Romper Stomper is a film which kick-started the career of Russel Crowe and which tackles the difficult topic of bullying and subcultures. A raw and brutal film, but one of the most iconic in Australian cinematography.
Here is the trailer.
On a slightly brigther note - a clip from Muriel's Wedding.
And here are two movie tips. Both films are a perfect illustration of the topic of youth problems.
Both deal with the insecurities of young people: loneliness, lack of understanding, problems with defining one's identity, lure of the big world and its temptations, and so on...
Both star a very talented female - Abbie Cornish. In both she co-stars with two Australian actors representing the young generation whose potential has been recognised by Hollywood.
Waltzing Matilda is an unofficial Australian anthem. But there's more than meets the eye. The song is not about a girl named Matilda and it has nothing to do with her dancing.
However let's just start with its author. We have already mentioned A.B. "Banjo" Paterson when we talked about bush poets and the poem "The Man From Snowy River". Watch this clip to learn more about this famous Australian poet:
Now let's listen to the actual song. Here it is in its original form (or at least one of its existing lyrics versions):
Waltzing Matilda is an episode of the series National Treasures produced in 2004.
Waltzing Matilda
Most Australians know that Banjo Paterson wrote the lyrics to Waltzing Matilda but who wrote the music? And what does it have to do with a rather oddly titled song called Go to the Devil and Shake Yourself? Warren Brown tracks down the original handwritten score at the National Library of Australia, where curator Robyn Holmes reveals the story behind the chance collaboration that created our national song.
National Treasures
Take a road-trip of discovery with the irrepressible Warren Brown – political cartoonist, columnist and history “tragic” – as he reveals a fascinating mix of national treasures drawn from public and private collections across Australia. On its own, each treasure is a priceless snapshot of an historic moment. Together, they illustrate the vitality and uniqueness of the Australian experience.
National Treasures is a Film Australia National Interest Program. Produced with the assistance of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
And finally we have a modern rendition of the song in the style of Eminem ;-)
This iconic song is a very apt summary of what it means to be Australian.
Please have a listen.
Lyrics:
I came from the dream-time From the dusty red-soil plains I am the ancient heart The keeper of the flame I stood upon the rocky shores I watched the tall ships come For forty thousand years I've been The first Australian
I came upon the prison ship Bowed down by iron chains I bought the land, endured the lash And waited for the rains I'm a settler, I'm a farmer's wife On a dry and barren run A convict, then a free man I became Australian
I'm the daughter of a digger Who sought the mother lode The girl became a woman On the long and dusty road I'm a child of the Depression I saw the good times come I'm a bushie, I'm a battler I am Australian
We are one, but we are many And from all the lands on earth we come We'll share a dream and sing with one voice "I am, you are, we are Australian"
I'm a teller of stories I'm a singer of songs I am Albert Namatjira And I paint the ghostly gums I'm Clancy on his horse I'm Ned Kelly on the run I'm the one who waltzed Matilda I am Australian
I'm the hot wind from the desert I'm the black soil of the plains I'm the mountains and the valleys I'm the drought and flooding rains I am the rock, I am the sky The rivers when they run The spirit of this great land I am Australian
We are one, but we are many And from all the lands on earth we come We'll share a dream and sing with one voice "I am, you are, we are Australian"
We are one, but we are many And from all the lands on earth we come We'll share a dream and sing with one voice "I am, you are, we are Australian"
Click the picture below to enter a great interactive website that will help you learn the story behind the tragic Battle of Gallipoli. As you remember it was a turning point in Australian history and an abrupt change in Australia/Britain relations. It gave rise to a strong sense of Aussie identity and resulted in development of "broad" Aussie accent.
Please click on all interactive elements on the website. It will take you around 20 minutes to watch/listen/interact with information there and you will need some of the facts for the test. So please do do it!
Western Front and the controversy of "voluntary" enlisting - click here.
PS
Rochardo's Lollies, please send your presentation to my email. We don't have time for another Zoom meeting.
The first part of the class is your turf - I'll be listening to the two remaining "R" presentations. After our Zoom chat is over, please read and listen to the materials listed below. 1. Australian Symbols
Begin with some serious reading here.
And then visit my beloved site for a less "purist" take on Aussie symbols ;-)
(click the pic below)
EUREKA FLAG - Eureka Flag is a symbol we already talked about when we covered the topic of Gold Rush and the Eureka Rebellion. Click the link if you want to go back to the video we watched together in class.
GOLDEN WATTLE- read to find out what Australian government wanted to do with the country's national flower and why ;)
2. Sport "Australian sport deserves quality piss taking or none at all."
Australians are a nation of active people and they like to joke that they spend more on excercising than on education, but it doesn't mean that they are going to worship their sportsmen and sportswomen blindly. They always retain a healthy dose of irony and humour.
Asked about cricket, they would say something like that:
Cricket is a game that moves about as fast as a Jamaican on valium. It involves watching 11 men in white clothes stand around a field for a few hours, then break to have lunch, stand around, then break again to have a cup of tea, stand around, then go home. The same thing occurs for another 4 days, and then after all that effort, both teams call the whole thing a draw...
