The letter "B"

So far we have a pretty good understanding of what Australia was like when its shores were still untouched by the white man. But the first contact was inevitable.

In three weeks (letter "E" - European exploration) we'll be talking about French and Dutch expeditions, but today we'll go straight to captain James Cook and his landing in Botany Bay.

To get you in the proper mood first listen to this Irish shantie - The Shores of Botany Bay



(go here to see the lyrics)


Captain James Cook did not "discover" Australia, but his landing in Botany Bay on 29th of April, 1770 symbolicaly marked the beginning of colonisation. Read this summary of Cook's first voyage on Australia's East Coast.

It was just a quick stop for Cook, and Botany Bay remained quiet and peaceful for the next 18 years. The British Empire welcomed the "discovery" of the new land - and a potential colony - but that part of the world was not politically or economically significant enough to claim these lands for the British Crown just yet.
However the situation changed with a rather rapid development of events in America, and year 1788 saw the arrival of First Fleet to Botany Bay.

Watch this video to see what impact it had on the local Aboriginal population.





Now let's have a look at these events from the point of view of the English - Redcoats, sailors and convicts. Go here to read about FIRST FLEET and the problems they encountered on their arrival to Australia.

***

All right, to have a short break from history overload let's move now for a moment to present day Botany Bay and its biodiversity.

Have a look at this video:



Follow the link in video description on YouTube to find answers to following questions:

1. What was Botany Bay called before it received its present name?
2. What is Eastern Blue Grouper, and why is it important?

***

Got a bit tired and hungry doing all the research, eh? ;-) Watch this 1984 commercial featuring Paul "Crocodile Dundee" Hogan. It is a great introduction to two more topics: BBQ and beaches.



See if you know answers to these questions:

1. What is the etymology of the word "barbecue"?
2. What fuels do Aussies use?

Here is a reminder of some social rules concering BBQ ;-)



(click to see bigger version)

And finally click here to see a stunning picture. Read the description. I'll ask you some questions on it.

***

The letter "A" - week 2

Sorry Day and the Stolen Generations

This is a fictional "sorry speech" spoofed in one of the greatest satirical series on Oz TV - "The Games".

Listen...



... and compare it with the actual speech.



Which one do you like better? ;-)

* Current Australian PM - Julia Gillard


1. Dreaming.

Dreaming is essential to Aboriginal cultures. It explains the special bond the people have to their land. Below you will find three short clips taken from Australian Screen - an amazing website which archives the best of Aussie TV and film.

Curator’s notes

by Romaine Moreton

Dog Dreaming is a documentary about the journey of two ancestral dogs across the land that became a Dreaming story. In the land that belongs to the people who speak Mengerrdji, two dogs – the male dog called Adjumalar and the female Womarr – named sites as they crossed the land. Jacob Nayinggu follows their path, telling us what happened to Adjumalar and Womarr as they crossed the country, and how Womarr eventually became a dreaming place at the point where she sank into the ground.

Dog Dreaming is an interesting documentary that invites us into Indigenous cultural beliefs about the land being created by ancestral beings. As Jacob Nayinggu follows the dogs’ journey, he informs us what happened to them and the significance of the sites as a result of the dogs’ passage. Here, we gain an insight into how story is a way of mapping territory, and Jacob Nayinggu can tell us what landmark – a waterhole for example – was created and the name the dogs gave it. But it is the story of Dog Dreaming that Jacob follows as he moves through the land.

- Dog Dreaming part 1
- Dog Dreaming part 2
- Dog Dreaming part 3


2. Aboriginal Flag

The Australian Aboriginal flag represents the indigenous people of Australia. It was designed in 1971 by the Aboriginal artist Harold Thomas. Australian government officially recognized it as a flag of Australia on the 14th of July, 1995.



It consists of three colors (red, yellow, and black).

The black is said to represent the Aboriginal people of Australia, the red is said to represent the red ochre of the outback, and the yellow of the sun. Other interpretations of the colors used in the flag say that the red symbolizes the blood spilled when Europeans first came to Australia.

The designer of the flag Harold Thomas was quoted as saying "I wanted to make it unsettling. In normal circumstances you'd have the darker color at the bottom and the lighter color on top and that would be visibly appropriate for anybody looking at it. It wouldn't unsettle you. To give a shock to the viewer to have it on top had a dual purpose, was to unsettle.. The other factor why I had it on top was the Aboriginal people walk on top of the land. It's an obvious fact as well. So it had.. that was the reason why the black was on top was visibly unsettling and because of how I was trained at art school, not to make things too obvious but to have a bit of a shock but also to say that the people walk on the land."

