Red Ajah: Cultural Exchange Week; Cultural Corner 2: Australia

[Marta Sedai]

Hello everyone, and welcome to our Culture Exchange Week!

 

We will start today, on Monday the 10th, and end this wonderful Event on Sunday the 16th!

We will have a couple of Cultural Corners (a.k.a. threads) for each country we will talk about, and each will be fun to read and post in!

 

We will also have a quiz starting on Friday so you can all see what you have learned so far about WONDERFUL cultures we will represent!

 

So, lets start!!!

 

Cultural Corner 2

 

Australia

by Amadine

 

A SHORT HISTORY

 

The first people to inhabit Australia were the Australian Aborigines. There have been sites and relics found that date back approximately 60,000 years. It is believed that no human specied evolved in Asutralia as there is no record of primates in Australia, both at the present and in the fossil records. It is believed that humans first came to Australia when New Guinea and Australia were still a single land mass known as Sunda, having crossed the sea from the land mass of the combined south east asian continent and islands known as Sahul.

The Aboriginal people were nomads. Living in seperate "tribes" for want of a better word, they lived off the land, moving when required from place to place. The Aboriginal people were hunters and gathers rather than farmers. There are over 400 known groups of people to date, and all had their own cultures and languages.

Australia is a "new" country. The first European discovery of Australia was around 1606 by a ship from Holland. From the records available they charted approximately 300km of the western side of Cape York Peninsula in Queensland. At the time Australia became known as New Holland.

During the years 1606 to 1770 approximately 54 ships made contact with the Australian mainland. In 1770 James Cook, under instructions from King George III of England, charted the east coast of Australia and proclaimed it New South Wales.

The first European settlement in Australia came in the form of a fleet of 11 ships from England. "The First Fleet" landed at Botany Bay (Sydney) on 26 January 1788, they came to settle the east coast of Australia as a Penal Colony. Gaols in England had become overcrowded as convicts were no longer able to be sent to America as a result of the American War of Independance and Australia was seen as a new solution to that overcrowding. The first fleet carried approximately 800 convicts comprised of men, women and children. Some for crimes as small as stealing a loaf of bread.

In 1901 the six Australian colonies that had been set up federated and became the Commonwealth of Australia.

AUSTRALIAN WILDLIFE

Our native wildlife includes the animals below and many more:

Koala - not a bear at all, the Koala is a noctural marsupial (meaning the females have a pouch in which it's young develop after birth).

Kanagroo - another marsupial, contary to common belief, we do not keep them as pets as a general rule - though some people do raise orphans by hand and the like. Kangaroos are actually quite agressive and the larger species can be well over 6 feet tall when standing.

Echidna - the Echidna is one of only 2 species in the world of mammals that lay eggs. The other is the Platypus - also an Australian native.

Platypus - the other egg-laying mammal

Emu - a large flightless bird, the Emu shares with the Kangaroo the honour of being a part of Ausrtalia's Coat of Arms.

We also have a large range of other native animals including mammals, snakes, spiders, insects, etc. Our wildlife is incredibly diverse. For more information see http://australian-animals.net/

AUSTRALIAN CULTURE

Australia is a very multi-cultural country. Along with the Aboriginal and Anglo-Saxon people, our population of approximately 22 million is comprised of large communities of people from many nations around the world. The most popular languages spoken after English are Italian, Greek, Cantonese and Arabic.

We have our own colloquial language called "Strine" This combines many long lost cockney and Irish sayings of the early convicts with words from Aboriginal languages. For great examples of Shrine visit http://www.aussieslang.com/.

To this end, Australian culture is growing and evolving as we take on new peoples and adapt their cultures.

Our culture is founded on stories of battlers, bushrangers and brave soliders. Where else in the world is one of the National Heros an outlaw guilty of killing police officers? We have that in Australia in Ned Kelly. Also a country of sporting heros and migrants Australia's basic adage is "Have a fair go".

AUSTRALIAN FOOD

Though we have adapted many dishes from other nationalities and cultures we do have some uniquely Australian foods. One of the most recoginisable is the Anzac Biscuit, a type of oatmeal cookie that evolved during the First World War when they were baked by family of the soliders and sent to the battlegrounds in care packages. the following is a basic Anzac Biscuit recipe:

INGREDIENTS

1 cup rolled oats

3/4 cup desiccated coconut

1 cup plain flour

1 cup sugar

125g (4oz) butter

2 tablespoons golden syrup

1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1 tablespoon water

 

Preheat oven to 300F (150C)

Mix oats, flour, sugar and coconut together.

Melt syrup and butter together.

Mix soda with boiling water and add to melted butter and syrup.

Add to dry ingredients.

Place 1 tablespoonfuls of mixture on greased tray (allow room for spreading).

Bake for 20 minutes.

Loosen while warm, cool on trays.

(makes about 35)

Another Australian favourite is the Lamington, a small sponge cake dipped in chocolate icing and rolled in coconut.

SPONGE CAKE

3 eggs

1/2 cup castor sugar

3/4 cup self-raising flour

1/4 cup cornflour

15g (1/2oz) butter

3 tablespoons hot water

Beat eggs until thick and creamy. Gradually add sugar. Continue beating until sugar completely dissolved.

Fold in sifted SR flour and cornflour, then combined water and butter.

