Backbencher

Lecture six dealt with Aus and NZ society. The first part of the lecture encompassed slang. The exercise in class to try to figure what certain words meant was a good change of pace. Now, if I am ever lost in the woods I know to shout "Cooee!" I found the slang exercise very interesting and valuable should I ever visit. After the slang, the lecture focused on how NZ has dealt, and is dealing with it's relationship with the remnants of British culture. According to Reeves, "...NZ is also virtually without...the hereditary pauper. Ausbel, who wrote "The Fern and the Tiki" wrote that NZ had lost the British snobbery. Once again a reinforcement that NZ is the best of Britain because they have left behind the worst. Next, lecture focused on Aus and their society. Australia has an ideal of the rugged individual. In Australia, mateship, as in, close friends is an important social characteristic. Accodring to A.G.L. Shaw, Australia is an urban country, and without a lesiure class. This seems to be largely true today. After all, the outback is still largely open country. The topic of immigration was also discussed briefly in lecture 6. The influx of Asians to Aus in the 1980's and Polynesians to NZ began to make for more culturally diverse nations. Finally, the topic of sports was covered. I really enjoyed this part of the lecture mainly because it was all new to me. The super 14 and the Ashes tournament were things completely unknown to me. I actually felt a sort of longing to see a good 4 or 5 day game of Cricket.