Traditions

Australian Day

On January 26, all people celebrate "Australia Day" to commemorate the anniversary of the declaration of Australia as a British colony for almost 225 years.

The Australian people celebrate British crown typical festivities, such as the birthday of Queen Elizabeth II.

The Anzac Day

The most important Australian holiday is April 25. It is a crucial day for the Australian community, as the Anzac Day is celebrated, a tribute to all those killed in the wars that included the singing of the National Anthem, a prayer, recitation and silent moments.

• The Anzac Day Video

Carols at Candlelight

In Melbourne, since 1937, an event called "Carols at Candlelight" is held. People gather and sing carols on Christmas Eve.

• Carols at Candlelight Video

New Year

New Year in Sydney at 24:00 fireworks are launched in a very nice and seen by people around the world by television show.

• New Year Video

                                                                Beliefs

Australia remains a predominantly Christian country, but has no official state religion and a good portion of the population professes any religion. 6 Section 116 of the Constitution prohibits the government of Australia Commonwealth establish a religious state or interfere religious freedom.

18.7% percent of Australians said 'no religion' on the 2006´s census and 11.2% percent did not answer the question.

Earth and Nature occupied a privileged place; the sky was so underserved that most of his cosmology was based on mythology and very general astronomical observations.

Social Ceremonies

Marriage in Australia

Your wedding ceremony is one of the most important moments of your life.

To be legally married in Australia, a man and woman must:

• not be married to someone else.
• not be marrying a parent, grandparent, child, grandchild, brother or sister.
• be at least eighteen years old, unless a court has approved a marriage where one party is aged between sixteen and eighteen years old.
• understand what marriage means and freely consent to be coming husband and wife
• use specific words during the ceremony.
• give written notice of their intention to marry to their authorised celebrant.

Same-sex marriage has been legalised in one sub-jurisdiction of Australia, though the constitutional rights of territories to create same-sex marriage laws are currently pending a hearing and review of the High Court.

• Australian Marriage Video

                Social Norms

Equality: Australians believe that everyone is equal, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity or social standing. Australians enjoy equal social, legal and political rights, which are protected by the Australian Constitution.

Education: When you would like something, it is customary to say please. Once you receive something or when something is provided say thankyou. Australians are very big users of please and thank you.

Australians like their personal space. This does not mean that Australians are unapproachable, but they do like their freedom. When talking to someone, be mindful of your position. Generally an arms length is a good distance to converse with someone, any closer both you and the person may feel uncomfortable.

               Social Customs

Food

There is not an Australian typical dish, but people a lot of meat. The meat pies and barbcues are very famous. People are accustomed to eat kangaroo and buffalo meat, a lot of fish too.

Australian Barbecue Video

Entertainment

The Australian people are lover of sports and outdoors activities, which are important parts of their lives.

Main sports:

• Australian football (Australian rules football): is a combination between Gaelic football and rugby.
• Rugby
• Cricket

Other sports and activities:

• Basketball
• Netball (played just women)
• Cycling
• Golf
• Tennis
• Bowling
• Hiking
• Surf
• Swimming
• Fishing

The Australian people like to watch television and go to the cinema a lot.

Australian Football League
Video

Rugby
Video

Cricket
Video

Social habits

•      The Australian people greet friends with an informal “Hi” or “G'day” and a handshake.
•      The formal greets are a simple “Hello, how are you?”.
•      Kiss in cheek just is used between friends.
•      A lot of adult people prefer to use their first name, even with people that just meet, but their       children use terms like “Mr.”, “Miss” and “Mrs.” with old people.
•     When the Australian people celebrate in their houses, they greet guests warmly.
•     The Australian people are informal hosts. 

Common Australian Greetings Video

Other:

•    Their styles of dress go to extreme. They can wear designer clothes or simply t-shirts, shorts and     sandals.
•     Life in beach is part of the folklore.
•     They drink a lot of beer.
•      Parents help in the school of their children, if they have time. (Groups of reading, manual arts, etc. in cafeterias or media centers from schools).

Religious and profane rituals

The Catholic Mass

An Australian catholic mass is celebrated like a catholic mass in worldwide. Music has a lot of influence in a mass; that is way music is always chose carefully. The aim of an Australian mass is young people take part of this one.

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The Catholic Baptismal Ceremony

Most priests are willing to go through the ceremony with you beforehand if you are a bit unsure of what is involved.

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•           Sign of the Cross 
•           Baptismal Promises 
•           Anointing 
•           Baptism with Water 
•           Candle
•           White Garment
•           Baptismal certificate and Baptismal register 
•           Donation 

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The Intichiuma 

In some Australian tribes, they adore totems. They have positive and negative rites. For instance, a positive rite is “the sacrifice”, which is called “intichiuma”.

Every sacrifice is an act of communion and an act of oblation. The most important thing in religious ceremonies is that they put into action the community; individuals tend to approach a collective ideal. It is society which collectively is interested in rain to fall at the time and without excess, when the harvest is plentiful, in which animals reproduce regularly. Society becomes more alive during religious festivals.

