Australiana is anything distinctive, symbolic or stereotypical of Australian culture, society, geography and ecology, especially if it is endemic to Australia or has reached iconic status, and refers also to the collecting and collections of such characteristic materials. It includes the people and their spoken accent,[2] places, flora, fauna, and events of Australian history and their two- or three-dimensional images.
Documents and realia identified as Australiana become collectable and comprise anything made in Australia or especially made for Australian use.[3] Australiana often borrows from Australian First Nations' cultures, or features stereotypes of white Australian settler and pioneer culture. It attaches to Australian identity in representing a nationalist ethos or sentiment.[4]
Artefacts collectable as Australiana include furniture, pottery, glass, bottles, printed materials, metal and wooden objects, fabrics and aboriginal collectables. They may range from elaborate antiques such as engraved and/or silver-decorated emu eggs,[5] to primitive or rural decorative arts, folk crafts, and make-do and improvised objects.[6] Objects can be generically Australian, such as boomerangs, Akubra hats, and didgeridoos, or can be common objects with Australian cultural images displayed on them.
Australiana may also refer to art with an Australian style or subject, including paintings, ceramics, crafts and coins that depict Australian imagery. Certain Australiana has become cliché, or is considered kitsch.[7][8]
Collections
Public Australiana collections are found in the state and national libraries and museums, and in university and government institutions.
The Powerhouse Museum collections include Australiana amongst its international artefacts of scientific and technological interest, and holds exhibitions of Australian popular culture.[11][12]
The State Library of New South Wales incorporates the Mitchell Library, founded on the efforts of its namesake, a collector of Australian print publications, and it houses the Sir William Dixson collections of books, maps, paintings, stamps, coins and manuscripts in the Sir William Dixson Collection, the Dixson Galleries (created in 1929) and the Dixson Library (1959).[13]
The State Library of Victoria indexes its collections of ephemera, realia, and letters, newspapers, journals and books, to assist access to Australiana.[14]
Julie & Andrew Carter's Australiana Ceramics Collection is found in the Canberra Museum and Art Gallery, Canberra
Organisations
The Australiana Society
A national body The Australiana Society,[16] an incorporated organisation based in Sydney, and with representatives on its board of directors from each state and territory, proclaims as its remit to "collect, study and preserve" Australiana: "art, decorative arts, antiques, historic items, collectables, buildings and sites, and portable heritage made in, or relating to, Australia."[17][18] It publishes a quarterly magazine, Australiana, and in partnership with the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, where it was founded, the Society awards to a collector the Powerhouse Prize for Australiana.[19]
Ephemera Society of Australia
Members of the incorporated Ephemera Society of Australia, founded in 1987, are devoted to the collection and preservation of common but transitory printed material such as labels, flyers and pamphlets, though the definition of ephemera has since expanded to contemporary material including zines and video.[20] It publishes the Ephemera Journal of Australia.[21]
International recognition
Australiana has become familiar or even iconic internationally through its export of cinema, television,[22][2][23] visual and audio arts,[24]travel industry promotions and publications, and through souvenirs sold to international, and interstate, tourists, such as snow globes or tea towels with Australian scenery or icons imprinted on them, or featuring the national colours of Australia (green and gold) derived from the nation's floral emblem, the Golden Wattle. Many iconic creatures or objects are represented as 'Big Thngs', novelty sculptures, which began in the mid-1960s with the Big Banana in Coffs Harbour, and which become tourist attractions.[25]
Subjects
Symbolism of the Outback way of life is common in AustralianaA typical Australian meat pie with tomato sauceAlthough its country of origin is a contentious issue, the pavlova is a part of the Australian identity.
People depicted in such artwork; Australian explorers, drovers, bushranger s, swagmen, Aboriginal Australians, diggers, stockmen, personify Australiana. Thus Surf Life Savers become symbolic of the nation's beach culture resulting from Australian populations being concentrated in regions on or near the coast, around the largely dry inland.
