Backbencher

Lecture six deals with the societies of both the New Zealand and Australia, and once again the difference of the two are shown. The two society's histories differ in origins in that Australian people see their customs coming from their convict beginning which they are proud of, where the New Zealanders see their customs coming from the need and want to form and perfect place to live. Oddly enough, even though their beginnings are different, nations societies considered themselves to be somewhat the same. Both OZ and NZ see themselves as a nation of middle class and seems that they frown upon the display of wealth. Even the people with money do not want others knowing they have it.

In dealing with the society of any nation, you must talk about sports as well. I knew that Australians and New Zealanders played sports, but not on the scale that Mr. Isern showed us. I knew that OZ and NZ were big rugby players, but I didn't know that fan level and publicity of the sport is where it's now. The popularity of the sport in each nation seems very much like football in the United States. Also I knew very little about the sport of cricket, I envisioned it more like baseball than it really is.

Overall, I found this whole lecture very interesting, mainly due to the extent in which we covered sports played in New Zealand. I would like to find out more information on what type of seasons the sports played in NZ and OZ are like, and if they are like the U.S. and if they have major drafts and trades. Another question I was wondering about was the major migration of Polynesians to NZ and Asians to OZ and why it occurred that way.