The Nascent Years of Australian Nationhood - Essay Example

Australian language has evolved with certain traits of its own in seclusion to the rest of the English speaking world. Some of these words and phrases have now become an integral part of Australian culture and linguistics alike. Some of these words and phrases are also closely related in that they deliver similar meanings or support each other‘s meanings. Three such words or phrases are the “ANZAC tradition”, “fair dinkum” and “mateship”. Though these words have dissimilar origins in history but their modern day usage is nearly similar and expresses genuine feelings and comradeship. The phrase “ANZAC traditions” has its roots firmly in the First World War when the mother country called for troops from its colonies in order to fight the war. The combined forces of Australia and New Zealand were better known as the ANZACs or the Australian and New Zealand Corps. In battle the soldiers from the ANZAC division showed remarkable bravery and determination to win the war. Over time within the war years the ANZAC tradition came to denote the very characteristics that defined these soldiers namely their courage, good humour, mateship, endurance, ingenuity and larrikinism (Howe, 1995). This tradition meant that the soldiers from the ANZAC division were perceived impervious to the class and cultural differences found in British society. This phrase not only has meaning in connection to the First World War alone but can be seen as a defining moment for Australian national history. Previously Australians perceived themselves as subjects of the mother country but following the social and cultural consolidation after the First World War, the Australians begun to see themselves as a separate nation. Even today this phrase is used to indicate the nascent years of Australian nationhood (Smith, 2006). In a similar manner, the word mateship has come to symbolise Australian culture over time. As seen in the preceding phrase, the ANZAC tradition one of the defining features of the Australian soldiers was mateship (McDonald, 2009). Mateship refers to an embodiment of equality, friendship and loyalty. There has been rampant debate as to the origins of mateship as a word in common use. Some texts have inaccurately traced the origins of mateship to the early convicts who were settled in Australia when it was treated as a penal colony. However other research has conclusively proved that the word mateship emerged out of the predominantly Irish working class that was present in British society. Nineteenth century Australia saw the economic subordination of the masses and this only helped to reinforce the concept of mateship to the working classes (Carroll, 1982). In modern usage, mateship is used to refer to qualities listed above found in a person in the Australian cultural context. Another similar term is fair dinkum which has gained prominence in Australian culture in all strata of society. Fair dinkum is recorded to the earliest usage in the 1890’s. It is speculated to have originated from the extinct dialect from the East Midlands in English where dinkum was supposed to mean hard or fair work. In terms of Australian English, fair dinkum was originally also supposed to mean hard and fair work but over time its meaning has changed slightly in its usage. Currently the term fair dinkum is used to denote anything genuine or fair in regards to anything at all. The term has found wide currency in literary as well as political and social circles alike (Butler, 2003). More or less fair dinkum has become an identifier of Australian culture and society in circles outside Australia because of its common usage by all strata of Australian society. The words and terms listed above are closely related in that they reflect genuine feelings as well as expressing a commitment to hard work and principles of fair play that have come to represent Australian culture and society. The term ANZAC tradition can be seen as reflecting on a state of personal braveness and egalitarianism that has become ingrained into Australian cultural values and norms. In comparison to other societies and cultures across the world, the Australian culture is significantly different in that the people are straight forward, honest and believe in fair play for themselves and other cultural groups. This is substantiated when racial violence based issues are considered in Australia in comparison to other advanced nations such as those in Europe or North America. The amount of racism in other advanced societies is much higher than that is Australia because Australians deal with other cultural groups more honestly and on a more egalitarian basis. This can also be seen in the term fair dinkum which refers to honesty and genuine feelings in regards to any issue at all. More or less Australians use the term fair dinkum in order to indicate something genuine whether it refers to society, religion, economics, history or anything else. It is fairly common in Australia to hear the term fair dinkum being used by top level politicians and the man in the streets alike. Being fair dinkum ensures that you can really respect mateship because mateship is in itself based on principles that encompass honesty and sincerity. Mateship refers to the relationship between the average persons in Australian society which denotes another important aspect of Australian culture that is based on sincerity even if you do not know someone very closely. The terms ANZAC tradition, fair dinkum and mateship all share similar grounds in more than one respect. For one thing all these terms indicate sincere and genuine desires and feelings that people in society have for each other. The ANZAC tradition proved to the world at large that the Australian people and culture were composed of sincerity and openness towards all. The average Australian soldier from the farmlands of Australia had little stake in the First World War which was purely a European affair. Moreover the Australians were a back yard for the British Empire which used Australia initially for dumping its worst. Even then when called to duty the Australians outperformed other racial and ethnic groups especially in the Gallipoli campaign where they were slaughtered in the thousands on the beaches of Gallipoli due to British planning failures. Even with these considerations in view the ANZACs kept their pressure on the enemy and proved their sincerity and honesty towards the mother country. The ANZAC tradition helped in defining the Australian culture and identity as a distinct phenomenon that was pure from the racial and cultural prejudices found in contemporary British society. Not only this, the ANZAC tradition