The mimetic rites

Also, there are “the mimetic rites”, where people move, scream and make gestures, whose aims is imitate to reproduction of animals. 

Cosmogonic myths

The Dreaming

The Dreaming for Australian Indigenous people (sometimes referred to as the Dreamtime or Dreamtimes) is when the Ancestral Beings moved across the land and created life and significant geographic features.

The Dreamtime Documental

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The Rainbow Serpent

The serpent as a Creation Being is perhaps the oldest continuing religious belief in the world, dating back several thousands of years. The Rainbow Serpent features in the Dreaming stories of many mainland Aboriginal nations and is always associated with watercourses, such as billabongs, rivers, creeks and lagoons. The Rainbow Serpent is the protector of the land, its people, and the source of all life. However, the Rainbow Serpent can also be a destructive force if it is not properly respected.

The Rainbow Serpent Video

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Education

Australian education has international reputation for its high academic standards. The Australian education system is made ​​up of four basic levels: primary and secondary schools, language schools, technical institutes and universities.

Education in Australia is monitored and regulated by government and private agents , ensuring the highest academic standards , comfortable facilities for students , security , great atmosphere , the best staff of teachers and teaching that aims to develop suitable skills for the demands of a globalized world.

All Australian educational institutions offer a wide range of quality courses and study opportunities in all areas of knowledge, with programs supported by highly qualified teachers and advisers .Students have the opportunity to choose from a wide range of teaching and research methods, sizes and locations of institutions to meet their expectations and needs.

Education in Chile is distinguished in basic, secondary and higher education. In Chile education is governed by the Education Act 2009 (LGE), successor to the Constitutional Law of Education. The education system in their levels kindergarten, primary and secondary and technical training centers of higher education are regulated and monitored by the Ministry of Education. The Higher Education Council (CSE ) whose main functions are to rule on the application for official recognition of universities and professional institutes , verify its development, establishing systems for selective examination and accreditation , recommend sanctions and conduct studies on higher education.

The right to education and freedom of education are safeguarded in the Constitution of the Republic, however, to have legal recognition of private establishments must comply with the fundamental objectives and minimum compulsory contents (OF -CMO) prescribed by the articles 15 to 20 of the LOCE. These requirements and standards are set by the Ministry of Education the report of CSE.

Although the right to education is constitutionally protected, Chile has a number of problems related to the quality and access, especially at senior level . In the last five years there have been two major waves of demonstrations in relation to the situation of education in the country, in 2006 and 2011. The latter was plunged into a deep and active year of social protest in the country in various fields. In recent years more than 800 municipal schools closed and only 36 percent of students enrolled in public schools.

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Social Sciences

Political Sciences:

Australia is a constitutional monarchy with a federal division of powers. It uses a parliamentary system of government with Queen Elizabeth II. Currently, she is the leader of the Australian State and uses the formal title of the Queen of Australia. As the Queen lives in the United Kingdom, she is represented by the Governor-General at the federal level and by the Governors at the state level.

“Constitutional”, because the commands and procedures of the Australian Government are defined by a written constitution and a “monarchy” by the Queen.

Australia is a “federation” due to the Constitution created a federal system of government. The powers are distributed between the Government of Australia and the states of government. 

There are three branches in the Australian Government:

• The legislature: the bicameral Parliament, defined in section 1 of the constitution as comprising the Queen (represented by the Governor-General), the Senate, and the House of Representatives.

• The executive: the Federal Executive Council, in practice the Governor-General as advised by the Prime Minister and Ministers of State.

• The judiciary: the High Court of Australia and other federal courts, whose judges are appointed by the Governor-General on advice of the Council.

The Confederation Parliament is constituted by the Queen, the Senate (the upper house), which is formed by 76 senators and The House of Representatives (the lower house) that has 150 members. Elections for both chambers are normally held every three years, but just the half of the positions of the Senate, from the states and all the senators for the territories, are renewed. It means the senators for the states hold these positions during six years and the territorial senators by a period of three years.  

The party with majority support in the House of Representatives forms the government and its leader becomes Prime Minister. There are two major political groups that usually form government, federally and in the states: the Australian Labor Party and the Coalition which is a formal grouping of the Liberal Party and its minor partner, the National Party. Independent members and several minor parties have achieved representation in Australian parliaments, mostly in upper houses.

Tony Abbott was first appointed to the Cabinet in 1998 under the Howard Government, as Minister for Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business. In 2003, he became Minister for Health and Ageing, retaining this position until the 2007 election. He resigned from his frontbench position in November 2009.  Abbott led his party through the 2010 election, which resulted in a hung parliament. However, Abbott was re-elected unopposed to the party leadership following the 2010 election. He led the Liberal/National at the 2013 election. Abbott was sworn in as the 28th Prime Minister of Australia on 18 September 2013.

Tony Abbott, the Prime Minister of Australia

Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states, known as the Commonwealth realms, and their territories and dependencies, and head of the 53-member Commonwealth of Nations. She is Supreme Governor of the Church of England and, in some of her realms, carries the title of Defender of the Faith as part of her full title.

