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People & Language
Australia has a population of about 18.8 million people. Small, considering its size. This is probably due to the fact that most of central Australia is inhospitable. Most of the population is concentrated along the east coast where Australia's biggest and most populous cities, Sydney and Melbourne are located.
Australia likes to be known as a multicultural society The last few decades has seen the entry of various East European and Asian settlers, particularly Vietnamese refugees. Italians, Greeks, Dutch, Yugoslavs all have sizable communities. During the recent Fijian crisis, it even offered residence to the Indian community living in Fiji.
The main languages used in Australia are English, German, Italian, Greek and many aboriginal dialects. There are 240 languages other than English, 50 of these are indigenous. 15% of households in Australia speak a language other than English. At the onset of European settlement, there were more than 250 native languages. Today, only about 30 are regularly spoken and taught.
Aborigines
They were the only losers in the quest for the Southern Land. When Botany Bay was first settled in 1788, there were an estimated 300,000 Aboriginal people in Australia, with about 250 languages, completely distinct from one another. In Tasmania alone, there were 8 different Aboriginal tribes whose language was so different from those on the mainland, that probably one would not have understood the other.
Australia was a perfect hunting ground for European colonizers, as there was no consolidated opposition from the tribes. The new arrivals saw Australia as terra nullis (a land belonging to no one), conveniently ignoring any rights that the aboriginals had to it. The most tragic consequence of colonization was the complete displacement of aboriginal peoples from their land, their animals and their culture. In common with all indigenous peoples, the aboriginals had strong ties with nature. These were destroyed by colonization, by large-scale deforestation, and the introduction of sheep and cattle completely decimated the habitats of native animals. Some tribes resorted to guerilla tactics to drive out the settlers but were soon overcome by the breach-loading repeater rifles in the 1870s. Most aboriginal tribes, culture, and civilization literally became history. They were ruthlessly butchered in large numbers and their killers were seldom punished. In Tasmania, the original aborigines were completely wiped out.
Things got worse. By the 1900s the settlers passed legislation to 'assimilate' aboriginals. It was thought that ‘Europeanization’ would help their transition into mainstream life. It was probably the most traumatic ordeal to which they were subjected. They were put into townships. Their land ownership rights and employment were severely restricted. And worst of all, in 1918 the Aboriginal ordinance allowed the State to remove children from their mothers, if it was suspected the father was not an aborigine. These children were kept in foster homes, abused at the institutions to which they were sent and not allowed to see their families - a practice that continued till the 1960s. These children are known as the Stolen Generation, and many of them have sued the State for recompense.
By the 60s, the assimilation policy was under attack. In 1967, Australians voted to give Aborigines citizenship (so far not granted right to own land!). It became incumbent upon the State to provide them with the same services, as were available to other citizens. The assimilation policy was done away with in 1972 and the policy of 'self determination' was adopted which gave aborigines to right to participate in decision-making processes by granting them rights to their land. But aborigines continue to live in appalling conditions. Drinking is a major problem amongst aborigine males, but many communities are now 'dry' in an effort to contain the high rate of alcoholism.
Aboriginal religious beliefs center on the continuing existence of spirit beings that lived on earth since creation time (dreamtime). These beings are responsible for creating the natural world, as we know it and are also the ancestors of all living things. The spirits don't die, but they return to the sleep they were awoken from at the dawn of time. Each ancestor has spiritual energy, which is the strongest wherever it left physical evidence such as a tree, hill or clay pan. These features are called sacred sites. Every, person, animal and plant is believed to have two souls, one mortal and one immortal .The immortal soul is part of a particular ancestral spirit and returns to the sacred site of the ancestor after it’s death. The destruction of a sacred site is dangerous to all living things on the land, and to the sprits. Despite awareness of the sanctity of these sites, when they come in the way of dams, roads and other developments, the respect tends to take a back seat.
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Religion
58% all Australians are Christians and more than half of them are Roman Catholic. A Census figures show that 20% of all Australians are atheists. Apart from these there are several other religions minorities - Buddhist (1.13%), Jewish (0.45%), Muslim (1.13%).
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Food
Though there isn’t a purely Australian Cuisine, Australia makes up for it in the range and variety of gastronomic pleasures it has assimilated along with its immigrants. European immigrants from Italy, Germany, Greece and Yugoslavia brought their cuisine with them; as did Asian immigrant populations like the Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai and Lebanese. So, modern Australia offers a veritable smorgasbord of international food for the gourmet and the gourmand.
