1. Mark Eppinga Julie Lewis
Stephanie Kitt Paul Mathenge
Samantha Joseph Ekaterina Maydanskaya

2. Introduction
Our 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.

3. History of Australia

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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?

8. 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

9. 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

10. How Is It Celebrated?
• Formal ceremonies - flag • The modern population
raising, citizenship should incorporate the
ceremonies and the culture of the indeginous
presentation of important people in their
community awards ceremonies. Doing so
allows the wider
• Theatrical performances, community to share in
music, sporting events, the native culture, and
speech days, multicultural promote a stronger sense
and native performances of shared nationhood.
Indigenous Australia. (n.d) retrieved November 9, 2011, from Australia Day Web
This is an example of the
Site: http://www.australiaday.org.au/experience/page103.asp communication concept
‘Adapting to others’.
Are American holidays very different
from Australian ones? Why?

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

13. 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

14. 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.
Are these dates and percentages of
women’s liberation and modernity more
Culture of Australia (n.d) retrieved October 29, 2011
from: http://www.everyculture.com/A-Bo/Australia.html consistent with the U.S., Europe or
Asia?

15. 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

16. Australian Rituals

17. • During the Christmas holidays families celebrate
with relays in swimming pools, water gun
fights, or backyard cricket. Father
Christmas Holiday rituals 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/trad
s.htm
("Paul eckersley illustration:," )

18. • Australia has a rich sporting culture . They are
renowned world wide for their cricket.
Rituals in sports • 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.
The importance of rituals. (n.d.). Retrieved November 4, 2011 from:
http://www.hindu.com/tss/tss2445/24450340.htm
Flaherty

19. • Funeral ceremonies. Another important
time for ceremonies is on the death of a
Funeral Rituals performed person, when people often paint
by Aborigines 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.

20. Australian Traditions
Australians have
many traditions and
rituals however I am
going to focus on:
Folklore Clothing Food

21. Folklore
 Prior to European Examples are
invasion, Aboriginal people lived  Dinewan the
all through out Australia during a Emu, and
period of time called the Goomblegubbon the
Bustard
Dreamtime. The dreamtime is  The Galah, and Oolah
full of various myths and stories the Lizard
that are widely spread all through  Bahloo the Moon and
the Daens
out the Australian culture. These
stories are mainly about how the
Earth, Sun and all creation came
to be.

22. 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 The famous
since Australia has the highest UGG made
rate for skin cancer. initially for
the
Australian
deserts and
hot beaches

23. Food Meat Pie
Australia is Made from beef
abundant in pork, or lamb.
seafood, meats, as
well as fruits and
vegetables. Pavlova
Made of soft
However, the most meringue, cream filling
famous meals are… and fruit
Lamington
Sponge cake coated
Vegemite with chocolate and
A yeast extract coconut
and salt spread
Despite a lot of similarities to the U.S.
their favorite foods are quite different
than ours, why?

24. Australian Media

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

26. 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: Oztam Ratings (n.d) retrieved November 6, 2011 from:
http://www.oztam.com.au/documents/2011/OzTAM- http://www.oztam.com.au/documents/2011/OzTAM-
20111002-EMetFTARankSumCons.pdf 20111016-EMetFTARankSumCons.pdf

27. Music
The 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.a
u/pages/charts_display_single
s.asp?chart=1U50

28. Conclusion
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.

29. References
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
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

30. 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