AUSSIE DAY - Jan 26
 |
It was 1788 when the Poms sent their convicts to New Holland, well they lost their colonies in North America - something to do with tea wasn't it???? Where else could they send them. Then they remembered bloke who navigated New Holland called Jimmy Cook. Anyway, these convicts in England were sent to Australia as punishment. "For the term of their natural life". That's right, they were banished to the sunny south with acres of land, pristine beaches, clean air and the chance to form a new life in the land of plenty - poor souls.  They made the best of it and now every year on the 26th of January we celebrate Australia Day - some call it Invasion Day - that's what our Indigenous brothers call it today and they have some just cause for that. But then it's happened in many countries. Look at the Americas - Spain invaded South America, the English and the French invaded North America. The first official celebration of the First Fleet landing in Sydney Cove in 1818 - thirty years after. There were earlier unofficial celebrations by the emancipated convicts in the form of "drinking and merriment". It was Governor Macquarie who proclaimed a holiday on this 30th year of the landing for all Government workers and they also were given a pound of fresh meat. Hence the BBQ tradition of Australia Day - I imagine but that's just my theory. It was on the 50th Anniversary of Foundation Day that it was officially proclaimed an annual holiday for all. 1988 we all joined in to celebrate 200 years of white settlement in Australia with a re-enactment of the First Fleet arrival on Sydney Harbour. What will most Aussies do to celebrate Australia Day - I suspect there will be many BBQ's lit, several beers consumed and the odd bottle of rouge'. Maybe a visit to the beach for a swim on a lovely summer day. Whatever it is that we do, is mainly due to those very persecuted convicts condemned for the rest of their natural life to live in this southern land.  I might just chuck another shrimp on the Barbie - nope, I'd prefer lamb. |
Advance Australia Fair ...
ReplyDeleteHope you enjoyed the day. It seems that Julia Gillard may not have had such a good day!
Hope you had a good day.
ReplyDeleteI am sure that life for the convicts was hard, at least initially, with their thick woolly clothes and it was long before the days of sun tan cream.
Gaynor - I only just caught up on the Julia news however I believe the protest was directed towards a comment by the opposition leader is well known for the odd gaff.
ReplyDeleteIt was a very enjoyable day with perfect beack weather thank you.
CW,
ReplyDeleteI have to say it was certainly a sun cream day yesterday. And of course the convicts weren't the only ones with thick wooly clothes - so did the sheep which back then was our main industry.