More Than Just a Didgeridoo
When most people think of the Aborigines of Australia, they probably think of boomerangs, didgeridoos, and maybe Ayers Rock. It’s difficult to describe the Aborigines all at once because their traditions and culture vary from region to region. The returning boomerang was only used in south-eastern Australia and the didgeridoo was used along the northern coast. Before the British started colonizing Australia in 1788, there were more than 400 tribes. The groups that lived in the arid interior of the continent were untouched by European influence until the 1940’s.
Some say the Aboriginal culture is one of the oldest surviving cultures because the people have kept up with many of their traditions without being influenced by the incoming European cultures. Up until the 1960’s, the majority of the Aborigines were still using the old methods of using sharpened stone to create necessary products. They have also maintained their religions, which vary from region to region but have the same basic structure. The landscape plays a very important part in Aboriginal religious beliefs and prominent landmarks either represent a deity or something the deity did during the Creation Period. This Creation Period is important to their beliefs because it is the foundation for everything. They also call it the Dreamtime and they believe that dreams are a way of seeing back into the Creation Period.
The culture of the Aborigines is important to Australia because it represents the foundation of their country. Their flag is one of the
Australian Aboriginal Flag
Official Flags of Australia. They are proud of their culture and they want the world to be aware of it, but they want to try to keep as much of their ceremony and ritual as secret as possible to preserve their tradition.
20% of the land in Australia belongs to the Aborigines. How would things be different in America if 20% of the land belonged to the Native Americans? Do you think Australia did a better job at preserving the culture of the Aborigines than America did at preserving the culture of the Native Americans? Should the Aborigines be left to their own devices or should they be more integrated into modern life in order to make their lives “easier”?
–Katie Mixer
Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aboriginal_Australians
Embarrassing Rugby Score
Rugby is a full-contact sport that originated at the Rugby School in Rugby, England. It is a very important sport in both New Zealand and Australia and has become a part of both countries’ cultural identity. In Australia, there are both Rugby Union teams (15 players) and Sevens teams (7 players per team). Women’s Rugby is just as popular as Men’s and all ages are encouraged to play. 5 teams from Australia compete in Super Rugby, which is a tournament played by teams from Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.
The Parramatta Eels react to their crushing loss against the Sydney Roosters
The National Rugby League in Australia is a professional league that consists of sixteen teams, fifteen from eastern Australia and one from New Zealand. A recent game played in the NRL resulted in one of the most embarrassing scores in the league in 66 years. The Sydney Roosters scored nine tries against the Parramatta Eels that resulted in a score of 50-0. News.com.au says the major score difference was due to a mixture of excellence from the Roosters and lack of it from the Eels.
Sports are an important part of any culture. It serves as a way for people to bond over their shared teams and it also instills a sense of national pride. In international competitions, the best and worst of each country is portrayed by their fans and players. Sports offer up friendly competition between nations, regions, and cities, but it also allows friendships to form because they all have the one sport in common.
Are sports an important part of American culture? Does it shape us as a society? Would a devastating loss like this effect an American fanbase? Do you think sports are an important part of culture?
–Katie Mixer
Source:
Tangata Whenua
Tangata whenua means people of the land in the Maori language (known simply as Maori or Te Reo Maori).
The Maori people are the indigenous peoples of New Zealand and came to the large archipelago in the 13th century by canoe. They have since settled on all three islands that make up New Zealand and their culture has continued to thrive as Europeans and eventually the rest of the world has discovered the country.
Now, all races and ethnicities are represented in New Zealand and the Maori people make up only 15% of the population. This is actually a strikingly small percentage seeing as how big of an impact their culture has on the country. There are two national languages in New Zealand, English and Maori. Each language is taught in the school system and it is up to the individual to decide what language they would like to learn in. New Zealand also has a Maori Language Week that celebrates the indigenous language of the country as well as the 150,000 members of the population who can speak it.
The importance of the Maori culture was illustrated when the British Crown and the Maori signed the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840. The 
treaty was then changed and adjusted to make it relevant in modern society. A government statement in 1989 solidified these changes. The main goals of the treaty are to ensure that The Crown (the New Zealand government) has freedom to govern but must actively protect Maori interests. The treaty outlines that The Crown has a duty to consult with the Maori and that the needs of both the Maori and the wider community must be met (which most likely requires compromise). The most important part of the treaty is that the Maori maintain control over all of their taonga or treasured things. This includes land as well as intangible cultural assets.
The government of New Zealand recognizes the importance of the Maori culture, although there is always going to be some tension that exists between the two entities. The Maori people feel as though some of the government’s actions disrespect their culture and that the media is unbalanced. There is a Maori Media Network that is devoted to the Maori audience, however most people believe that this is not enough.
Sources:
Te Ara Encyclopedia – www.teara.govt.nz
New Zealand Tourism website – www.newzealand.com/travel
“Media And Maori: Competing Priorities” – www.scoop.co.nz
–Katie Mixer
Thunder From Down Under - Comm 410 Project 
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