6. Society: Ashes and All Blacks

Outline of Lecture
Introduction	The argument made here is that Australia and New Zealand have certain mythic conceptions of themselves, based on their national histories, and that the resulting sense of national identity permeates the society of the two nations.
New Zealand: Handy Guys with English Accents	In New Zealand we observe a national mythology that attempts to combine the best of two worlds. In the first place there is the veneration of all things British, but tradition is modified on the scene by a readiness to adapt to local circumstances. By the middle of the 20^th century a national mythology emerged to argue that New Zealand had preserved the positive legacy of British tradition, but not its repugnant aspects (snobbery, for instance), and thus New Zealand was the best place of all.
Australia: The Evolving Legend	Russel Ward has traced the origins of the Australian mythic identity in The Australian Legend; Miriam Dixson exposes its deficiencies in The Real Matilda; and a combination of factors in the late 20^th century called the whole legend into question. These included suburbanization, immigration, urbanization, and mass popular culture. Nevertheless, a rural mystique persists in society and popular culture.
	[to be continued]

Resources
WWW	The All Blacks – rugby heroes of New Zealand
	The Wallabies – rugby heroes of Australia
	John Williamson – singer and songwriter, ardent Australian nationalist
	Steinlager – best-known (not necessarily best) beer of New Zealand
	Pictorial History of Surfing in South Australia – way cool photos documenting the Australian obsession with the beach
	Pods for Primates – a history of surfboards in Australia
	Russel Ward and the Australian National Mystique
	The Real Matilda: Miriam Dixson Writes Women into Australian National Identity
Film	Picnic at Hanging Rock – a truly haunting film by Roger Weir, 1975
	Heavenly Creatures – a story of family values, you might say
Reading

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