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culture [n.]

1. the arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively. 2. the ideas, customs, and social behaviour of a particular people or society. 3. Biology the cultivation of bacteria, tissue cells, etc. in an artificial medium containing nutrients. 4. the cultivation of plants.
- ORIGIN Middle English [denoting a cultivated piece of land] : the noun from French culture or directly from Latin cultura ‘growing, cultivation’; the verb from obsolete French culturer or medieval Latin culturare, both based on Latin colere ‘tend, cultivate’ [see Cultivate]. In late Middle English the sense was ‘cultivation of the soil’ and from this [early 16th century], arose ‘cultivation [of the mind, faculties, or manners’]; CULTURE [SENSE 1 OF THE NOUN] dates from the early 19th century.

Oxford Dictionaries

Australia has many things in common with the rest of the world, though there are several parts of our national identity and culture which are peculiar to us. These are detailed in the sections below. They include emphasis on physical as opposed to mental achievement, the concept of mateship, Australian idiom, language and humour. The embracing of the concept of multiculturalism is also included. Be aware every culture and national identity is always changing.

This page looks at topics A to L including areas such as Art & Culture, Australian Identity, Humour, Educational Activities, Australian Values, Language and other general information.

The Second Page looks at topics M to Z including areas such as Mateship, Myths & Stereotypes, Multiculturalism, Social & Cultural Features and Sport.

In addition, there are databases, primary documents, reference material and other general information where these are seen to be relevant.

Information is aimed at undergraduate level. Some information may be useful at a higher level.

Be aware some units/topics have different titles at different universities, even though content may be the same or similar. Australian information is supplied where possible.

class="logo"All standard Glossaries are now found on this page, listed alphabetically.

A - F

Arts & Culture

The role of Arts, Music and Literature within the Australian culture.

• Australian Language, Letters and Literature
  Examples of these, the influences behind them and their effects. Australia.gov.au.
• Australian Painters
  The role of artists from settlement on, what impact they had on Australia. Australia.gov.au.
• Nicholson
  A country’s culture is often reflected in the cartoons about its way of life. This is one example. Cartoons by Nicholson that reflect Australian, rather than international events.
• About Australia : People, Culture and lifestyle
  Fact Sheet from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade providing a basic introduction.
• The Angry Penguins
  ‘Modernist literary and artistic movement that sought to shake up the Australian art establishment of the 1940s. Run by a group of passionate and angry young men - the rebels of their day’.
• The Lucky Country
  Article about Donald Horne and his book. ‘He was thinking about things like Australia’s cultural cringe, its foreign policy and the White Australia Policy. He was, to paraphrase those words, talking about a not too clever country’.

Australian Humour

What sort of humour can be considered Australian ?

• Australian Humour
  ‘Recognised the world over as being distinctly Australian. Our humour is dry, full of extremes, anti-authoritarian, self-mocking and ironic’. Styles of humour, humour in various media, links. Australia.gov.au.
• The Loaded Dog
  Short story by Henry Lawson. Provides a good example of ‘Aussie humour’.

Australian Identity

Identity, and what makes it, is an integral part of any culture. The following provides information about the ‘Australian’ identity.

• Australian Identity
  Article. Director of the St James Ethics Centre.
• Australian Identity [2]
  Adolescents’ Conceptions of What it Means to be Australian. 2003 article, presented by Nola Purdie at the AARE Conference.
• Australian identity [australia.gov.au]
  Provides a range of links to information on aspects of our identity from humour to the bush.
• Australian Identity [4]
  Sites about Outstanding Aussies, Aussie Icons, Our Cultural Diversity, Special Days, Commemorations. Teachers’ section.
• Australian Identity : A Cinematic Roll Call
  ‘Australian films have charted a range of views of the Australian identity, and in this article, I have identified four main strands’. Free. There is also a Theme Pack on Australian Identity available for purchase.
• Australian Identity - Identity & Culture
  Australian Screen. Range of film clips [movies & television]. ‘The clips have teachers’ notes related to this topic’.
  Fascinating !
• Celebrating Australia : Identity By Design
  ‘Revealed how concepts and symbols of national identity have been used and developed by Australian graphic designers throughout the 20th century’. Article.
• Does Australia Need a National Identity ?
  Incorporates general information, quotes, a timeline review of changes, the present day.

Educational Activities

Educational units and lessons about Australian Identity, most developed by education departments.