housed another major issue that is also part of the fair dinkum and mateship agendas – egalitarianism. Being fair as in fair dinkum means that the element of equality has to be brought into focus because there can be no fairness unless everything and everyone is treated on the same scale. While on the one hand the ANZACs were treating other racial groups and themselves with equality and fairness, the Australian society was forging an identity where the average person was to be treated equally and with the same dignity and respect. The terms fair dinkum and mateship reveal that in their usage the exponent of equality must always be present. The elements that make up mateship require loyalty, equality and fairness towards the other person and as such it can be stated that mateship applies to nearly all relationships in society. The Australian society is composed of relationships that are based on mateship and are hence the indicators to a society and culture whose core fabric is composed of mateship. When the terms fair dinkum is put in respect to mateship, it is obvious that mateship requires that a person be fair dinkum in respect of his behaviour and attitudes towards other people. These three terms have crept into Australian society, culture and psyche alike. The ANZAC tradition defines Australian society through the essential traits of being fair dinkum and being respectful of mateship all the time. These terms also indicate that the average Australian person is respectful of other people and is ready to provide them with a level of respect that he demands from society himself. The honesty and sincerity along with the egalitarian focus of the Australian society make it far more approachable than other contemporary societies possessing similar levels of development. The term ANZAC tradition carries nearly the same meaning as it did decades ago during the First World War and is called upon continuously by political leaders to indicate the core principles that forged the Australian nation. In 2006 Michael Jeffery, the then Governor General of Australia referred to the ANZACs and their legacy during an address indicating that the ANZACs had aided in creating a lasting legacy for Australians (Seal, 2009): “We are summoned to recall the battle sacrifices of Australian farmers and tally clerks, teachers and labourers and to commemorate outstanding courage and strength of character in the face of sustained adversity... [The campaign] won for us an enduring sense of national identity based on those iconic traits of mateship, courage, compassion and nous.” It is a commonly held belief that the ANZAC tradition outlined the various qualities and characteristics that provided a glaring example to future generations of Australians to follow. In a sense this laid the bedrock for Australian values. The Australian Defence Minister, Brendan Nelson articulated this point of view by stating that the ANZAC soldiers (Sydney Morning Herald, 2007): "...forged values that are ours and make us who we are, reminding us that there are some truths by which we live." The ANZAC spirit and tradition is also constantly called upon during times of civilian crises and this has been iterated by the Returned and Services League of Australia in a declaration that states that: “The Spirit of the ANZAC continues today in times of hardship such as cyclones, floods and bush fires. At those times Australians come together to rescue one another, to ease suffering, to provide food and shelter, to look after one another, and to let the victims of these disasters know they are not alone.” In a similar manner the term fair dinkum has been used in recent years as before constantly to display Australian attributes of being fair, impartial and honest. The term fair dinkum has reverberated in Australian linguistics from the most intricate debates in parliament to the language being used by the common man on the street. For example, during a debate in parliament Kevin Rudd attacked the Prime Minister John Howard by stating that: "The Australian people look people in the eye and they know when they are being fair dinkum. You [John Howard] have spent 11 years not being fair dinkum." Similarly it is common to read comments in publications such as books, journals and newspapers that use the term fair dinkum to indicate fairness, for example this statement was found in a typical Australian newspaper: “The beer consuming public that loves cricket knows who is fair dinkum.” Similarly the word mateship has been used time and again in order to express Australian virtue. For example the Australian Army Recruit Training Centre expresses the soldierly qualities it requires as: "A will to win, dedication to duty, honour, compassion and honesty, mateship and teamwork, loyalty, and physical and moral courage." The word mateship has also been included in the preamble of the Australian constitution as drafted by poet Les Murray and approved by Prime Minister John Howard. The preamble clearly states that: “Australians are free to be proud of their country and heritage, free to realise themselves as individuals, and free to pursue their hopes and ideals. We value excellence as well as fairness, independence as dearly as mateship.” The arguments presented above clearly indicate that the terms ANZAC tradition, fair dinkum and mateship represent integral parts of Australian culture that have evolved over the years and remain in popular usage just the same. Bibliography Butler, S., 2003. The Australian Word Map. Australian Style, 11(2). Carroll, J., 1982. Intruders In The Bush: The Australian Quest For Identity. 2nd ed. South Melbourne: Oxford University Press. Howe, A., 1995. Anzac mythology and the feminist challenge. In J. Damousi & M. Lake, eds. Gender and War: Australians at War in the twentieth Century. Melbourne: Cambridge University Press. pp.302-10. McDonald, M., 2009. Lest We Forget: Invoking the Anzac myth and the memory of sacrifice in Australian military intervention. In International Studies Associations 50th Annual Convention "Exploring the Past, Anticipating the Future. New York, 2009. Marriot Marquis. Seal, G., 2009. Inventing Anzac: The Digger and National Mythology. St. Lucia: API Network. Smith, T., 2006. Conscripting the Anzac myth to silence dissent. Austrlian Review of Public Affairs, 11. Sydney Morning Herald, 2007. Thousands mark Anzac Day at Gallipoli. [Online] Available at: HYPERLINK "http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/thousands-mark-anzac-day-at-gallipoli/2007/04/25/1177459765055.html" http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/thousands-mark-anzac-day-at-gallipoli/2007/04/25/1177459765055.html [Accessed 6 November 2011]. Read More