Official Australian buildings often display the Australian Flag and the Aboriginal Flag side by side. The colors of the Aboriginal flag have also become powerful symbols of pride and strength for the indigenous people of Australia.

(from: IndexOz)

3. Adelaide

And a short clip from my favourite traveller/YT poster Overlander




4. "Aussie soul"

Can be best illustrated by this film:



*

Getting prepared

Just a sneak preview of what we'll be taking about on Thursday/Friday.

Since it's going to be our first "serious" lesson, I'll do most of the talking, but still I need you to familiarise yourself with these two topics:



To learn about SORRY DAY and STOLEN GENERATIONS just click here.


Click on the picture to read about "Ten Canoes" (2006), an amazing film which I have scheduled for our Film Club.

Read the curator's notes, and then watch the clips. They offer a wonderful glimpse at Aboriginal culture.




More on Stolen Generations in this clip:

G'day!

Hello everyone!


So you have successfully made it here. Well done! ;-)

Please check this space regularly - I will be adding tons of materials, clips, links and pictures related to the topics of our classes.

Also please feel free to comment and add your own recommendations. They are most welcome!

Happy exploring!


So, how does it work exactly?

Well, I DO hope you listened carefully in the class, but if someone is still a little confused here is the general idea again:

1. In each class we will be talking about an array of Australia-related topics, all of which will begin with a given letter of the alphabet.

2. You will know these topics in advance, so you'll be able to find out some information beforehand.

3. In class, first I'll give a short presentation with audio/video materials, and then will be asking you some very tricky questions.

4. You will have a chance to score points (marks) for giving me answers which are not only correct but also interesting.


Still confused?

Well, then watch this clip. It comes from "QI" - a gameshow hosted by the brilliant Stephen Fry [no, he isn't Australian but he can do a very convincing Aussie accent ;-) ]. Anyway, our classes will be based on the same format as QI. Is that clear now? ;-)



Which group am I in?

THIS WEEK you are in following groups --> see below. But since Ms Stanisz insists that we need to have at least 12 people in a group, I will have to do a little bit of shuffling.

GROUP A (Thursday)

1 Pancerz Bożena
2 Wójs Gabriela
3 Grzegorzek Sylwia
4 Gargas Joanna
5 Szwala Grzegorz
6 Schabińska Justyna
7 Zaręba Mirek
8 Potoczny Anna
9 Lisowicz Diana
10 Klimczak Dawid
11 Adamczyk Paulina
12 Gardoń Anna
13 Adamek Katarzyna
14 Koralik Anna
15 Bołoz Kinga
16 Damasiewicz Agnieszka
17 Citak Marta
18 Joniec Agnieszka
19 Strączek Alicja
20 Motyka Adam

GROUP B (Friday)

1 Kamieniarz Monika
2 Obrąbska Magda
3 Majka Paulina
4 Smajdor Katarzyna
5 Zwolennik Małgorzata
6 Owsianka Anna

Letters "Y" and "Z"

1. Youth culture and youth problems

This boy has recently become an Aussie hero. When you watch the clip below, you'll see why. Knowing a bit about Australian identity and values, you should be able to understand why this "underdog" story appealed so much to people across the nation.



In a way we have already touched upon the topic of bullying talking about subcultures. Pity we didn't have a chance to watch Romper Stomper.

Here is the trailer again.



On a slightly brigther note - a trailer for 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 - who is well on her way to become next Cate Blanchett.
In both she co-stars with two Australian actors representing the young generation whose potential has been recognised by Hollywood.

Here are the trailers for you:

Candy (2006)



Somersault (2004)



2. Time Zones

Australia has 3 Time Zones

• EST - Eastern Standard Time
  Australian Capital Territory,
  New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania and Victoria
  
• CST - Central Standard Time
  Northern Territory and South Australia
  
• WST - Western Standard Time
  Western Australia
  

		Standard Time	Daylight Savings
1	Western Australia	+ 8.0 hours GMT	no change
2	Northern Territory	+ 9.5 hours GMT	no change
3	South Australia	+ 9.5 hours GMT	+ 10.5 hours GMT
4	Queensland	+ 10.0 hours GMT	no change
4	Lord Howe Island	+ 10.5 hours GMT	+ 11.5 hours GMT
5	New South Wales	+ 10.0 hours GMT	+ 11.0 hours GMT
5	ACT	+ 10.0 hours GMT	+ 11.0 hours GMT
6	Victoria	+ 10.0 hours GMT	+ 11.0 hours GMT
7	Tasmania	+ 10.0 hours GMT	+ 11.0 hours GMT

3. Zoos


Sydney Aquarium - Amazing - The most amazing videos are a click away

Waltzing Matilda

Original song (or at least one of its existing lyrics versions)



Lyrics and glossary.


