A SHORT INTRODUCTION TO AUSTRALIA

Australia is almost as large as the United States in terms of area but only has approximately
22,000,000 residents. There is no State religion in Australia: in the census conducted during 2011
approximately 61% of Australians identified as Christians (in 2001 around 68% of Australians
identified as Christians, 41% Protestant and 27% Catholic), although only around 7.5% go to church
regularly. There are also significant communities of Buddhists (2.5% of the population), Muslims
(2.2%), Hindus (1.3%) and Jews (0.5%) in particular, and many Indigenous people have very distinct
religious/ spiritual beliefs and concepts.

The system of government is usually described as a constitutional monarchy – the monarch of the
United Kingdom (currently Queen Elizabeth II) is also the queen of Australia (according to the
Constitution she is the Head of State and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces and she has
many other important functions and powers, though in practice the Prime Minister performs many
of the functions and powers that the President of Colombia exercises). At a conference held by the
countries of the British Empire in 1926 the final declaration stated that the British Commonwealth
was to be comprised of “independent, self-governing colonies called dominions – autonomous
communities within the British Empire, united by a common allegiance to the Crown.”

The main public holidays and festivals in Australia include Australia Day (the 26 th of January, the
day in 1788 that Britain claimed Australia as a colony), Christmas and “Boxing Day” (the 26 th of
December), New Years Day, Easter (the Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday), Anzac Day (the 25 th
of April, commemorating the participation of Australians and New Zealanders in the
commencement of a battle during World War I) and the Queen´s birthday (in June). While
Christmas and Easter are popular holidays and an important occasion for families to get together,
the religious element is not generally very strong and the commercial element has become quite
significant.

Other major events in the Australian calendar are the football grand finals (in particular for
Australian rules and rugby league – rugby union is also very popular but does not have a
comparable national competition). In summer cricket is the main sport. While netball is the most
popular sport by participation, it does not receive the same amount of coverage in the media.

# (Australian rules) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSNHSiW1kjg

# (rugby league) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbADldWCUOA

# (rugby union) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWTQmKjOXhI

# (cricket) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXdRY0V-WHQ

# (netball) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpwGDpQuLqE

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Australia Day is called Survival Day or Invasion Day by Australia´s Indigenous peoples, who
organize separate events celebrating their survival physically and culturally in spite of over two
centuries of brutal colonization. For over one hundred and fifty years they were basically
considered part of the fauna of Australia, and they were systematically murdered and enslaved.
The only mention of Indigenous Australians in the Constitution of 1901 was to exclude them from
the census. A referendum in the 1960s deleted the relevant provision, but there is still no
recognition of their rights in the Constitution. The Survival Day concerts showcase Indigenous
music and culture. Other major Indigenous festivals include “Stomp´em Ground” (in Western
Australia) and the Barunga Festival (in the Northern Territory).

# (Barunga Festival): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbiTxONzw3g&feature=relmfu

# “We have survived”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZVFfkDm7To&feature=related

# “Treaty”: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/y/yothu_yindi/treaty.html