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.
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