Cultural Geography:

1. Cultural Geography: A Look at Australia, Oceania and Antarctica

2. Terms to Know • Aborigine- a native or indigenous person from Australia • Maori- native peoples from the Pacific Islands of Polynesia, including New Zealand • Strine- also known as Australian English; a unique vocabulary of English and Aborigine words, terms used by early settlers and modern slang. EX: barbeque=barbie and hello=G’day • Clans- family group • Antarctic Treaty- signed in 1959 that made the continent a peaceful scientific research site • Subsistence farming- Growing only enough for one’s need, or the family’s needs • Fale- simple dwelling with a thatched roof and open sides; found in the South Pacific

3. Satellite Image of Oceania

4. Human Characteristics • Australia and Oceania have populations with diverse ancestries- indigenous, European and Asian • Physical geography has influenced migration and settlement patterns • Migration between and within South Pacific countries has influenced population patterns and caused a blending of cultures

5. Diverse Ethnicities Aborigines Maori Indigenous people of Polynesia in the Pacific Islands Maori hunted, fished, raised crops and established villages Hold festive gatherings known as hui, in which they celebrate local events such as weddings and funerals As a result of intermarriage, many Maori today have some European ancestry • Arrived in Australia from SE Asia 40,000-60,000 years ago perhaps by ice bridges during the Ice Age or by canoes and rafts • Name was given to them by European settlers from the Latin aborigine, meaning “from the beginning” • Lived as nomadic hunters and gatherers in small kinship groups or clans • Today, Aborigines make up approx 2% of Australia’s population

6. Diverse Ethnicities con’t Pacific Islanders Asians Chinese traders and South Asian workers settled parts of Oceania during the 1800’s From about 1900-1945, Japan ruled a number of Pacific Islands, although there are few Japanese descendants • Islands of Oceania were settled by people from Asia about 30,000 years ago • There are 3 major indigenous groups- the Melanesians, Micronesians and the Polynesians. These three groups support themselves either by fishing or farming

7. Oceania Melanesia- located in the southwestern Pacific. It includes the independent countries of Papua New Guinea, Fiji and the Solomon Islands as well as French-ruled New Caledonia. Micronesia- located in the western Pacific, east of the Philippines. Independent countries include the Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru and Kiribati. The area also includes US territories such as Guam and the Marianas. Polynesia- located in the central Pacific area. Independent countries include Samoa, Tonga and Tuvalu. The area known as French Polynesia isunder French rule and includes Tahiti.

8. Europeans • From about the 1500’s-1700’s, Europeans sailed around Australia, New Zealand and Oceania setting up trading posts, settlements and colonies • Most of the Europeans that make up Australia and New Zealand are of British descent • Most notable explorer was British sailor James Cook, who took three voyages to the region during the 1770’s and claimed eastern Australia for Great Britain • Great Britain initially used Australia as a colony for convicts • Excellent fishing waters and rich soil attracted Europeans to the New Zealand area

9. Languages • The physical geography such as mountains, deserts and ocean separated peoples of the South Pacific. As a result, isolated groups developed many different languages • Of the world’s 3,000 languages, approx 1,200 are spoken today in Oceania • French- spoken where there is French rule and in French Polynesia such as Tahiti • English- major language of Australia and New Zealand • Australian English- also known as strine, is a blended mix with Aborigine words (terms that early settlers used + modern slang) • Pidgin English- a blend of English and indigenous language; helps to allow for better communication among different groups

10. Population and Distribution The region that includes Australia, Oceania and Antarctica encompasses only ½ of 1% of the world’s population Because of uninhabited land and differences in physical features and climate, Australia and Oceania’s population is unevenly distributed Antarctica lacks a permanent human population and is reserved mostly for research and exploration • Population distribution of Australia as of 2012

11. Treatment of the Indigenous Population Arrival of Europeans in Australia and Oceania had a major impact on the native population As the British spread across Australia, they forcibly removed the Aborigines from their land and denied them basic rights. In the mid 1800’s, British-Australian authorities began to place aborigines in reserves European diseases and weapons greatly diminished the native population Native structure was weakened when new farming techniques were introduced, English was forced to be learned and spoken, as well as mixing the cultures of workers that were brought in from other areas with that of the natives

12. Antarctica First sighted by Europeans in the early 1800’s, it was believed it had little or no commercial value Norwegian Roald Amundsen and his team of four men were the first to reach the South pole on Dec 14, 1911 Antarctica remained unexplored until advances in radio communication and air travel made exploration easier and safer By the 1960’s, 12 countries had established research centers and signed the Antarctic Treaty

13. Religious Breakdown of Australia and Oceania Aborigine traditions focus on relationships of humans with nature. They believe that all natural things have a spirit and are interrelated. Christianity is the most widely practiced religion in the region, brought by the Europeans.

14. Culture and Lifestyles The Arts Sports and Leisure Western style resorts attract tourists to the beaches where they enjoy surfing Traditional sports include canoe racing and spearfishing British settlers brought rugby and cricket to Australia and New Zealand Other leisure activities include baseball, cycling, soccer, tennis, volleyball and waterskiing • South Pacific peoples traditionally used art, music, dance and storytelling to pass on knowledge from generation to generation (folklore) • Aborigines and Maori had cultural traditions such as painting on rock, tattooing and woodcarving • Australian writer Thomas Keneally wrote the novel, Schindler’s List, which was later made into a motion picture movie • Famous actors- Mel Gibson, Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe

15. Everyday Life Traditional Education and Health Care Australia and New Zealand provide free, compulsory education until age 15 Students in the “Outback” receive and turn in assignments by mail and communicate by two-way radio Many Aborigines and Pacific Islanders suffer from poverty and malnutrition and do not have adequate access to healthcare • Many Pacific Islanders work as subsistence farmers growing bananas, coconuts and sweet potatoes • Kinship ties are the basis of traditional life • Fales are common on the island of Samoa • A mild climate and proximity to the sea enables people to enjoy outdoor activities

16. Flying Doctor Service The Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia (RFDS, informally known as The Flying Doctor) is an emergency and primary health care service for those living in rural, remote and regional areas of Australia. It is a non-profit organization which provides health care to people who are unable to access a hospital or general practice due to the vast distances of the Outback. The service began in 1928, originally as an experiment known as the Aerial Medical Service (AMS) which was to run for a single year. Within the first year of operations, the service flew approximately 20,000 miles in 50 flights, becoming the first comprehensive air ambulance service in the world.