What’s Uniquely Australian??
October 17, 2008 — kt08This term, due to our inquiry we had to write a post about what is uniquely Australian. Everyone in LA:20 had to write a top 10 list of what we think is unique about Australia. These are my ideas and tell me what you think of them. Here is my top 10 list…
1- The didgeridoo. I think that the didgeridoo is uniquely Australian because it a instrument of the Indigenous Australians. They are much different to a normal instrument and sometimes it is described as a wooden trumpet.
4- “Crikey” This was a saying said by Steve Irwin, a famous crocodile hunter. Unfortunately Steve was killed by a stingray a few years ago but that is a memorable and unique saying.
5- Green & Goldsporting colours. I don’t do this but some crazy aussie fans wear green and gold for the sporting events.
7- Snags. Snags is an Australian slang word used for sausages.
8-A.F.L- It is an Australians football league. Its footy and its a pretty rough sport where you get tackled. I don’t really like footy because I’m a soccer fan.
9-Sydney Harbour bridge. This is found in Sydney, New South Wales.
10-Kookaburra- An Australian bird that is loud and makes a lot of noise.
October 20, 2008 at 5:08 pm
I live in South Carolina and the only time I have seen a kookaburra has been at the zoo. I also never heard of a snag before. Thanks for teaching me something new.
October 20, 2008 at 9:40 pm
When I was in elementary [primary] school, we used to sing songs in class. One of those was “Kookaburra” – I loved singing that song and still remember most of the lyrics even now!
Until seeing kookaburra on your list, I hadn’t thought of that song in… maybe 10 or 12 years. Now I’ll be humming it all day.
October 20, 2008 at 11:39 pm
@Pat- I am very glad that I have taught you a new word (snag) I don’t call sausages snags but there are lots of Aussies who do call sausages snags. In Australia I personally don’t see kookaburras a lot but I do see one “every now and then.”
@ Matthew K. Tabor- I think it’s funny hearing that you sang a song about a kookaburra and also that you still remember the lyrics.
(Thanks for the comment Pat and Matthew)
October 20, 2008 at 11:46 pm
Hi KT,
I love the Kookaburra too! Most people think of the Koala or Kangaroo, so I am pleased to see my backyard friend the Kookaburra included!
Did you know that digeridoo is a name the settlers made up for this Aboriginal instrument – Can you find some of the Indigenous names for this instrument?
October 21, 2008 at 12:10 am
@Cathy-A Scott -Hey, I have researched your question. I am not 100% sure that this is right but i have tried and this is my answer. -The didgeridoo has lots of different names. Australians spell it didgeridoo but I found out that the correct spelling is now didjeridu. Some of the first didgeridoos were made from bamboo & these names reflect to bamboo. Names- bambu, bombo, kambu, pampuu, garnbak & lots more. You could also research it & tell me if I’m correct. bye
October 21, 2008 at 6:20 pm
I, too, sang the Kookaburra song as a child. I don’t think I had ever even seen a picture of one, though! Thanks for sharing.
October 25, 2008 at 6:06 pm
@Nancy McKeand- Hey, Thats so cool how you and Matt both sang that kookaburra song when you were young. I also think that its funny and strange that you sang a song about a kookaburra but you didnt know what a kookaburra looked like.