Culture of Australia

Culture of Australia is very rich and combination of multi-cultures and The culture of Australia is essentially a Western culture influenced by the unique geography of the Australian continent, the diverse input of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, the British colonisation of Australia that began in 1788, and the various waves of multi-ethnic migration that followed. The predominance of the English language, the existence of a democratic system of government drawing upon the British traditions of Westminster Government, Parliamentarianism and constitutional monarchy, American constitutionalist and federalist traditions, Christianity as the dominant religion, and the popularity of sports originating in the British Isles, are all evidence of a significant Anglo Celtic heritage. Australian culture has diverged significantly since British settlement in 1788. Australians are very down to earth and always mindful of not giving the impression that they think they are better than anyone else. They value authenticity, sincerity, and loathe pretentiousness. Australians prefer people who are modest, humble, self- deprecating and with a sense of humour. They do not draw attention to their academic or other achievements and tend to distrust people who do. They often downplay their own success, which may make them appear not to be achievement-oriented. The initial population of Australia was made up of Aborigines and people of British and Irish descent. After World War II there was heavy migration from Europe, especially from Greece, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Yugoslavia, Lebanon, and Turkey. This was in response to the Australian policy of proactively trying to attract immigrants to boost the population and work force. In the last thirty years, Australia has liberalised its immigration policy and opened its borders to South East Asia. This has caused a real shift in self-perception as Aussies begin to re-define themselves as a multi-cultural and multi-faith society rather then the old homogenous, white, Anglo- Saxon, Protestant nation. Australia Day Live is a concert on the grounds of Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, hosted each year on 25 January. The concert, first launched in 2004, features music from Australian artists and musicians. Australia Day Live is preceded by the Australian of the Year Awards. The name of the concert was changed in 2012 to Australia Celebrates Live. Australia Celebrates Live is a free concert held on the lawns of Parliament House in Canberra every Australia Day eve (25 January). It features a line-up of Australian acts. On the afternoon of the concert people arrive at the venue and settle in to have some fun with family and friends. Once the Awards ceremony is complete, the concert continues with each artist performing a full set of music. Australia’s Indigenous people celebrate and share their culture at many colourful traditional and contemporary festivals throughout the year. Visit a remote Gove Peninsula community at the Garma Festival or travel back to the Dreamtime at Walking with Spirits. Head to Cape York Peninsula for the Laura Aboriginal Dance Festival. Browse a diverse range of Aboriginal art at the Darwin or Cairns Aboriginal Art Fairs. Enjoy everything from concerts to comedy at Saltwater Freshwater Festival on the New South Wales North Coast. Catch a performance of Bangarra Dance Theatre, Australia’s leading Indigenous performing arts company as it tours city and regional venues across Australia. The Adelaide Festival of Arts has created a strong tradition of innovation since 1960, inspiring, challenging and entertaining artists and performers across theatre, dance, music, visual arts, literature and more. Held in the warm South Australian autumn every year, this vital and prestigious celebration of art from around the globe has defined South Australia as the nation’s premier festival state. Yabun is the largest single day Indigenous festival in Australia, drawing an audience of between 10,000 and 15,000 people on Australia Day. It is one of the most important Indigenous music events in the country reflecting the wealth of Indigenous creative talent. Some of Australia's best Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander music from around the country is featured, from well established artists to those just emerging on the scene. Yabun also delivers a current and informative cultural program, with discussions and speeches by some of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community's most recognised leaders, academics, politicians and artists. Melbourne International Arts Festival has a reputation for presenting unique international and Australian events in the fields of dance, theatre, music, visual arts, multimedia, and free and outdoor events over 17 days each October. First staged in 1986 under the direction of composer Gian Carlo Menotti, it became the third in the Spoleto Festival series – joining Spoleto, Italy, and Charleston, United States. Melbourne's Spoleto Festival changed its name to the Melbourne International Festival of the Arts in 1990. In 2003, the festival was renamed Melbourne International Arts Festival. The music of Australia has an extensive history stretching back to the Indigenous and colonial societies. Indigenous Australian music is a part of the unique heritage of a 40,000 to 60,000 year history which produced the iconic didgeridoo. Contemporary fusions of Indigenous and Western styles, exemplified in the works of No Fixed Address, Yothu Yindi, Christine Anu and Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, mark distinctly Australian contributions to world music. During its early western history, Australia was a collection of British colonies, and Australian folk music and bush ballads such as Waltzing Matilda were heavily influenced by Anglo Celtic traditions, while classical forms were derived from those of Europe. Contemporary Australian music ranges across a broad spectrum with trends often concurrent with those of the US, the UK, and similar nations notably in the Australian rock and Australian country music genres. Tastes have diversified along with post-World War II multicultural immigration to Australia. The music of Australia has played a major role in the development of our nation. Defining an 'Australian musical sound' is about recognition of rhythmic patterns derived from our environment and a sense of place, as well as the Indigenous and the culturally diverse aspects of Australian life. Indigenous music in Australia uses the environment itself to generate unique sounds and rhythms. In addition, traditional influences from a largely migrant population have contributed significantly to the definition of Australian music. Australia's classical musicians and teachers are world standard. Violinist and viola player Barbara Jane Gilby spent fifteen years as Concertmaster of the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra after earlier participation in a variety of ensembles including the Wurttemberg Chamber Orchestra and North German Radio Orchestra, Hannover. Elizabeth Wallfisch, an orchestra director as well as soloist, and chamber musician, returned to Australia in 2004-05 to direct concerts from the violin with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra and the Queensland Orchestra after twenty years experience of directing orchestras all over the world. Australian jazz musicians, like Don Burrows and James Morrison, continue to attract significant audience support. Innovation is an integral component to jazz and it is represented in the work of artists like alto saxophonists Berne McGann, pianist Mike Nock and saxophonist Dale Barlow - all achievers on the world stage. The history of jazz and related genres in Australia extends back into the 19th century. During the gold rush locally formed, blackface, white actor musicians in blackface, minstrel troupes began to tour Australia, touring not only the capital cities but also many of the booming regional towns like Ballarat and Bendigo. Minstrel orchestra music featurics including improvisatory embellishment and polyrhythm in the banjo playing and clever percussion breaks. Some genuine African-American minstrel and jubilee singing troupes toured from the 1870s. A more jazz like form of minstrelsy reached Australia in the late 1890s in the form of improvisatory and syncopated coon song and cake-walk music, two early forms of ragtime. Australia has no official language, it is largely monolingual with English being the de facto national language. Australian English has a distinctive accent and vocabulary. According to the 2011 census, 76.8% of people spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Mandarin 1.6%, Italian 1.4%, Arabic 1.3%, Cantonese 1.2% and Greek 1.2%. While English is the dominant language in Australia, many people speak a language other than English within their families and communities. This linguistic diversity is an asset for Australia and makes us more competitive in trade as well as fostering international ties and cultural exchange. Australian English probably originated as a combination of British regional dialects used by groups of convicts and others who came to the colonies. Australian English is different from British and American English but does not vary much regionally  While Australia has no single uniform national costume, an Australian national dress style, based on specific local dress styles, has emerged in response to climate, lifestyle and identity. This is reflected in the modern design of dress by emerging and established designers which incorporate particular defining elements. Australian is multi-cultural nation that live together in peace and love. Australia progresses by leaps and bounds.