Terra Australia Incognita – that is what Australia was vaguely referred to until the 18th century when it started to see a substantial influx of Anglo Saxon settlers. The Aborigines and the Torres Straits islanders who in total make up less than 3% of the country’s population today were the original inhabitants with records showing aboriginal presence as far back as 30,000 years ago.
Friendly immigration laws saw migrant numbers from greater Europe and later on Asia pick up around the time of the First World War. The Australia of today has of course tremendously evolved from the mysterious continent of a few centuries ago. Nowadays, Australia boasts a rich blend of cultures thanks in part to its geographical location in the Asia Pacific region.
Because of the Anglo Saxon roots of a large proportion of the population, English is naturally the national language. This does not mean that other languages are less valued in Australia. In fact, as a sign of the growing acceptance of Australia as a multi lingual society, other languages such as Hindi, Arabic and Spanish are making their way into publications and some government websites. At the moment, 15% of the country’s residents speak a language other than English. The influence of the different languages has often been cited as the driving force of what is now called Australian English.
When it comes to food, few countries have as broad a cuisine as Australia. Again, immigration has contributed substantially to this. Not surprisingly, the two most important influences are European and Asian. There are niche restaurants that only cater for persons looking for food from a particular country e.g. Spanish, Italian, Mexican, Chinese, Japanese, Indian etcetera. Then there are the general eateries and large restaurants that have menus that have more diversified menus.
Australians love their meat. And the huge ranching industry means meat is rarely if ever in short supply. Wild game meat is available too and one can eat anything from buffalo, to emu and crocodile. Wine is also considered a normal accompaniment for meals and Australia boasts some of the largest vineyards in the world.
So how do Australians dress? Well, there is no hard and fast response to that especially when you consider the different backgrounds of the country’s residents. That said, most of Australia’s more inhabited areas have a warm climate with summer temperatures that typically exceed 35C. During such seasons, few people dress in heavy attire.
Other than that, most workplaces have a general dress code mainly meant to keep a leash on what would be considered indecent. Away from work, you are free to dress as you please. If going to a function or when going out, dressing appropriately is key and is something that can determine whether you will be allowed into the function or not. Australia does not have an official national dress.
The most popular sport in Australia is rugby. Aussie rules football, conventional football, swimming, hockey and cricket are the other sports that draw the crowds during major events. The country has 12 national holidays that must be observed by all employers. Some holidays are specific to certain states. Melbourne for instance celebrates the queen’s birthday – something other states do not do.
Find out about the History of Australia
References:
http://www.dfat.gov.au/facts/people_culture.html
http://www.marimari.com/content/Australia/general_info/main.html
http://hubpages.com/hub/What-Does-It-Mean-To-Be-Australian
http://www.ehow.com/about_4579813_Australian-culture-traditions.html