Australiana includes commercial products and brands which due to marketing, their endemic origins, or the mythology or nostalgia attaching to them, evoke "Australianness".[26] Advertisements and posters depicting these brands often develop value as Australiana as well. The following themes are examples of Australiana:[27]
Akubra hats are a staple of country people but are also seen in cities at election time on the heads of Australian politicians. Les Hiddins also known as The Bush Tucker Man was famous for the unique shape of his akubra hat.[32]
Speedos, colloquially known as Budgie smugglers, are swim briefs that have been brought to attention of the Australian public through images of surf life savers, Australian men and women swimmers at the Olympic Games and more recently the then prime minister Tony Abbott who was photographed wearing them.
Ugg boots made simply from sheep skin and worn from the 1800s.[33] The most recent version created by Australian surfer Brian Smith to keep his feet warm, and worn all over the world by Australians in the 1970's. Brought to notice by the enforcement of trademark disputes to prevent the generic use of the term.
Anzac Cove located in the Gallipoli peninsula is associated with the World War I campaign known as Gallipoli. The place was the scene of large loss of life on both sides when Australian and New Zealand troops and allies stormed the beaches. The event was a culturally defining moment.[36] Current Anzac Day ceremonies have renewed interest with dawn ceremonies held at Anzac Cove accompanied with playing of the last post.
↑Hall, William; Hall, Dorothy (2005). Carters's Collecting Australiana: a guide to Australian Antiques and Collectables. John Furphy Pty Ltd. ISBN1-876079-15-0.
↑Anderson, Jaynie; International Committee on the History of Art, eds. (2009). Crossing cultures: conflict, migration and convergence; the proceedings of the 32nd International Congress in the History of Art, the University of Melbourne, 13 - 18 January 2008. Carlton, Victoria: The Miegunyah Press. ISBN978-0-522-85711-5.
↑Winkworth, Kylie (1991). "Country Style: The Market And The Museum". In Rickard, John A.; Spearrit, Peter (eds.). Packaging the Past? Public Histories (1sted.). Melbourne: Melbourne University Publishing. ISBN978-0-522-86576-9.
↑Williams, Cameron (October 2019). "Top dogs: The ABC's 'Bluey' and Australian children's animation". Metro Magazine: Media & Education Magazine. 202. Australian Teachers of Media Inc. (ATOM): 38-43. ISSN0312-2654.
↑Clarke, A. (2017). Australia's big dilemma: regional/national identities, heritage listing and Big Things. In Proceedings of the 34th Annual Conference of the Society of Architectural Historians, Australia and New Zealand (pp. 45-56). Society of Architectural Historians Australia and New Zealand., Amy (2017). Australia's big dilemma: regional/national identities, heritage listing and Big Things. Society of Architectural Historians Australia and New Zealand. pp.45–56.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
↑Cozzolino, Mimmo; Rutherford, G. Fysh (1980). Symbols of Australia. Ringwood, Vic., Australia; New York, N.Y: Penguin. ISBN978-0-14-070094-7.
↑Williams, Cameron (October 2019). "Top dogs: The ABC's 'Bluey' and Australian children's animation". Metro Magazine: Media & Education Magazine. 202. Australian Teachers of Media Inc. (ATOM): 38-43. ISSN0312-2654.
Hooper, Juliana; Hooper, Toby (1978). A guide to collecting Australiana. South Melbourne: Macmillan Co. of Australia Pty. ISBN978-0-333-25149-2.
Cozzolino, Mimmo; Rutherford, G. Fysh (1980). Symbols of Australia. Ringwood, Vic., Australia; New York, N.Y: Penguin. ISBN978-0-14-070094-7.
National Library of Australia (March 1992). Towards Federation 2001: linking Australians and their heritage: a national conference on access to Australia's recorded documentary heritage, March 1992: background papers. Canberra: National Library of Australia. OCLC220853161.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: year (link)
Hall, William; Hall, Dorothy (1995). Carter's Collecting Australiana: A Guide to Australian Antiques and Collectables. Australia: Kangaroo Press. ISBN9780864176622.
Hambly, Elizabeth; Hankel, Valmai; Lieschke, George, eds. (2015). Australiana publications of the Friends of the State Library of South Australia: an annotated bibliography. Adelaide, SA: Friends of the State Library of South Australia Inc.
Sanders, Jennifer, ed. (2017). Collecting for the Nation: The Australiana Fund. NewSouth Publishing, University of New South Wales Press Limited.
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