Remember, "Australian sport deserves quality piss taking or none at all." So true ;-)
Australians pride themselves on inventing football. That's correct. Football. However "footy" may mean different games in different states. More on that here.
Some of you know already that I'm hopelessly in love with AFL. Unfortunately the Rona (=coronavirus) interrupted with the season which was supposed to start on Good Friday. Usually Eurosport 2 presents a game of AFL each week and I encourage my students to have a look. This time you can't. But at least you can learn the rules of the game.
Watch the video below.
Click HERE to watch an episode of Australia’s Heritage – National Treasures which explains the story behind writing the rules of AFL (this is something you'll need for the test).
Talking about sport, we can't possibly forget about Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
Sydney was the second Olympic Games organized by Aussies. The first one was in Melbourne in 1956.
That date also marks Aussies' love affair with swimming.
Another sport which is synonymous with Australia is surfing. Click HERE to watch a video that explains the birth this Hawaiian sport in Australia.
Surfing was also important for local industry, in terms of not only surfboards themselves, but all the gear and apparel. Two most well know wear brands which were born out of this surfing craze are Bilabong and Quicksilver.
Below you'll find a trailer for a movie called Drift.
Filmed on location on Western Australia's spectacular and rugged coastline, it is a story of two brothers and the birth of modern surf industry in the early 1970s. It also touches upon drug trafficking which was at that time done inside surfboards. But more about it when we talk about Australians at war and the realtions between Aussies and their American allies in Vietnam and Korea.
Today we will be talking about Australian symbols. It's a first class of a whole series dedicated to this topic, and we're going to start with Aboriginal symbols.
We've already established that Aboriginal Art is highly symbolic, but I'd like you to watch the video below and - as you are answering questions on the way - you're going to learn exactly what we mean by that statement.
The art presented above is mainly the Dot Painting style. But it's not the only one, and definitely not the oldest. Dot Painting was popularised worldwide in the 20th century, and the idea to paint on canvas rather than tree bark is really young.
On the other hand rock art can be traced back as far as 60 thousand years. Please watch the video below to learn about that style and where most of these wall paintings are located.
Below you'll find the meanings of some most often used motifs in Aboriginal art.
This illustration shows you the technique.
This last video links the topic of art to the topic of Australian and Aboriginal identity. Listen carefully and pay attention to some topics we have already covered in our class: Stolen Generations, Australia Day and First Fleet landing in 1788, pearl industry, Kimberley and Jandamarra rebellion. Adam Goodes, the man featuring in this video, is a very famous Aussie Rules (or Australian Football) player. Aussie Rules itself is a sport which is symbolic for Australia, but that's a topic we'll cover in our next class.
Before viewing consider the following questions:
1) What does identity and culture mean to you? Is there a culture you feel connected to? How important is your connection to this culture?
2) What do you know about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s connection to Country?
After you view the clip, think about these questions:
1) Adam says, "[Australia Day] is the day that we celebrate the birth of Australia as you know it now, but to the Indigenous community, that's the saddest day for our culture." What do you think is meant by “dispossession”? What yould you say if you were to explain how Aboriginal people were dispossessed of their land, identities and culture when the British colonised Australia? Why is 26 January “the saddest day” for Aboriginal cultures?
2) Why do some people – both Indigenous and non-Indigenous – consider 26 January to be “Invasion Day”? Do you think Australians should celebrate Australia Day?
3) Read this article and decide whether or not the date of Australia Day should be changed.
Finally, please answer the few questions below and sign in the register. Thanks!
Tomorrow we'll be focusing on the following topics:
1. Radio
We have already seen what the wireless was like at the beginning of 20th century, with its aspiration to become the "new BBC". Click the picture to learn more.
I'm not that much interested in names, dates and details. Instead concentrate on the impact that radio has had on the community in a country where many citizens live in very remote areas.
1a. School of the Air -(long distance) education.
This video gives a wonderful insight into what The School of the Air is and how it operates. Have a look:
(Click on the picture below to visit Alice Springs School of the Air website).
1b. The Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia.
We'll have a closer look at their work and importance for communities living in distant, remote areas of Australia. (Click on the picture below to explore RFDS website)
Finally watch the video below and do the tasks as you go.
- you can use the "repeat" button on the left if you didn't catch the information,
- click on the blue arrow on the right to check your answer and move on
And please answer the comprehension questions in the form below.
2. The letter R presentations.
Just like in the last semester I'll ask your teams to prepare a presentation on one of the topics below. Please use the comments section to let me know which topic you choose. "First come, first served".
You should be ready for April, 20, when we'll have a Zoom or Google Hangouts meeting online.
We still have a couple "P" topics to finish from previous class.
1. We're going to start with the POLITICAL SYSTEM.
Australia is a Federation as you know, but it is also a parliamentary democracy as well as a constitutional monarchy. Wait, what? Let's watch the videos below to better understand how the system works.
A short but comprehensive guide to the system can be found here:political system
2. As you can seeThe Queen of Englandis a part of the Australian political system. Click on the link to read how much (or little) power she really has in this country, and when her birthday is celebrated.