Pour mixture into prepared lamington tins 18cm x 28cm (7in x 11in).

Bake in moderate oven approximately 30 mins.

Let cake stand in pan for 5 min before turning out onto wire rack.

CHOCOLATE ICING

3 cups desiccated coconut

500g (1lb) icing sugar

1/3 cup cocoa

(extra cocoa can be added, according to taste)

15g (1/2oz) butter

1/2 cup milk

 

Sift icing sugar and cocoa into heatproof bowl.

Stir in butter and milk.

Stir over a pan of hot water until icing is smooth and glossy.

Trim brown top and sides from cake.

Cut into 16 even pieces.

Holding each piece on a fork, dip each cake into icing.

Hold over bowl a few minutes to drain off excess chocolate.

Toss in coconut or sprinkle to coat.

Place on oven tray to set.

And of course Vegemite. What could be more Australian than that thick black stuff that tastes so good spread THIN on a piece of toast. I have found that negative experiences with Vegemite usually arise from one spreading it thick like jam or peanut butter. Vegemite should be scrapped on in a very thin layer to give the best taste. There is nothing better than a Vegemite and cheese sandwich YUM!

AUSTRALIAN HOLIDAYS

As Australia was settled as a Christian country our schedule of holidays tend to reflect this. We celebrate Christmas and Easter as per most of the western world. Other Australian holidays include:

Australia Day: January 26th, we celebrate the day Australia was settled by the first fleet. This day is under contention as the indiginous community feel that we celebrate the date of invasion.

ANZAC Day: April 25th. ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. April 25th is the date our troops landed at Gallipoli during WWI. We use Anzac day to remember and celebrate the massive contribuations our soliders have made to Australian Society as a whole. In all cities, towns and communities around Australia Anzac Day marches are held to remember our fallen military heros.

So there is a short bit about we Aussies! Got any questions? Anything you have been dying to ask an Australian but not had the opportunity too? Ask away here... and remember the only stupid question is the one that goes unasked :)

 

[Charis alAslan]

Yay! I went to Australia for Honeymoon last summer!

[Millon]

Oh man, I can't wait to try those biscuits out! They look great. If I remember correctly you guys are big Soccer fans right?

[Panchi]

The Widlife is Great. Those animals were so cute. :) :-*

[Amadine]

Where did you go Blue Charis?

 

Millon, we are a sports mad nation, football - all 4 derivatives, are extremely well supported within Australia. The order of preference generally depends on which state you are in. We have had large national competitons for Rugby League and Australian Rules Football for many decades and more recently Rugby Union and Soccer have also added national competitions. Cricket would have to be the number one summer sport though.

 

The wildlife in Oz is spectacular, though i wouldn't want to approach wild Australian animals, Kanagroos are well known to attack if feeling threatened, and even the cute furry platypus male has poison spurs on his hind legs. :)

[Marta Sedai]

In Serbia, we also have Sponge Cake, and it is great. It is not a national meal, but those who know about it, love it!

[Torrie]

I want to go to Australia so badly! I want to see the animals there. Australia is so unique in it's wildlife. The Emu is so fierce looking with those red eyes. lol

 

Thanks for all the info.

[Bela_theDo]

Same here. I would really love to visit Australia some day. Koala is actually my favourite animal :)

[Charis alAslan]

I was in Sydney. My husband and I stayed near the Town Hall station stop and walking distance from Darling Harbour. We had fun strolling through that whole Harbour area in the day and night. We got to see Transformers 2 at the iMax theater. (I am now ruined for regular movie theaters! I loved that iMAx - I was just sad we left before I could see Harry Potter 6 on it! =P ) We were there 2 wks. The second wk we attended the Hillsong Conference at the Sydney Entertainment Ctr. We had a blast!

[Moghedian]

Woot! ANZAC biscuits! Meh, lamingtons. Boo, vegemite. :P ;D

 

... Are you a rugby fan?

[Amadine]

I'm a league supporter Mogs :) but i sometimes watch the union too.

[Moghedian]

Mogs... I like this abbreviation! ;)

 

What are your views on putting shrimps on BBQs?

[Amadine]

I put prawns on the barbie *nods* after i marinate them in garlic oil yuuummmmmmmm

[Moghedian]

Dammit! Wrong seafood :D

[Amadine]

Same thing different name LMAO :)

[Elgee]

Now who loves their sheep more? Aus or NZ? *grins and runs*

 

Ama, we also have the sponge cake, but we call them Lemingtons ... interesting.

 

 

[Amadine]

They are Lamingtons here... did i not write that somewhere? LOL I LOVE Lamington but they are so damn messy to make it's easier just to buy them LOL

[Moghedian]

Now who loves their sheep more? Aus or NZ? *grins and runs*

 

Us, of course. :P How could you even ask that question, Elgee? ;D

 

[Amadine]

Now who loves their sheep more? Aus or NZ? *grins and runs*

 

Us, of course. :P How could you even ask that question, Elgee? ;D

 

Well, i was gonna say.... but decided to be nice :P LMAO ;)

[mottlee]

yeah ozzies

 

OZZIE OZZIE OZZIE

 

OI OI OI

 

lol so had to say it. it's just so who we are lol

 

tho i must say i hate all the spiders we have there are so many

[Liitha]

i must say its one of the places on my list of places to consider for a future honeymoon