I still keep in touch with my mates back home. And when I visit home, we always without fail catch up for a few beers. It is almost like a lifelong friendship. American teenagers might be familiar with this, when they say, "my friends are like my family". That is exactly what mateship is like; but it lasts through adulthood. It stems from our growth of a nation; and also from the closeness the diggers (soldiers) had during wartime.
ANZAC Day
Speaking of wartime, Australians have a very different view of military than Americans do. In America, great national and patriotic pride is placed in their troops; in a very visual sense. American flags, slogans of "support our troops", and so on. Australians also have this great pride in our troops, but it is less visual, and more of a sobering reflection. This culminates in a national holiday called ANZAC Day, a veterans day that gets its name from the Australian and New Zealand Army Corp. Made up of soldiers nicknamed Diggers, the ANZACs fought in World War I; and were on the front of Gallipoli; a battle during the war that had a profound effect on the shaping of our culture. It was a brutal and bloody campaign, with many major losses of young men on both sides. Yes, we have pride in our troops; but it remains within the range of reflection upon those who lost their lives in battle - and with great respect to those who survived and came home. As written in 1914 by Laurence Binyon in his poem FOR THE FALLEN:
VB
I hate to break it to you, guys, but Foster's is not Australian for beer. Foster's is Australian for "this beer is crap, so we will send it overseas to the US and keep the good stuff for ourselves". Over recent history, it would seem that the most popular beer that Aussies keep coming back to is VB, short for Victoria Bitter. Strong, and bitter, it stomps all over the Budweisers and Coors of America; and any of the other lolly water you guys refer to as "beer". If you want real beer, go to Australia, and crack open a VB.
Midnight Oil
Aussie rock has a special place in our culture. While we have great respect and pride for the bands that made it big in the United States and worldwide (such as AC/DC, INXS, the Bee Gees, Men at Work, Jet, etc.), there are a few bands that have not only successfully represented Australian culture through their music, but consolidated it and helped shaped it further. One of these bands was Midnight Oil, fronted by activist (and now politician) Peter Garrett. The band had their early origins in the 1970's; but became very successful in the late 1980's and beyond. With the ferocious and uncompromising stand on national and international issues - be they political or environmental; in the journey of their music they helped bring awareness on several issues important to Aussies. Perhaps their most well-known example of this is their 1987 song Beds are Burning from the album Diesel and Dust. The song (and the album) focuses on the struggles faced to this day by Australian Aborigines.
Meat Pies
The great Aussie Meat Pie is something I miss from my homeland. Basically speaking, it is a hand sized pie containing meat and gravy; and often eaten with tomato sauce (that is what you blokes call ketchup). It's considered a symbolic part of Australian culture, and if you ever visit the land down under and not have one - then you have not had a true Aussie experience. They are often eaten by fans watching an Aussie Rules Footy game - real football with no protective armor like you Americans... I told you we were hard-asses...
Slim Dusty
If Midnight Oil helped shape Australian culture in the world of rock music, then it was Slim Dusty who did the same from the perspective of Australian country music. I have never been a big fan of country music; but I will say this: Aussie country music is far different from what Americans see as country music. It has less flair, less smooth edges... it's grittier and down to the point. Slim Dusty was a representative of this - and he was a hard working musician that brought his music all around the country. He is best known for his songs Duncan, and The Pub With No Beer.
Originality with "Cussing"
I quickly discovered when I moved to the United States that I had to watch my mouth. For some reason, many Americans have this adhesion to a policy that the good old f-word (read: FUCK) comes from the realm of bad language. I disagree, I think there are far more horrible words and names people use; but that's another discussion for another time. Back home in Australia, we do watch our language in certain settings where it may not be acceptable... but where it is deemed to be fine, we use swearing as punctuation. In fact, the most taboo word in cussing (the almighty dirty C-word. Yes. That C-word), is seen as offensive - but is also often used as a term of endearment between male mates. It is a part of our culture, but what's even more interesting is the creative array of swearing colloquialisms we come up with and use. Examples include "bored shitless", "map of Tassie", "he stands out like a shag on a rock", "he's as useful as tits on a bull", and "root rat". Don't know what they mean? You can find out what the definitions are at this site. Oh, and by the way, the next video is NSFW...
