Wednesday, January 23, 2008

We should know! .. Jan 23 '08

Australia

On the 26th of this month it’s Australia Day, most Australians think of it as just a day off a day for BBQ’s a holiday

They forget the history behind it they for get the history full stop, never mind about Australia’s national day

History isn’t taught in schools here only as an elective subject we don’t have a Mabo day we don’t think about the slavery the persecution of the “black fella” that went on, the poisoned blankets the murders the shootings, that the Aborigines sometimes fought back that they themselves have culture and songs and community

Culture that isn’t taught, history that isn’t taught

We are taught about the white settlers, we learn about Ned Kelly we see drovers and swagmen and tall ships , convicts and Chinese on the gold fields but the history the “black” history the dreamtime and the culture isn’t taught

There is no Black History month in Australia, our most famous most talked about is Kathy Freeman, you saw the Olympics you saw her.

We don’t have a MLK day, we don’t have marches we don’t have “months” in fact we hardly have anything at all.

If you are an Aussie you should blooomin well know!

How much do you know about Australia? Take quizzes here

If you can’t be bothered with those here’s a quick one

  1. Who is Prime Minister?
  2. In what country was the stump jump plow invented?
  3. Which states didn’t have convicts?
  4. Who is Dawn Fraser and why is she famous?
  5. How long have the indigenous Australians lived here (approx)?
  6. What was Australia called first before it got its present name?
  7. Who is William Dampier and when did he first walk on Aussie soil?
  8. Which member of the royal family went to school in Australia?
  9. Which town is named after the initiator of federation?
  10. What is the most commonly played sport in Australia
  11. How many different Aboriginal languages where there before Australia was settled?
  12. What was the estimated indigenous population prior to settlement?
  13. Who wrote the song “Waltzing Matilda”?

Painting: The Macquarie Leaving Sydney Heads by John Allcot

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