Australians celebrating their ethnic heritage on Australia Day. Photo © Chris Phutully, licensed Creative Commons Attribution.
On January 26 each year, Australians display pride on the day when the first fleet landed in Sydney Harbour, bringing the first European settlers to this country. Weeks before, shops go crazy with flags and all sorts of dress-up paraphernalia, including simple hats, facial tattoos of the flag, “thongs” (flip-flops), T-shirts, house decorations, and car stickers. Everything and everyone is decorated in green and gold or draped in the flag, and then there is the party to organize…Everything and everyone is decorated in green and gold or draped in the flag, and then there is the party to organize; this is a day to be shared with “mates” (friends). Backyard cricket, a decent barbecue, and plenty of “tinnies” (beer) are a must, along with a good supply of Aussie music: Men at Work’s Land Down Under, John Farnham’s True Blue, INXS, and even Kylie Minogue are on the playlist, together with a group rendition of Waltzing Matilda and the chant “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie,” answered with “oi, oi, oi.”Each city holds a parade where anyone in the spirit can march, but mostly there are clubs of the countries whose emigrants make up Australia as it is today: Everybody dresses up in their country’s traditional garb but carry the Australian flag to show their new allegiance. There are sheep-shearing contests, exhibitions of anything from classic cars to indigenous animals, and everybody is out and about in the morning before heading home to party. The evening sees fireworks lighting up the skies, and the cheering, singing, and drinking continues through the night before hangovers are treated with big breakfasts over the long holiday weekend.
Excerpted from the Second Edition of Moon Living Abroad in Australia.