3. Finally read this cute comic to learn about the PREFERENTIAL VOTING SYSTEM. It provides an explanation why no vote goes to waste in Australia and why voting in an election is considered compulsory.
4. Famous Poles in Australia is our last topic today. One Polish person who we're going to zoom in especially is an established explorer of the Australian continent, count Paul Strzelecki.
He is a truly fascinating person. In his many travels he managed to save over 200,000 people in Ireland during the Famine, supposedly discover gold in Australia and measure and name its highest mountain - Mount Kościuszko.
Below you'll find a fun activity I'd like you to do. Please read the text titled Strzelecki and the Zig Zags and make a note or mark on the map which countries he visited in his life.
1. Perth is the capital city of Western Australia, the most isolated capital city in the world and happens to be my favourite city in Australia. Click on the link to see what is going on in Perth right now (focus on tourist attractions) and watch the video below.
Does anyone know what painting is presented below?
Let's have a guessing game (please don't google the answers!)
Can you please comment below and post your answers to these questions: I. This painting was painted by a) an aboriginal painter b) a western painter c) an animal II. When it was originally purchased, it cost: a) A$ 1 (one Australian dollar) b) A$ 1,500 c) A$ 1.3 million III. Currently it's worth: a) nothing as it was destroyed in a bush fire b) A$ 1.3 million c) between 100 and 350 million American dollars
Now click on the link above (Painters) and read the article. Focus mostly on the body of work of Sidney Nolan. What is he famous for? (hint: think of one of the topics we covered in our last class) 3. Poets
Or rather "a poet" (singular). Arguably the most famous Australian poet is A.B. "Banjo" Paterson. He wrote lyrics for the unofficial Australian anthem, the song Waltzing Matilda which we will be covering in one of our future classes. He also published a poem called The Man from Snowy River. This poem to Australians is what Pan Tadeusz is to Poles.
Please watch the video below (I suggest you watch it full screen and read the subtitles).
The poem was published in 1890 in the Bulletin and - if you remember from our class about Australian English - it gave rise to growing interest and appreciation for Australian accent and colloquialisms.
Today we'll be talking about pearling industry and how it collided with the White Australia Policy. This topic also allows us to revise what we know about Aborigines from the Kimberley region (see Jandamara Rebellion).
First, please watch a presentation which I recorded for you (it's about 30 minutes long, so go grab some coffee, sit down and listen).
FOLLOW UP READING:
1. Here you can see the TIMELINE of the pearling industry (Broome, WA). It a summary of what I've been talking about in the presentation.
2. CLICK to learn more about Aboriginal Australians and their relation to pearls.
3. Finally some information about Japanese divers (for buffs only).
In the coming days we should have an online platform ready so I'll be able to chat to you all live.
Stay tuned!
Today we'll be dealing with some really heavy topics.
The bulk of our time will have to be devoted to famous OUTLAWS. Australia sports names of many brave men who chose to stand against their opressors, but the two who are the most important, and have become part of Aussie culture and mentality, are Ned Kelly and Ben Hall.
ACTIVITY Ned Kelly
And now something for film buffs among you (you are all encouraged to read/watch these materials, but there will be no questions on this part).
Since bushrangers chose OUTBACK as their real home, we'll also have a closer look at just how it is portrayed in modern culture.
I have already introduced you to the acclaimed documentary Not Quite Hollywood. Among films which are discussed there, are such golden nuggets of Aussie cinema as Razorback and The Long Weekend. While they are in no means of any (or almost any) artistic merit, they offer a surprisingly insightful description of "the red centre."
I was a little hestitant to post this video, but... we celebrate the Australian language in all its richness.
Yeah...
OK, back to serious topics. We'll be watching part of a documentary from which you will learn about: BROAD, GENERAL and CULTIVATED accents and where they came from.
Some reading if you are interested in exploring more.
Australian slang - how language was shaped by various historical events
Before you read and/or watch anything else I'll need you to think about some questions and note down your answers. Imagine that an English speaking friend who has never been in Poland before asked you the following questions: - If there is one book by a Polish writer I SHOULD read, which one is it? - If there is one poem by a Polish poet I SHOULD read, which one is it? - If there is one Polish film I SHOULD watch, which one is it? - Tell me the title of ONE kids' show and/or fairytale/cartoon you watched when you were a child. - Do you remember any characters from kids' stories that traumatised you in your childhood? Have fun ;)
Some clips from the shows we will be talking about in the class:
Koala Brothers
A fantastic look at the Outback and the life there. Stunning voice acting with a variety of broad accents.
Dot and the Kangaroo
This is the whole movie if anyone feels like watching.
The film is one of iconic elements of Australian culture. It's the second ever animated Australian film, and a fantastic mixture of world views represented by the white and the Aboriginal members of Australian society.
Once again we'll be talking about historical events Australians would rather forget.
Please watch the first video.
The second one will be your homework.
The last one is a summary of the topic of Stolen Generations and you'll need it to revise for the test in the second semester.
We have already seen what 