The Queen Elizabeth II

The Parliament House, Canberra

Archaeology:

Australia is really a new continent compared with the European or African continents, so there is not much information about this topic in the web. However, there is the Australian Archaeological Association Inc. (AAA), which is the largest archaeological organization in Australia, representing a diverse membership of professionals, students and others with an interest in archaeology. AAA aims to promote the advancement of archaeology; to provide an organisation for the discussion and dissemination of archaeological information and ideas; to convene meetings at regular intervals; to publicise the need for the study and conservation of archaeological sites and collections; and, to publicise the work of the Association.

Australian Archaeological Association

Kakadu National Park is located within the Alligator Rivers Region of the Northern Territory of Australia. Aboriginal people have occupied the Kakadu area continuously for at least 40,000 years. Kakadu National Park is renowned for the richness of its Aboriginal cultural sites. There are more than 5,000 recorded art sites illustrating Aboriginal culture over thousands of years.

The art sites of Ubirr, Burrunguy (Nourlangie Rock) and Nanguluwur are internationally recognised as outstanding examples of Aboriginal rock art. These sites are found in rocky outcrops that have afforded shelter to Aboriginal inhabitants for thousands of years.

Kakadu National Park

Aboriginal paintings from Nourlangie Rock

Aboriginal rock painting at Ubirr.

Bruno David: anthropological archaeologist, this profession is as much about the present as it is about the past. In interpreting artefacts, artworks, people’s stories and histories, Bruno understands that what is at stake is not just the past, but what it means to people and cultures alive today. For Bruno, archaeological research is both scientific and personal, and needs to be sensitive to scientific excellence, cultural values and ethical integrity.

Bruno David

Professor Neale Draper is one of Australia's leading professionals in Cultural Heritage Management, as well as an academic, researcher, and expert witness. He is the Principal Heritage Consultant of the Australian Cultural Heritage Management Pty Ltd, specialising in cultural heritage management.

Neale Draper

News about the archaeological discoveries in Australia:

• Australian archaeologists found a segment of stone ax 35,000 years old on sacred Aboriginal site in northern Australia, saying it is the oldest object of its kind ever found in the world. (Link)

• Australian archaeologists have discovered that the natives used tools for more than 35,000 years in a mine in Western Australia. This represents a important advance for to know their ancient past. (Link)

• Australian archaeologists have made a discovery, which shows to the first natives as the individuals more advanced in human evolution, in the southwest of Arnhem Land. (Link)

Anthropology:

The Australian Anthropological Society represents the anthropologists of Australia. The goals of the Society are to promote the advancement of anthropology as a professional discipline grounded in the systematic pursuit of knowledge, to promote its responsible use in the service of humankind, and to promote professional training and practice in anthropology.

Wilhelm Koppers (February 8th 1886, Menzelen - January 23rd 1961, Viena) anthropologist and catholic priest. 

Robert Sokal (January 13th 1926 Vienna- Stony Brook, New York , April 9, 2012 ) was a biostatistician and anthropologist Austrian . as distinguished Professor Emeritus at the State  University of Stony Brook, New York , Sokal was a member of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States , the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and Member of Honorary American Society of Naturalists.

Sociology:

Sociology focuses on the organisation of social life. It looks at how people’s lives are influenced by their opportunities and experiences; and the impact that people have on society through taking action and creating change. Sociology provides insights into the ways factors such as class, wealth, race, gender, ethnicity, age, sexuality, disability and religion shape people’s lives, but this is only one part of it. Sociology is diverse and covers all aspects of social life.

As sociologists we acknowledge traditional owners and First Nations as the custodians of their lands, in Australia and internationally. We also acknowledge the rights of all people to live free from discrimination and disadvantage whatever their class, race, gender, ethnicity, age, sexuality, disability or religion.

Friedrich Freiherr von Wieser (July 10th 1851, Vienna -  July 22th 1926, Salzburgo)

 Carl Menger and  Eugen von Böhm-Bawerk,were the founder of Austrian School. 

E. von B.

Carl Menger

Psychology:

Psychology is an academic and applied discipline that involves the scientific study of mental functions and behaviors.  Psychology has the immediate goal of understanding individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases and by many accounts it ultimately aims to benefit society.

Sigmund Freud  (May 6th 1856, in Příbor. Moravia, Austrian Empire - September 23rd 1939, in London, England ) was a physician neurologist Austrian Source Jew , father of psychoanalysis and one of the major intellectual figures of the twentieth century.

Anna Freud (December 3rd, 1895 Vienna – October 9th, 1982 London): Austrian psychoanalyst. Daughter of the famous Sigmund Freud, she made their own contributions to psychoanalysis, particularly on child psychology. 

George Elton May (December 26th, 1880, Adelaide, Austria - September 7th, 1949), was a social theorist, sociologist and psychologist en specialized industrial organization theory, thethuman relations and human relations movements.

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