Indigenous food includes such delights as kangaroo and crocodile steaks and burgers, Wichita bugs, emu pate and wattle seed ice cream. Highlights of an Aussie trip could be fresh barramundi and seafood and the famous Australian bar-be-que. For vegetarians, it could be a bit tough in the smaller places but most big cities and tourist destinations will have dedicated vegetarian restaurants.
Restaurants, cafes, pubs, bistros, food halls and market stalls cater to a wide range of budgets and eating options. Most eating-places have no smoking signs so do respect it.
Restaurants not licensed to sell liquor carry BYO signs, meaning bring your tipple along with you. Aussies are passionate beer drinkers and a great variety of ales, lagers and draughts and light beer is available. Wines – Aussie climate is perfect for growing, making and drinking wine; some good chardonnays and burgundies can be bought very reasonably.
Alert! Do not drink and drive, you’ll be fined and can lose your license.
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Culture & Crafts
Australia has a rich tradition in the arts. Its Dance and Ballet companies rank amongst the best in the world. Music - every state has its own Symphony Orchestra which perform 2500 concerts yearly, and tour Australia extensively, even going into the bush. Opera is another area where the Australians excel. They've produced some of the most famous opera singers such as June Bronhill and Dame Joan Sutherland. Sydney’s famous Opera House is a famous landmark. Pop music in Australia made its way from the UK and the USA in the 50s. Since then some Australian bands such as Midnight Oil and Skyhooks, the Bee Gees and singers like Olivia Newton John and Kylie Minogue have taken Australian pop music to international success.
In the last decade, Aboriginal music and Dance performances that have captivated audiences. Mandawuy Yunupingu, the lead singer of the band Yothu Yindi named Australian of the Year in 1993, popularized aboriginal land rights with his song about the dishonored white-man's agreement. Folk music is mainly derived from English, Irish and Scottish music. Banjos, fiddles and even an instrument made from beer bottle caps make up the folk orchestra. If you're traveling in the bush, make it a point to go to a bush dance or folk festival. You won't regret it.
Australian Literature goes back to the ballads and folk stories that were first written in the bush. The most famous ballad writer was Henry Paterson who grew up in the bush and wrote ballads like the Waltzing Matilda, virtually Australia's anthem. Many novelists depicted life in the outback. Famous 20th century Australian writers include Peter Carey, Christopher Koch, Tim Winton and Thomas Keneally who wrote the Booker Prize winner, Schindler's Ark, on which Spielberg based the film, Schindler's List. Books on the history of aboriginal peoples have also made a mark on Australian literature.
The Film Industry in Australia is probably one of its biggest achievements and artistic exports. An Australian film ‘Soldiers of the Cross’ is regarded as the world's first real movie. Since then, the film industry has gone from strength to strength. Hollywood stars like Mel Gibson, Nicole Kidman, Judy Davis and Cate Blanchett are Australian. Australian movies like Crocodile Dundee, Mad Max and The Adventure of Priscilla - Queen of the Desert have been huge successes worldwide.
Australian Painting especially Bush paintings- a unique style of painting developed in the 1880s. But it is the aboriginal art that has captured the imagination of art lovers worldwide. The earliest aboriginal designs date back at least 30,000 years to when rock carvings, body painting and ground designs were used by the aborigines. Early aboriginal art was based on various people’s ancestral “ Dreaming”- the 'Creation' when the earth's physical features were formed by the struggles between powerful supernatural ancestors. There are Rock Paintings, Bark Paintings, Desert Paintings spread out all over Australia.
For the most part, aboriginal art was largely ignored until 1971, when in a town called Papunaya, north west of Alice Springs, two elders of a community painted a school wall with a mural. Others in the community were inspired to create a mural called Hone Ant Dreaming. From then on there was no stopping other members of the community from painting more and more, turning the event into a movement to rediscover aboriginal art.
Contemporary Paintings and other handicrafts such as ceremonial shields, boomerangs, wooden scriptures and pottery vary in design, depending on which part of Australia you are in. It's expensive, so take care to verify what you're buying is authentic and not some random design painted on a piece of old wood.
Art Alert! Get a certificate of authenticity when buying a painting.
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