Culture

Australia Music

日本語

The way of life in Australia reflects the diverse background of the population. From the first Australians to the British settlers, to the immigrants from all continents of the world, the influences of all have helped to create a unique culture.

The oldest music in Australia is the music of the Aborigines. During social gatherings called corroborees, singing and dancing provided the major form of entertainment. Songs and chants, led by a village song-man, served as the vital link to the world of Aboriginal spirits called Dream-time. The Aborigines believe that, long ago, in the beginning of time, in the Dreaming, there were no visible landmarks; the world was flat. As time progressed, creatures emerged from the ground and had the power to change at will from their animal to their human form. The inseminating powers left by these ancestors are doubly important to the people of today: firstly because the propagation of their tribe is dependent on this power to create human offspring; secondly because the food source of the tribe is dependent on this power to ensure a plentiful supply of recreated forms of the animal or plant elements.

Accompanying the singers of the tribe, during corroborees, is a native instrument called a Didgeridoo. The didgeridoo is a wind instrument originally found in Arnhem Land, Northern Australia, made from tree limbs and tree trunks hollowed out by termites. Once a suitable piece of wood has been found it is cut to an average length of 1.3 meters and cleaned out with a stick, or hot coals. Traditionally, an Aborigine would go into nature and listen intensely to animal sounds, not just voices but also the flapping of wings or the thumping of feet on the ground. The Aborigine would also listen to the sounds of running water, the wind, thunder, and creaking trees. The essences of all these sounds were played with as much accuracy as possible within the droning sound of the didgeridoo. For the Aborigine, the observation of nature immediately requires a state of empathy, which then leads to an imitative expression.

Australia's modern style of music follows a less spiritual format. Being more influenced by the settlement of the English and Western civilization, modern music takes a more "pop-culture" route. The later years of music, contributing to the country's developing culture, have brought forth such stars as Joan Sutherland, Australia's best-known opera diva, and Nellie Melba, who took her name from her hometown of Melbourne and became the world's biggest opera star at the beginning of the 20th century. She was prima donna at Covent Garden in the 1910s and 20s; although these days, Australians know her best for food items named after her, such as Peach Melba and Melba toast. Other famous names to come out of Australia are: The Little River Band, The Bee Gees, Nick Cave, INXS, AC/DC, Midnight Oil, Silverchair, and Kylie Minogue.

Though the country's aborigines have provided Australia's main cultural outlet in the area of music, the modern day lifestyle of Australia is changing towards the technological era and in result modern music and style seem to be attracting the spotlight. With many towns and cities providing bars and live music houses presenting performers of all sorts, Australia, primarily Melbourne, is gaining worldwide recognition for its popularity with the crowd.

Back