Rand Kellys Influence On Australian Culture

Australia is a young county with only a hand full of folk tales to preserve its national identity. The best-known folk tales are about the mythical Australian highway men. Ned Kelly’s story is the best known. Ned Kelly was the first tale that represented the Australian identity and morals. Australia’s penal heritage helped cultivate the celebration of the antiestablishment and antihero. He and his gang helped embed many core characteristics that we define as Australian into the country. The two main characteristics he represented were egalitarianism and mate ship, causing them to become celebrities. The Kelly gang knew that they had the support of the people behind them causing them to feed the public with books, songs and photos. The most famous song was “We thin their ranks, we rob the banks, and say no thanks, For what we do. Oh, the terror of the camp is the bold Kelly Gang.” This song plays on the idea that he can defeat the government the establishments and is feared by anyone no matter their importance again fulling the antiestablishment feeling of the Australian people. His influence was so profound that when he was ordered to execution the

The image above portrays a Chinese head with octopus’ tentacles portraying each sin the Asian race has committed. In a way the Asians were used as a scape goat for all the colonies problems. In many ways, the Australian people’s malice toward Asians generated the first sense of unification Since the convicts. The anti-Asian feeling ran highest during the 1890. They ran high because It was the great depression had a strong grip on Australia and it was believed that the Asians cheap labour were replacing the more expensive Australians. This was only 10 years before federation. I believe without the hatred 0 of Asians the 1901 federation attempt would of