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Mateship in Australia

            Early Australian literature has played a significant part in developing several beliefs and values that Australians consider important today. Poetry and ballads written by Banjo Patterson and Henry Lawson focus a great deal on the bush, which is now an iconic Australian trait. Australians believe in mateship and a "fair go." These values originated from convicts and early colonialists who struggled against a harsh and unfamiliar land and often unfair authority. Australia's famous bushranger Ned Kelly protested against the poverty and injustice of a British class system. This weakened the hero's fight for "justice and freedom" and has been embraced as part of the national culture and inspired many books and movies. On the goldfields of the mid-1850s, diggers were portrayed in stories and songs as heroes who embraced democracy. The Eureka Stockade, where Victorian miners struggled with an authoritarian licensing system, came to symbolize a triumph of social equality. Later, during World War I, the courageous ANZAC soldiers who served in Gallipoli gave new meaning to the expression "tough Aussie.".
             Events such as the "Eureka Stockade" and stories of the legendary bushrangers have certainly played a major role in Australia, with nurses and teachers hitting the streets and protesting against the authority. Such events that have been influenced by the past. Australian bushrangers went to extreme lengths to obtain freedom and wealth. "For we scorn to live in slavery, bound down in iron chains." The words of Bold Jack Donahue, a man who robbed the most wealthy, disobeying police along the way, wouldn't settle for anything less then freedom. A key event in developing the Australian democracy was the Eureka Stockade. Miners fought for what they believed was fair, resulting in both death and triumph. This pushed Australians to fight for what they believe in, which today has changed the outcomes of many political and social decisions.


Essays Related to Mateship in Australia

1. How Cultural Identity Is Represented In Tim Winton's Cloudstreet

... text in order to highlight their values. The ideals of land, happiness, family, home, mateship, sense of belonging and love are values confirmed by this text and are the fundamental generalised values of the working class people. A large majority of these values such as the love of the land, mateship and home are renowned to be a large part of Australia's culture. The dominance and ... endorsement of the working class in this text could be resultant of the class's Australian values, as this class is valuable ... impression that he is a bit slow always a little behind the moment. Lester...

  • Word Count: 3069
  • Approx Pages: 12
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

2. Sterotyping Australia

... Surfing, golf, soccer, surf lifesaving, basketball, hockey and the list is endless. Traditionally, Mateship was the key element of the stereotypical vision of Australia, that has been portrayed in the film Galipoli. It grew out of the struggle to survive in Australia and the need to help one another. Mateship is still apparent in today's society but it's not just the men. Women can be mates as ... well. Australia is known as a "big" gambling and drinking nation but that's not necessarily true ... . Some Australians have the once in awhile gamble and drink while others are more committed...

  • Word Count: 510
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: High School

3. The ANZAC Legend

... . The Australian and New Zealand soldiers demonstrated the spirit of mateship, courage, loyalty, bravery, sacrifice, heroism, dedication, honour, integrity, initiative and determination throughout the Gallipoli campaign as they battled against daunting odds. These traits have come to represent the Anzac legend, which is evident in Australia today be it in war, conflict or peacetime. The Anzac spirit was displayed daily ... through the eight month conflict at Gallipoli. From the moment the Australian and New Zealand troops landed at Anzac cove the spirit of courage, loyalty, bravery, init...

  • Word Count: 1118
  • Approx Pages: 4

4. THE REMOVALISTS - A PLAY BY DAVID WILLIAMSON

... The Vision of the Director: David Williamson, widely regarded as Australia's most successful playwright, has created a very controversial and very "Australian" glimpse of the Australian society during the early 1970's. A key theme in the play is the myth of the typical Aussie mateship, where every "good mate" stands by and helps another in need. Having said this, I believe that The Removalists ... sister replied to her outburst: Kate: "All this fuss about an affair. Anyone would think that I"m a nymphomaniac!" Fiona: "She isn't." In The Removalists Williamson effectively dispels the myt...

  • Word Count: 1309
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Grade Level: High School

5. Australian National Cinema

... the Australian legend, mateship and the Aussie battler.' They strongly believed that Australian film-makers needed to 'deal with the structure and fabric of Australian society by exploring contemporary individuals, institutions and issues.' Critics of the AFC genre called for film-makers to 'produce films that deal now with what it means or feels like to be alive in Australia.' These important issues ... were, however, sacrificed in the hopes of attracting a wide-ranging audience. The historical period dramas were aimed at pleasing a largely white, European-derived Australian audience. ...

  • Word Count: 7147
  • Approx Pages: 29
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

6. The Impact of Early Australian Literature

... Patterson and Henry Lawson focus a great deal on the bush, which is now an iconic Australian trait. Australians believe in mateship and a "fair go." These values originated from convicts and early colonialists who struggled against a harsh and unfamiliar land and often unfair authority. Australia's famous bushranger Ned Kelly protested against the poverty and injustice of a British class system. This weakened the hero's ... do no wrong", portrays Aussies as loyal, trustworthy folks, who stand by their mate through thick and thin. These days mateship is found everywhere within Australia, ...

  • Word Count: 744
  • Approx Pages: 3

7. Australian National Identity

... the majority of white Australians were either convicts or the offspring of one. As we heard in the lecture Historical Introduction of National identity on 18th march 2004 this promoted values like "mateship", which is still often used to describe Australians. During the 19th century Australia became a land of new opportunities for many immigrants. Probably during this period people understood the ... country as egalitarian, classless and terms like "fair go" came up. Symbols of Australia in that time were the bushranger Ned Kelly and pioneer ... the beach idea seems to have a greater imp...

  • Word Count: 1535
  • Approx Pages: 6
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

8. Gallipolli

... we, as Australians, share common characteristics which are unique to our people. While the stereotypical qualities of the Australian identity - such as the country lifestyle, family values, mateship and sport - that are evident in the film Gallipoli still exist today, they have inevitably evolved to form new variations of their old meanings. As a result of the numerous, continuing and significant changes to ... by Archie is one that is not so commonly observed today. Even in team sports, the players are not in the game for their fellow team members, they are in it for the self satisfact...

  • Word Count: 1201
  • Approx Pages: 5
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

9. The Anzac Legacy

... campaign. This legacy has shaped the nationalistic views of the Australian society, which has played a vital role in the perpetuation of the ANZAC legacy through commemoration, and has lead to a dramatic influx of patriotism within Australia, predominantly impacting upon the younger generations. The Anzac's presented specific attitudes and beliefs when they were fighting on the shores of Gallipoli ... is about recognising and appreciating the qualities such as perseverance, audacity, larrikinism, ingenuity, valour, humour and mateship that the young Australian soldiers displayed on the ...

  • Word Count: 988
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

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