Australian Culture

1
Australian Culture Customs

• Welcome to Australia
• These are just some of the customs and culture
  aspects of Australian life that will help you
  integrate into our society

2
Culture and Customs

• Culture and Customs in this document encompasses
  the arts, values, traditions, expectations and
  the hopes of a Nation.
• The Australian National Anthem (Advance
  Australia Fair)
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vBo-2pIioGisfea
  turerelated

3
A brief history of Australia

• Its always important to know a little of the
  history of a county to understand the country,
  the people and the culture and customs which are
  often based on that history
• A cartoon Video on the above (5.59 mins)
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vPhY9PBceqYYfeatur
  erelated
• True Blue Video Australian Aboriginals
  The first Australians (October 2011)
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?v3eQgGiNCQQAfeatu
  rerelated

4
Australian Manners

• Manners are different in every country
• (manners show respect and consideration for
  others and indicates that you are a civilised
  person)
• Greetings (Good morning, Hello, Hi, Gidday
  Mate more so in the country/bush)
• Hand shake or kiss on cheek
• Standing in a queue or line

5
Australian Manners

• Please when requesting anything
• Thank you when you receive anything
• Excuse me or sorry if you need to get past
  anyone or bump into anyone
• No spitting please
• No pushing
• Please No picking noses or putting your
  finger up your nose in public or class

6
Good manners in Australia

• Being on time (i.e. British time)
• Please speak English in front of others
• Put your hand over your mouth when you yawn,
  cough or sneeze
• Standing up for elders or ladies with babies on
  the bus or train
• Please Thank you

7
Australian Culture

• Most culture is based on history, traditions and
  belief systems (religion etc) therefore is
  different in every county (not right or wrong
  just different)
• Because of its unique history Australia has a
  unique culture which appreciates people being up
  front and very open in their communication styles
• Generally Australians are open, friendly and
  helpful and from a vast array of many different
  countries (multicultural)

8
Australian Culture

• Australian law and education systems are based on
  the English model
• Most of our laws are also based on common law
  which is derived from common sense and precedents
  created from court cases
• Things like walking on the left side of the
  pavement are in line with driving on the left
  hand side of the road

9
Australian Customs

• Although we are a Multicultural society most of
  us sit on a chair and not the floor and also we
  do not squat on the ground
• Most of us have approx a metre of personal space
  around us and are not a touchy feely lot

10
Australian Customs

• Unlike some cultures we believe in looking people
  in the eye (some believe that eyes are the
  windows to the soul?) as it indicates that you
  have nothing to hide
• The humour in Australia has been described as
  larrikin and laconic in style, and sometimes
  takes some time to understand

11
Australian Humour

• Australian humour has a long history that can be
  traced back to our origins as convict colonies
  and therefore very unique
• It is therefore no surprise that a national sense
  of humour quickly developed that responded to
  those conditions

12
Australian Humour

• This unique sense of humour is recognised
  (although maybe not always understood) the world
  over as being distinctly Australian
• Our humour is dry, full of extremes,
  anti-authoritarian, self-mocking and ironic
• Reference http//www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/
  articles/humour/

13
Australian Culture Customs

• This combines many long lost cockney and Irish
  sayings of the early convicts with words from
  Aboriginal languages
• Australia has three defined accents, broad,
  general and cultivated

14
Australian Culture Customs

• We often abbreviate words and then add an o or
  ie on the end as in bring your cossie to the
  barbie this arvo

15
Australian Culture Customs

• Do yourself a favour and give yourself an
  Australian name
• Why Most of us cannot pronounce your names and
  feel embarrassed when we cant
• We would prefer to call you by name than Hey
  you
• We suggest that you choose a name that starts
  with your first initial, as it s easier for you
  to remember

16
Tips for living in Australia

• Collect the free MX newspaper each weekday at
  major train stations
• Dont take Australians behaviour as
  disrespectful, because it is not meant to be
• Understand our Beach culture by always
  swimming between the red yellow flags
• The Pacific Ocean is famous for having strong
  currents and rips that can pull you out to sea

17
The Essentials

• Australia is a place of contradictions
• It is an old county but a new one
• It is one of the oldest continents on earth and
  has the oldest continuous culture with the
  Aboriginals But modern Australia is a society of
  newcomers who are building a culture from many
  different cultures

18
Australia is a place of contradictions

• Australia is a very peaceful country, although
  has a reputation of having some of the most
  aggressive soldiers in war
• Australia is a conservative country with a
  radical streak

19
Australia is a place of contradictions

• Australia is a comfortable urban society, but
  its myths and stories are based on the harsh
  environment of the bush
• Australians love leisure, but their folk heroes
  are hardworking battlers

20
Australia is a place of contradictions

• Australians are open and direct, but they value
  their privacy
• Most Australians are friendly and helpful to
  strangers, but it take hard work to develop deep
  friendships with them
• Although they seem confident and loud, they are
  often cautious and uncommunicative about their
  real feelings

21
Australians are still in the process of change

• For the first 150 years of modern Australian
  history, the country was definitely British
• The settlers tried to remake the strange
  landscape into a copy of England
• They adopted the political, legal and educational
  systems of England
• They even went to war for England

22
Australians believe they are egalitarian,
irreverent and anti - authority

• Australia is not an equal society. There are
  divisions between the rich and poor, white and
  black and privileged and underprivileged
• But Australians are sincere when they say they
  are egalitarian
• They believe that people should have a fair go
  or equality of opportunity

23
Australians believe they are egalitarian,
irreverent and anti - authority

• Australians dont respect people just because of
  their role in society or their birth
• For example teachers do not have a right to
  respect, unless they earn it
• They dislike people who appear to be arrogant
• They are basically law-abiding, but like people
  who bend the rules

24
Individuals versus groups

• Australians put more value on the individual than
  the group, which is part of the Western
  traditions
• They approve of self reliance and independence
  and dont like being told what to do

25
Approach to Life

• Australians have a casual approach to life
• They are relaxed and informal about most aspects
  of daily living
• There are some rules about polite behaviour but
  Australians arent too upset if the rules are
  broken
• Australian is one of the worlds most successful
  multiracial societies

26
Ask Questions

• Your college teachers expect all students to be
  responsible for their own learning
• They expect you to organise your own work
  schedule, do independent research and meet
  deadlines
• Most of all, they expect you to question
  everything and think for yourself
• (Understanding Australia A Guide for
  International Students by Sally A White 2003)

27
Australian Culture Customs

• Get to know your host country by checking out
  these three websites
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vQX5UR2leYHA
• http//www.australia.com/index.aspx
• http//www.convictcreations.com/culture/index.htm
  
• http//www.aussieeducator.org.au/tertiary_history
  _australian_australianculture.html
• Enjoy Australia

28
References

• Australian Government Cultural Portal
• http//www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/hu
  mour/
• Australian Tourism
• http//www.australia.com/index.aspx
• Australian Educator
• http//www.aussieeducator.org.au/tertiary_history_
  australian_australianculture.html
• Australian Culture
• http//www.convictcreations.com/culture/index.htm
• I still call Australia (Qantas) Ad
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vQX5UR2leYHA