Australian Culture: the Multicultural Societies in the World

Imagine a place where you can start a new life, a place which also embraces and celebrates where you come from. That’s Australia, one of the most multicultural societies in the world. Australia’s diverse culture and lifestyle mirror its liberal democratic traditions and values, geographic closeness to the Asia–Pacific region and the social and cultural influences of the millions of migrants who have settled in Australia since World War II. Migrants have contributed to almost every aspect of Australian life, from business to the arts, from cooking to comedy and from science to sport. They, in sequence, have adjusted to Australia’s tolerant, informal and well balanced society.

What defines today’s Australia is not only the cultural diversity of its people, but the extent to which they are united by an overriding and unifying commitment to Australia. All Australians are free to express and practice their culture and belief and to take freely part in Australia’s national life. Meanwhile, every Australian citizen is expected to respect and endorse the principles and shared values that support Australia’s way of life. This includes creating a spirit of a commonwealth that embraces tolerance, mutual respect, and compassion for those in need. Australia also persuades tightly the opinion that no one should be treated unequal due to its country of birth, language, cultural heritage, religious belief or gender.

If one could draw a stereotype picture of an Australian, some people would picture an aweless with no understanding of authority person, whereas other would say that Australians are mostly law – abiding or even conformist. Some people, mostly those living overseas believe that all Australians live in the Australian outback or the bush. But there are also others that see Australians as people who believe in the principle of giving people a fair go and standing up for their mates, the disadvantaged and the underdog.

All people in Australia are animated to learn English, which is the national language and an important unifying element of Australian society. Generally spoken, English is Australia´s national language but there are some specific words and expressions that have become regarded as uniquely Australian through common usage. The utilization of these colloquial or slang words, often combined with an Australian sense of humor that is characterized by irony and a portion of rudeness, can sometimes cause confusion for international visitors. However, other languages rather English are also appreciated in Australia. In fact, more than 15 per cent of Australians speak languages other than English at home. The most commonly spoken languages after English are Italian, Greek, Cantonese, Arabic, Vietnamese and Mandarin. Australians speak more than 200 languages, including Indigenous Australian languages.

In terms of religious worship Australia is a predominantly Christian country, with around 64 per cent of all Australians identifying as Christians. However, most other major religious faiths are also practiced, reflecting Australia’s culturally diverse society.

Indigenous Australian culture

When speaking about the Australian culture one should also mention the Indigenous Australian culture. This also contributes to the cultural diversity of Australia. Long before the arrival of European settlers, Indigenous peoples had resided the Australian continent for up to 60 000 years. They had complex social systems and highly developed traditions reflecting a deep connection with the land. The cultures and traditions of Australia’s Indigenous peoples are integral to contemporary Australian society and go to the heart of Australia’s identity as a modern nation state with a rich and ancient heritage. In modern Australia, many Australians who identify themselves as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander have both Indigenous and non-Indigenous ancestors.

Spirituality in the indigenous culture

Most Indigenous belief systems focus on the ‘Dreaming’ or ‘Dreamtime’ to explain life and the origin of the world. In the Dreaming, ancestral beings created features of the land, sea and sky, as well as humans, animals and plants. The Dreaming describes the actions and travels of these beings. They also believe that some humans transformed themselves into features of the landscape, like the Three Sisters rock formation in the Blue Mountains. These beliefs have guided every aspect of Indigenous peoples’ lives and relationships with the land. They are to be found in traditional stories, music and artwork across the continent.

Art and culture

Australian Indigenous art is one of the oldest everlasting art traditions in the world. The earliest Indigenous art forms were paintings and engravings on boulders, rock shelters and cave walls, some of which date back 30 000 years. Contemporary Indigenous paintings are the most recent expression of this tradition, which is now celebrated in Australia and abroad. Body painting, tree carving, bark painting, weaving and sculpture are other traditional Indigenous art forms. Contemporary Indigenous art also includes printmaking, fabric printing, ceramics and glass-making. Indigenous peoples have a bright musical tradition and celebrate the achievements and journeys of their creator ancestors in ceremonial song and dance. Traditional Indigenous music was mainly vocal but musical instruments like didgeridoos were used as accompaniments. Today, Indigenous performing arts feature in cultural festivals across Australia. As time passes, new styles of Indigenous music have developed and merged with other musical genres, like rock music. Muslims in Australia

Another Religious group has a big impact on the Australian culture. Muslims in Australia have a long and varied history that is thought to pre-date European settlement. Some of Australia’s earliest settlers were Muslim, from the east Indonesian archipelago. Muslim Australians are an extremely diverse group. At the 2006 Census there were more than 340 000 Muslims in Australia, of whom about the half were born in Australia and the balance born overseas. In addition to migrants from Lebanon and Turkey, the other major source countries are Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iraq and Indonesia. Since the 1970s, Muslim communities have built many mosques and Islamic schools and made vibrant contributions to the multicultural fabric of Australian society. The following chart illustrates the growth of Muslims and other non-Christian religious affiliations.

Growth in Australia’s Muslim and other non‑Christian religious affiliations 1981–2006

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics 1981–2006 Census of Population and Housing

Arts scene

Australia has a dynamic arts scene that reflects both the nation’s Indigenous cultural traditions and its rich mosaic of migrant cultures. All forms of the visual and performing arts have strong followings, including film, art, theatre, dance and music. The art of writing has a strong tradition in Australia. This culture started with the storytelling of Indigenous Australians and continued with the oral stories of convicts arriving in Australia in the late 18th century. Australia has one Nobel Prize for Literature to its credit, with novelist Patrick White receiving the award in 1973. Cuisine

Australia has one of the most assorted cuisines in the world, thanks to Asian and European migrant influences. Australians enjoy a huge range of food in restaurants and homes, reflecting the country’s cultural diversity. Southern Europe has combined with Asia and the Pacific for new flavours and tastes. Italian, Chinese, Indonesian, Japanese, Greek, Thai, Malay, French and Vietnamese restaurants are common, particularly in the capital cities. Middle Eastern flavors are also rapidly emerging, with Moroccan and Lebanese flavors being mixed with local ingredients in mainstream cooking with hugh success. Traditional Australian bush tucker is also becoming more common, particularly in northern Australian restaurants, where kangaroo, buffalo, crocodile and emu can often be found on menus. Historically, there has never been a cuisine typically labeled as Australian. Instead, Australian meal has evolved with the distinct layers of flavors that each new culture has added.

Australian people and sports

Australians love sports. Both playing it and watching it. Due to the relatively nice climate, Australia is a country where people spend a good deal of time outdoors at beaches, in the countryside or on sporting fields as either spectators or participants.

A recent national survey showed that more than 11 million Australians aged 15 or over participated at least once a week in physical activity for exercise, recreation and sport. The most popular physical activities are cycling, tennis, golf, running, football, rugby, hockey, baseball, car racing, horse racing, sailing and snow skiing and surfing. The most watched sports in Australia include Australian Rules football, a uniquely Australian game with roots derivative from early forms of rugby and Gaelic football, rugby league, rugby union and cricket.