And here is the promised version in the style of Eminem ;-)



And here you can look up the "updated" lyrics.

The letter "W"

A couple of interesting topics this week.

Let's kick off with Western Australia. This young and dynamic state offers attractions for tourists of all ages and walks of life. Click the picture below to learn the highlights.



Western Australia is also one of the most important wine regions of the country.

Australia is such a large country that almost every climate and soil type can be found. This means that we are able to produce all of the major wine types, from red wines to white wines, fortified wines (such as port), and sweet wines to sparkling wines.

Australia also has some of the oldest grape vines in the world. Many of Europe's established vineyards were destroyed by disease in the 1800s with the only survivors being the vines brought to Australia.

To learn more click the picture.




But wines are very much dependent on seasons and weather patterns. Australia has the four "traditional" seasons (though reversed - Southern Hemisphere), and in addition boasts dry and wet seasons in its northern part dominated by "tropical" climate.



(click)

===============================================

We didn't have too much time in our classes to explore New Zealand, but at least let's focus today on Wellington.



The capital city of NZ is also home to WETA Digital, a five-time Academy Award® winning visual effects facility, which created CGI for such films as Lord of the Rings, King Kong, District 9 and Avatar.


Visit their website and have a look at their effect reels, and especially commercials (Snowball is my personal favourite).


===============================================


Finally I would like you to watch a rather disturbing clip. It comes from a film called This woman is not a Car, which is a very important voice in a discussion about the role of women in Australian society in the 80s.


Read the curator's note below, and then go to Australian Screen website and watch clip 2.

This Woman is Not a Car is the film version of artist and filmmaker Margaret Dodd’s sculpted interpretations of the original FX Holden and how women are objectified by men. In 1982 she was already well known for her sculpture series of ceramic cars dressed as brides, mothers and babies. Like other feminist artists of the time, Dodds was exploring how women were trapped in narrowly defined roles of wives, mothers and sex objects.

Described by Glenys Rowe as 'the quintessential Australian horror movie’, This Woman is Not a Car is an imaginative examination of suburbia and sexual violence. It predated other films about the dark side of suburbia made in the 1980s. David Lynch’s feature Blue Velvet was made four years later in 1986.

Margaret Dodd sets the scene of suburban isolation and despair brilliantly in the first few minutes of This Woman is Not a Car. Almost immediately there is a hint of things to come when 'the wife’s’ dressing gown comes apart to reveal a car headlight instead of a breast. A picnic at the beach could be a welcome escape from the routine of motherhood but the kids’ laughter becomes loud and unrelenting and the beach is uninviting. A long, fast tracking shot pulls away from the picnic as the children devour their pies (mother?). This is the moment when the woman begins to lose contact with reality (see clip one).

On the way back, stopping to get petrol at an isolated service station, a fantasy takes shape. Four car mechanics stare at the woman as though she is their prey. What follows is a powerful scene that incorporates eroticism, humour, intimidation and violence. One man moves toward her but then veers off to make love to the car – his true object of desire. At first the analogy between the car and the woman (set up by the glimpse of the headlight replacing the woman’s breast earlier) takes on an erotic quality and it could be the woman’s fantasy. But as his mates, car fetishists, move in, they gang rape their love object, the car (see clip two). This sets off a horror sequence from the 'woman as victim’ point of view as the woman questions the meaning of marriage and sexuality. The final scenes of the woman giving birth to a ceramic car take this fantasy to its logical, painful and absurd conclusion.

In this film, the filmmaker successfully and dramatically undermines the Australian dream of the time. The suburban ideal of marriage, children and conformity is turned into a nightmare. The woman character is trapped inside this male-dominated culture. But the filmmaker is not. Margaret Dodd succeeds in making her feminist point to the audience that this woman (and others like her) is not a car!