The Republic Movement
Australia is a part of the British Commonwealth, and has been since English colonization. This aspect of our status is still represented by our flag, which still portrays the Union Jack
Over recent decades, there has been a strong push by many Australians that it should be time to stand tall individually, and become an independent republic. There have been numerous debates on it; and the question of whether we should become one has become a big part of our cultural trends over the last 10 years or so. Personally, I think it will be an inevitable development eventually; but for the time being the debate still rages on between republicans and monarchists back home. Some supportive of the movement have proposed some new Australian flag designs. Here are some of them:
Mandawuy Yunupingu
Yunupingu is probably better well known by some Americans as the Aboriginal lead singer, guitarist and songwriter of the band Yothu Yindi. The band's 1991 song, Treaty, experienced some success in America; but more notably back home in Australia. Yunupingu is not only a musician though - he is also a teacher and community leader; who has worked very hard to promote Reconciliation between Aboriginal Australians and White Australians. In 1992 he was named as Australian of the Year for his efforts, and is well known for his statement: "Racism is a disease in society. We're all equal. I don't care what their colour is, or religion. Just as long as they're human beings they're my buddies."
Hoges
Including Paul Hogan in this list was inevitable; but I want to point out that by talking about Hoges (as we lovingly refer to him) here, I am talking before he did Crocodile Dundee. While the Dundee films were good, they dealt with the already stereotypical aspects of Australian culture and tradition (kangaroos, crocs, outback, etc). Prior to Crocodile Dundee, he had his own comedy television show in Australia during the late seventies and early eighties. This era in Australia was somewhat of a renaissance of the Aussie culture; Paul Hogan epitomized this on Australian TV, and the culture benefited from it as well. None expressed this Aussie culture better than his regular skits of "Hoges and Strop" - two Aussie mates hanging out together. However, Paul Hogan once said that his favorite character to play was Leo Wanker - and here he is:
Aboriginal Flag
Designed by Harold Thomas in 1971, the Aboriginal Flag represents Aboriginal Australians as a symbol of their rich culture and history. The black represents the people on the land, and the dark skies of night. The red represents the land, and the ochre used in Aboriginal Art - and also the blood of Aboriginal Australians during fighting with early white settlers. The yellow circle represents the sun; the renewer of life.
The Aboriginal Australians are a very significant part of Australian culture. I am sorry to say it, but our indigenous Aussies were very poorly treated by the White Fellas that invaded their land. In fact, the policies that were placed upon the Aborigines were absolutely reprehensible. Things have become better in recent years, though there is a long way to go. Further steps towards reconciliation between Aboriginal Australia and White Australia must be made; and more political work has to be done with the issues of health care and education.
The future is looking bright though. The long standing traditions and culture of Aboriginals is very strong in Australia through The Dreaming, their art, and their music. I'm not trying to paint too rosy a picture here, because there is still some racism towards Aboriginal Australians even now, but it is not as prevalent or as bigoted as it seems to range in the United States. I believe there is a lot that the entire world could learn from Aboriginal culture.
Vegemite on toast
This is the staple of every Australian citizen. I can remember being a little bloke eating Vegemite sandwiches, Vegemite on toast, Vegemite on crackers, and so on. I buy Vegemite online here in the States just so I can feel like I am back at home. You haven't had a real Aussie experience until you taste Vegemite. I dare you to try this. If you ever have the opportunity, make some toast, and spread a little Vegemite on it. Then eat it. Go on. Eat all of it. If you can get through it, you're as tough as a traditional hard-assed Australian like me. & do not for a minute think that just because you don't like the taste that "it is weird" - you Yanks are the ones that put peanut butter in chocolate... now that's weird.
So there you have it. There's more to Australia than kangaroos, crocodiles, Sydney, and the Outback. But do not think because we swear a lot and we're hard asses from eating Vegemite that we are an unfriendly lot. Far from it: we are a very laid-back and friendly group. If you ever head down there for vacation, you will find that Aussies will go out of their way to make you feel at home - yes, you heard that right: we won't even hold that chimp George W. Bush against you Americans =)
In all seriousness, if you do ever get the chance to take a holiday down under, I strongly recommend that you check out Perth, Western Australia where I am from. All the tourists mainly go to Sydney, Melbourne and/or the red centre. They miss out the other half of the country. So check it out.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I am going to fire up the Barbie, rip the scabs off a few tinnies, and drop my guts.
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