Cultural Contamination

. Short Reflection - 500 - 800 words

- When you write, what do you consider 'pure' or 'authentic' about your cultural background (including 'Aussie' culture, mixed heritage, hybrid backgrounds etc) that needs explanation?

Notes: This is a draft of thoughts so it is a little freeform

It's interesting to think about what is 'pure' and 'authentic' about my background because at first glance I think everything is authentic. Is this because I'm a white Australian whose been conditioned to believe that every single piece of the world i live in has been created just for me? Or is this because Australia is a literally collage of culture.

What exactly is pure in Australia to begin with?

• Well we have iconic animals like koalas, kookaburras, kangaroos, platypuses, wombats and an assortment of snakes and spiders
• Our landmarks - all the big things, Ayers Rock, the great ocean road, flinders street station and the shrine of remembrance.
• 'the aussie battler'
• 'larrikin'
• slang
• our easy going nature

Now If i'm going to consider my own background, I know for a fact that my grandfather(possibly great grandfather) purchased the property I grew up on with my parents. That means at least 3 generations of my family worked as farmers and now I look towards the city in the promise of a better future knowing full well my family have always been farmers.

I think if someone is to decide on what is authentic about australian culture they need to look at individual families and the traditions they have held over generations. 

In my family it was common practice to go out and shoot foxes but when it came my turn the task had changed. Their were less foxes now and we now had traps so the gun element became redundant.

Another instance of my families culture adapting with time is how we celebrate Christmas. The holiday was celebrated always at my Pa's house. Growing up it was always me, the only child with my mum and dad and then all my aunts and uncles and their kids. Then pa who was the host. We'd arrive at 8am and offload gifts and food and then dinner would be cooked in his old kitchen. This all changed though when my pa died. The reason for hosting at his farm was gone so now we after a solenm final xmas at his home we now relocated to my house since my mum did all the cooking most times. This didn't last long though as everyone got antsy and wanted host now that pa wasn't and obligation. This + my parents deciding to get a divorce lead to more of a rift in the christmases till the last one we had which had a poor attendance as now my cousins were all off with girlfriends or if they were there they had brought their significant other with them which changed the dynamic completely. 

I wish to argue that Australian Culture is that which we manifest in a personal lives in the rituals and habits we form. Similar to traditions though they are more adaptable to circumstance 

Cultural and family traditions evolve as Australia ages and more cultures merge into the country.

- How do you think 'cultural contamination' has informed your writing practice?

I think as a writer in Australia saying 'cultural contamination' has informed my writing is a understatement. My writing is more then contaminated. Its completely ingrained in my being as a writer. Everything from the food i eat to the films and tv shows I watch all have an effect on my creativity. I want to write stories about everywhere else but Australia. I feel like I know Australia to much even though I hardly know it all. This is because it is difficult to actual say what Australian culture is. It's fluid and invisible. It's a reflection of everywhere else.

(one blog entry).