The Ethnography of an Australian Beach - Term Paper Example

The Ethnography of an Australian Beach Ethnography literally means 'a portrait of a people.' An ethnography is a written description of a particular culture - the customs, beliefs, and behaviour - based on information collected through fieldwork ( Harris and Johnson , 2000) . Ethnography seeks to make sense of human behaviours occurring in natural settings (Belk, Sherry, and Wallendorf 1988) In this case it will be the ethnography of a particular area which is being considered, an unnamed Australian beach. It will refer to the comings, the goings of various folk in a particular place , and all that happens in-between, as well as drawing some conclusions about the people and processes involved. The beach, any beach, is a very special area, both a divide and a meeting place. The land ends and the water begins, so they meet and yet are separate. And there in the distance the horizon, where sky meets a watery Earth. It is the place where invaders land – Botany Bay, Hastings, Plymouth Rock, Holy Island. A beach is a place of constant change. Tides come and go taking away the marks of traffic , whether that of humans, dogs or bird life, or bringing in new items – a few stranded jelly fish drying out in the heat, empty shells, weeds, perhaps jetsam in the form of wood or plastic. It is the place where invaders land – Botany Bay, Hastings, Plymouth Rock. Items some would see as rubbish, while others see treasures to be collected and used. What is here today won’t be there tomorrow, and yet it is always the same – the place of division between earth and sea. As described by Spitler ( 2012) ‘It is another world.’ For her it is a both treat and a place without stress. That is part of the attraction surely. The Tillerman blog in 2012 (Proper course) looked at a number or reasons why humanity is so attracted to the beach. ‘All human life is there’ as Henry James ( date not known) remarked in a different context. He called it a visceral attraction, that is one related to deep internal feelings. He describes it as a place of dreams – dreaming perhaps of that perfect beach front property. It is also a place with a changing human population . There will be times of the day and the year when only a few locals are to be found in the area of this particular beach . Even the local hotel closes for three months of the year to residential visitors. At dawn there is usually only a lone walker or beach comber to be seen. In the day light hours it can get pretty full, and then as late evening comes the numbers drop – perhaps a young couple having a romantic evening in a place where they can feel alone even in a crowd, part of many an Australian mating rituals, or a few late fishermen pulling up their boat. Early next morning a tractor comes to wipe away traces of activity, to makes things clean and smooth again so that no one falls into sudden pits. Later in the morning we see families gathering to relax. They bring many things with them, perhaps to cook a meal in a fire pit or a ready-made barbeque. There are men carrying wind breaks and packs of lager. Moms trying to push buggies and babies over shifting sand. A picnic basket, a few towels, perhaps a Frisbee, tucked into the buggy. Someone has the radio on for the cricket scores and a dog runs around unsure of the waves. But go back a few thousand years and you will still see a family, a clan, gathering on this beach. The earliest aborigines would know about this place. They would know where the shell fish hide in pools when the tide goes out. They would know there was good food to be had on the rocks which the tide reaches every day. They would know about seasons of plenty and of scarcity. Ethnography is the study of human cultures and so should include not just what is happening today, but what has preceded it. It is not just about observation, but also about drawing conclusions from what one has seen. It must have seem a very special place , one of great plenty , yet also where danger lurked , especially when huge waves crashed and currents met , pulling in two directions at once. Perhaps , as occasionally happens today, a huge sea creature was beached - a feast would ensue. Finkel , (2011) describes a modern day fishing expedition off the shore of Australia. Modern day in that it takes place in the 21st century, yet ancient in that very old techniques, passed on from one generation to another, are being used. He describes how two men walk barefoot over the red earth down to the water’s edge. They are gripping spears which they have hand-carved from the branches of stringybark trees. Once they reach the water’s edge they get into a dinghy, the engine revs and they are off. Each spear has a line attached so that when it finds its target, in this case a large turtle, it won’t be lost, but can be pulled back in along with the prey. The turtle is hauled over the side of the boat and is dispatched. Later there will be feasting. This is so very different from what we now most often associate with Australian beach life and Christmas day celebration or perhaps Australia Day on the 26th of January each year, but both are part of the ethnography of the Australian shore. The majority of the Australian population live near a beach, or at least not very far from one ( Australia gov. 2008) whether they live north, south , east or west. Beach side properties are prized . Others who live further inland wilFish perhaps travel to a beach resort for their holidays. The Australian government describe it as ‘a place where people from all over the world meet, mix and live.’ The definition they give of a beach is ‘as a stretch of sand longer than 20 metres and remaining dry at high tide.’ and according to this definition this beach is one of 10, 685 beaches along the 47,000 km of Australian coastline according to the Coastal Studies Unit of Sydney University ( cited by Australia gov. 2008). The same article describes how Goorewal women of New South Wales are able to use their knowledge of the natural calendar, as well as of prevailing currents, winds and what they know of the biology of the various sea creatures, in order to collect shellfish for food. There are others who work on or along this beach. The life guard station can be seen at one end, where there are warning signs about seasonal rip tides, and hunky life guards in costumes which cover their arms or in wet suits. There are those who hire out pedalos and other craft for visitors. Just up the coast there is a small fishing port and someone is selling the fresh produce from the back of a van near the beach - produce that can be bought and cooked by the families who arrive at the weekend. Fishing brings in $2.2 billion to the Australian economy every year (Australian Gov , 2008). There is a stall providing snacks for who didn’t provide for themselves , as well as cold drinks, and such things as sunhats and children’s beach toys. A little further back are the restaurants and hotels who provide for the influx of visitors. A supermarket is just a few yards from the sands, and provides all the cold beer and ice considered essential. It is no wonder that beach holidays are popular , especially at special times of year such as Christmas when the schools are out and celebration is the order of the day. Many who come to the beach are local, as can be seen from the way they interact one group with another. These are people who live and work together, but who also spend their leisure time in similar ways. The fact that so many live near beaches, together with the Australian climate, means that a lot of time is spent out of doors. There are no private beaches in Australia, so this is free. You just have to get there. Even a relatively poor family can enjoy it just as much as a wealthy one. So it is a place of equilibrium. No one person is more important than another on a beach. In the early morning the beach is more or less deserted - a lone dog walker makes the first tracks across the clean sand after the latest high tide. So a place of solitude, even if only for a few hours. As he walks he looks to the horizon imagining all the ships that have arrived here in the past. Some from Asia, others from Europe, bringing with them new ideas, new ways, and not always positive ones. He comes across a large mound, the remains of a giant sand sculpture created by an artist the previous day - it was of a giant turtle, but all that can now be seen is its immensity, as all detail has been washed away by the now retreating tide. Such a quiet time of day, but he knows that in a couple of hours the crowds will begin to gather. The surfers there are in plenty, as are those who just enjoy lying in the sun or to picnic. Others will come to sail, to parasail if the wind isn’t too high, to fish for crabs in rock pools, to snorkel or scuba dive and to beach comb. There will be those setting off for a trip to one of the islands to be seen in the distance, and those who will dive deep looking for the old wreck of a ship which went down over a hundred years ago, one of many along this coast who never quite made it to shore. All these are part of the shifting ethnography of this beach and many like it. Because there are so many different activities and roles which are all linked to a beach in Australia, the ethnographic observer has a choice. He can be a full participant, totally immersing himself in some activity such as a kite festival, a fire work display or leisure fishing, even beer drinking, asking questions, discovering opinions and drawing conclusions, as described by Gunzek, (undated , page 2) . On the other hand he can simply lay down towel, lean back and listen in. A survey of beach users would reveal that most would say they come here to relax, although how they do it will vary considerably. A volley ball team is practising, a mother is chasing a small child who seems determined to get lost or drowned. A man is blowing onto the embers of a fire trying to get it going again in order to continue cooking dinner for his mates , each of whom is cheering on his efforts. Perhaps it would be true to say that they come here to find something different from what they might get at home. Distances travelled - for the majority it is less than 10 kilometres from home, although today there are also a group of students from a distant university here supposedly on a scientific study of marine life, but at present they involved in digging a fire pit ready for a cook out later in the day. There are also visitors from other parts of Australia and beyond here for a week or two, but temporarily part of this community. They bring money to the area - spending it in local shops, in the bars and hotels, some perhaps attracted by the casino in the up market hotel in town, others by the horse racing taking place soon. Different ethnic minority groups can be easily seen – those from various parts of Asia, but also family members over from Europe for a vacation, or just holiday makers. It is strange to overhear a family conversation in which some members speak in local Australian accents and where the older members retain British or Italian accents, or even speak in a non –English language. Consider the clothing worn here. It probably costs just as much as beach wear worn elsewhere, and covers just as much or as little skin, but according to the Australian government ( 2008) the styles chosen are specifically Australian :- These have been formed by a larrikin attitude, the qualities of mateship and the dictates of an outdoors lifestyle. In the case of sensible Australians this means lots of sunblock and hats - skin cancer , especially for the fair skinned with western ancestors , is a real danger in Australia as it can affect two out of three under 70s ( SunSmart, undated) yet is both preventable and treatable. As long ago as the 1980s there was a ‘Slip, slap, slop’ campaign to make people aware of how to prevent the condition:- 1.Slip on clothing that is both sun protective clothing and which covers as much of the body as possible. 