Facts About Australian Culture You Should Know
Believe it or not, Australian culture looks nothing like the image cultivated by old Foster’s commercials and cheesy 1980’s Hollywood blockbusters. Catch a glimpse of the real Australia by checking out these 11 cultural qualities.
Do you want to learn more about Australian irreverence? Begin with this joke from former Prime Minister Bob Hawke. Australia is a country where it’s acceptable to greet your boss with a ‘G’day, mate,’ where swear words are tossed around the dinner table as liberally as salt and pepper, and where we slam our politicians while laughing at ourselves. No, Australians aren’t particularly good at the solemn reverence’ thing.
Australians value equality.
One concept that Australians hold in high regard is the concept of a “fair go” — the belief that everyone should be given an equal chance — which manifests itself in widespread support for publicly funded education and healthcare systems. Australians pride themselves on that deep-seated egalitarianism, shaking off the pompous class system of the historic motherland, Britain.
Australians suffer from ‘tall poppy syndrome’
The downside of that irreverent, egalitarian ethos is an ugly affliction known as ‘tall poppy syndrome, where people are disparaged for their perceived wealth or success or status. Aussies’ love of an underdog results in this scorn for a tall poppy, who is invariably cut down to size the moment they get too big for their boots.
Australia is Diverse
Australia does not have a single uniform national culture because the country is made up of so many different cultures as a result of the waves of migration that occurred following European colonization in the late 18th century. Hundreds of Indigenous groups have joined the hundreds of British and Irish settlers, European immigrants after World War II, and growing Asian and African communities in recent decades. In fact, one-quarter of Australians were born abroad, and another quarter has at least one parent who was born abroad.
Australia is home to the oldest surviving civilization on Earth
One of the most significant components of this multicultural milieu is Australia’s First Peoples, which represent the oldest continuously existing culture anywhere in the world. Archaeological evidence proves that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have inhabited the continent for 60,000 years, and today there are 650,000 Indigenous people in Australia, roughly 2.8% of the national population.
Australians eat Kangaroos
Such vibrant multiculturalism means that Australia doesn’t really share one cohesive cuisine — lamb roast is as common as fettuccine or pho or falafel. But there is one quirky feature of Australian food: kangaroo regularly finds its way onto the menu. With 50 million roos hopping around the country — twice the population of humans — Australia’s national icon is a common meal, in the form of steak or sausages (known as ‘kanga bangers’).
Australians love to drink
On the World Health Organisation’s table of the thirstiest nations on earth, Australia is the third booziest country outside Europe (and 19th overall), guzzling down 12.2L of alcohol per capita each year. And with a world of wonderful wineries dotted all over the countryside as well as a booming brewery scene developing in our cities, it’s no mystery why we’re so fond of a tipple. Cheers!
Australians are obsessed with Sports
Australians are both City Dwellers and Beach Bums.
Despite that stereotypical image of Crocodile Dundee roaming the Outback, Australia is actually one of the most urban nations on Earth. Around 85% of the 25 million population live within 50km of the coast, including 10 million in the two biggest cities, Sydney and Melbourne. Maybe the allure of Australia’s 10,685 sparkling beaches is just too much to resist.
Australians are Tolerant
Study after study after study has shown that Australia is among the most open-minded nations on Earth, and it was put to the test last year with a postal survey on the issue of marriage equality. Despite months of distasteful public debate, 62% of Australians voted yes to legalizing same-sex marriage — a thumping (and long overdue) victory for a country so proud of its progressive values.
Australia is “The Lucky Country”
Ask the UN’s Human Development Report or the Economist Intelligence Unit’s quality-of-life index and they’ll tell you that Australia is fortunate enough to be one of the most prosperous nations on earth. ‘The Lucky Country’ has become an oft-used nickname for Australia since the term was coined half a century ago, and it’s an accurate moniker for a nation that enjoys such an enviable climate, stable political system and wealth of natural resources.
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