• Australian identity : Art Gallery NSW
  A series of questions and activities based on several paintings including selections from Russell Drysdale and John Olsen.
• Australian Identity : Who is an Australian ?
  Developed for secondary level by Making Multicultural Australia. All resources can be accessed, all details are provided.
• Australian National Identity :
  Influences and Perspectives. New Basics Project, Education Queensland, Provides all required procedures and links for implementation.
• Being Australian
  ‘Social Studies, Year 7 curriculum in Queensland, Unit 1 : Being Australian. Activity numbers correspond to Sourcebook. The WebQuest What Does it Mean to be Australian ? [written by the same author] also addresses this unit’.
• Migration and Australian Identity
  NSW Board of Studies integrated unit. PDF or Word formats. Primary level.
• This Australian Nation :
  Who are we ? What do we value ?. Presentation from Civics & Citizenship Education. Three main activities. Secondary level. Linked through use of the Australian Readers.
• Voices of Australia
  An education resource for Australian secondary school teachers. ‘Allows for the different stories of Australian people to be heard and celebrated in the classroom. Students will increase their awareness about experiences of diversity, discrimination, race relations, friendship, and respect. Curriculum linked’.
• We Are Australian
  A Civics & Citizenship Education unit. Multiple activities. Middle Primary up. Linked through use of the Australian Readers.
• We Are Australian [2]
  NSW Country Area Program [CAP]. Identity and Values. Activities using the links provided.
• Legend Mate, Bloody Legend
  Review of The Australian Legend and its Discontents, edited by Richard Nile. Interesting review, which links to aspects of the Australian identity. Not about sport but the wider context.
• National Identity
  Presentation from Radio National by Sara Cousins.
• Raffaello Carboni’s Perception of Australia And Australian Identity
  Article by G Rando on Carboni and his views of an emerging Australian identity. [Carboni was involved in the Eureka Stockade.]
• Racism in Australia - Lesson Plans
  Multiple activities provided
• The Australian Bush
  ‘The bush has an iconic status in Australian life and features strongly in any debate about national identity, especially as expressed in Australian literature, painting, popular music, films and foods’. Australia.gov.au.
• Towards Demythologising the “Australian Legend ” : Turner’s Frontier …
  Access the complete article from the Journal of Social History via this link
• Who are we ?
  A unit of work designed for students Years 3 and 4. From the Australian ABC.
• Who’ll come a Waltzing Matilda with me ?
  ‘Aims to reveal some of the important primary and secondary sources that have informed the stories, myths and interpretations behind the song. Explore the original sources that tell the multiple stories of Waltzing Matilda’.

Australian Values

What values do Australians see as important ? Also check the sections on Mateship and Myths below.

• Australian Values
  ‘Tongue-in-the-cheek’ presentation on Australian values.
  Warning : some people may be offended by sections of this.
• Life in Australia : Australian Values
  Fact Sheet. Department of Immigration & Citizenship.

G - L

General Sites

• Australian Culture
  Category listing for Wikipedia pages. 152 listed at time of inclusion, plus a significant range of sub-categories. Scroll down for the page listing.
• Australian Culture [2]
  Another tongue-in-cheek presentation. The only apparent, genuine piece of work is the C J Dennis poem. Make of it what you will !
• Australian Culture, History & Sport
  Links to websites and articles about Australia’s culture. Australia.gov.au.
• Australian Popular Culture
  ‘Selected full-text books and articles on this topic at Questia’.
• Cultural Cringe
  Origin, cultural alienation, occurrence in several countries including Australia, bibliography, references. From Wikipedia.
• Cultural Policy in Australia
  Article looking at the development and implementation of this.
• Culture of Australia
  Arts, Sport, Attitudes, Beliefs & Stereotypes, notes, links. From Wikipedia.
• Culture of Australia [2]
  Article.
• Kew Cottages - A History
  Discover life and culture through the knowledge of the inhabitants of Kew Cottages. Done in time periods from 1887 to 2008. Each period provides information on Living, Working, Families and the Outside World. Well presented.
• There Is An Australian Culture
  Article that looks at whether there is an Australian culture. Covers aspects of life that make up a culture.
• What Sort of Nation ?
  Teaching unit, Discovering Democracy series.

Indigenous Culture

For information in this area, go to the following pages.

• Indigenous Australia
• Indigenous History

Language

Links to idiom, slang, Strine , more. For more, go to The English Language page, under Dialects.

• Australia Decoded
  Dictionary of Australian English. Words, phrases, acronyms. Each has a clear, and at times extensive, explanation. Choose a beginning letter from the Australia Decoded search box in the main menu.
  Highly Recommended !
• Australian or Aussie Slang
  ‘Considering the variety of accents, & our tendency to use slang words in many situations, the slang shown here on this page should help most visitors to Australia, and give you a few laughs along the way’.
• Australian Slang
  Colloquialisms, idiom, substitutions, sources for slang, gentle insults, perverse reversals, nicknames, lost phrases, further references, more..
• Australian Word Map
  ‘Mapping Australian regionalisms - words, phrases or expressions used by particular language groups. Add your regionalism or see what others have contributed’.
• Slang and Peculiar Terms in Use in the A.I.F. 1921-1924
  ‘Compiled by the newly formed Australian War Memorial’s librarians over the period 1921 to 1924. A snapshot of the language of the soldiers who had fought for Australia and the Empire in the Middle East and Europe. Over 900 terms are included. We can get a real sense of how the average soldier spoke [the swear words that no doubt were also a central part of the soldiers’ vocabulary did not make it, although some are alluded to]. We also gain a sense of how Australian soldiers brought to the battlefields a distinct Aussie identity revealed in this language’. Australian National Dictionary Centre.
• Let Stalk Strine !
  ‘Taken from a publication called Strine by Afferbeck Lauder. Published by Ure Smith, Sydney. A lexicon on modern Strine usage’.
• Meanings and Origins of Australian Words and Idioms
  ‘A selection of Australian words, their meanings, and their etymologies’. Listed alphabetically. Australian National Dictionary Centre.
• Strine [“Ow’re yer going”]
  History, with some examples of rhyming slang.
• The Gold Rushes and Australian English
  A Resource for Researchers, Teachers, and Students. ‘The documents are intended to encourage students to do their own work with source material’. 13 groupings. Australian National Dictionary Centre.
• The Vocabulary of Australian English
  ‘This document outlines some of the most important sources of Australian words, and some of the important historical events that have shaped the creation of Australian words’. Australian National Dictionary Centre.

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