2 .Slop on water-resistant sunscreen, even before exposure to sunlight. This people were told should be reapplied every two hours while outdoors, especially if it is hot enough to cause perspiration or they have been swimming. 3.Slap on a wide brimmed hat to give shade to the face, neck and ears. In more recent times this campaign has been extended (Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek & Slide: Sid Seagull, undated ) to include:- 4.Seek shade wherever possible 5.Finally slide on sunglasses. So, Slip. Slap, Slop, Seek and Slide. Looking around the beach most people are doing at least some of these and the campaign seems to have had an effect - there is however very little shade available on an open beach , especially if you are running around playing volley ball, but the majority of those present have grown up with these sensible injunctions. This goes against the trend for bronzed , golden skin which became popular in the years following World War 2 when there was large-scale migration of people with from places such as Italy in the Mediterranean, and also those with Eurasian and Melanesian skin colouring. Alderson ( 2000) described what she saw :- If there is a positive stereotypical image of Australian style it is spunky Bondi lifesavers in small Speedos and way-cool salt-bleached surf dudes in cord board shorts and wild printed shirts. ( Cited by Australian Government , 2008) Most people are in groups , some quite large, but there are also a few loners , often with head phones on , who interact very little with the rest of the beach community, which by midday on a Saturday consists of many hundreds of people crowded into a relatively small area. Many will be all male groups drinking beer with their mates, which, according to Pettigrew (1965), is a powerful combination in modern Australian society, just as the shared experiences of fishing or food gathering would have been in earlier times. This well established Australian ritual of ‘going to the beach , especially for food and in particular drinking with ‘mates’ is self-determined. These people choose to be here, and by being here relaxing on the beach in their various ways they are to a greater or lesser extent defining themselves as fun loving, relaxed Aussies. Many Australian males in particular have an image of the beer swilling, beer gutted macho man on the beach as cited by Pettigrew ( 1965) :- Researcher: What part does beer drinking play in Australian lifestyles? Male: I think that is a redundant question. I think the whole lifestyle of Australians is based around beer drinking to a certain extent. And much of that beer is consumed on the beach or in beach side bars . Another way of destressing, and for many an enjoyable way. One wonders where it all goes. I got my toes in the water, ass in the sand Not a worry in the world, a cold beer in my hand Life is good today, life is good today. ( Zac Brown, Toes , 2012) This was an observation of one particular beach, a popular one near a largish town from which come many of those who use the beach. Similar observations could have been made in many other places . There are of course some rather different beaches . Those in the far north perhaps where there are far fewer visitors and lower population numbers Those on deserted islands off the coast. Or those in the far southwest where oceans meet and waves crash with great strength. There are those which are hard to reach, known perhaps only to a few locals, but for most of the world,, and for most of Australia’s population , this is the kind of beach they know and love. References Alderson,M. 2nd May 2000, Relax, it's Australian, Sydney Morning Herald, cited by Australian Government ,2015, Australian National Dress, ( online) Available at http://www.australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/austn-national-dress [29th September, 2015] Australia gov. (2008) The beach ,( online,) available at http://www.australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/beach [ 26th September 2015] Belk,R. Sherry, J. and Wallendorf, M. (1988) A naturalistic enquiry into buyer and seller behaviour at a swop meet, Journal of Consumer Research, 14 (4) pp449 – 470 Brown ,Z., Toes, cited by Tillerman , 2012 Lyrics, Zac Brown Band ( online) Available at http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/zacbrownband/toes.html [28th September 2015] Finkel, M. (2011) First Australians, National Geographic, online, available at http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2013/06/aboriginal-australians/finkel-text [26th September 2015] Gunzek, M. (undated ) A synthesis of ethnographic research, University of Southern California Center for Multilingual, Multicultural Research, online, available from http://www-bcf.usc.edu/~genzuk/Ethnographic_Research.pdf [ 26th September 2015] Harris, M. & Johnson, O. (2000). Cultural Anthropology, (5th ed.), Needham Heights, MA: Allyn and Bacon. James. H., ( date unknown) Brainy Quote, undated, (online) Available at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/h/henryjames157140.html [29th September 2015] Pettigrew, S., ( 1965) An ethnography of beer consumption in Australia.( Online ), Available at http://www.academia.edu/2811500/An_Ethnography_of_Beer_Consumption_in_Australia, [ 28th September 2015] Sun Smart (undated) Slip, Slop, Slap, Seek & Slide: Sid Seagull, (online) Available at http://www.sunsmart.com.au/tools/videos/current-tv-campaigns/slip-slop-slap-seek-slide-sid-seagull.html [ 29th September 2015] Tillerman ( 2012) 7 Reasons Why Human Beings Love The Beach, Proper Course (online) Available at http://propercourse.blogspot.fr/2012/03/7-reasons-why-human-beings-love-beach.html [ 28th September 2015] Spitler, S. (2012) Why Going To The Beach Is The Answer For Everything, Hello Giggles, (online) Available at http://hellogiggles.com/why-going-to-the-beach-is-the-answer-for-everything/ [ 28th September 2015] SunSmart (undated) Skin Cancer, ( online) Available at https://www.sunsmart.com.au/skin-cancer [29th September 2015 ] Read More