K. If all of the world´s cultural heritage (sports, music, fashion, architecture, literature, painting, etc..) was contained in a time capsule, what would you include to demonstrate the legacy of your country?

1. Edwina Nelson
IE Application 2014
Question K.
If all of the world´s cultural heritage (sports, music,
fashion, architecture, literature, painting, etc..) was
contained in a time capsule, what would you include
to demonstrate the legacy of your country?

2. Australia boasts a rich cultural history that
today underpins a diverse and unique
identity.
To demonstrate the legacy and rich heritage
of Australia, I would include 5 key items of
cultural significance in the time capsule:

3. Australian Visual Arts
Australian Architectural Icons
Australian Sports
Australian Performing Arts
Australian Fashion

5. Indigenous Aboriginal People
Australia’s oldest inhabitants, the
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people
have been custodians of our land for at
least 40,000 years, and still observe the
worlds oldest continuing cultural traditions.
Much of Aboriginal culture is about
storytelling, and teaching the next
generation about these ancient traditions.
As a result, the vital elements of Aboriginal
culture are expressed through the arts –
music, dance and painting.

6. For centuries Australian Indigenous Aboriginals had no written language, relying
instead on oral history and music to inform future generations about culture, life
and the world we live in. Music thus plays an integral part of social, cultural &
ceremonial activities.
Music

7. The sounds of Australian indigenous music incorporate
a variety of distinctive acoustics, noises, rhythms and
beats.
Songs are mostly chanted and accompanied by
combinations of didgeridoos, clapping sticks, gum
leaves, body percussion, drums, and seed rattles.
The aboriginal people created songs and sounds with
instruments that mimicked the essence of noises made
in nature - be it the flapping of wings, water running,
trees creaking, or pattering feet.
Considered the worlds oldest instrument, the
didgeridoo has become the major symbol of native
Aboriginal music. Customarily made out of a hollowed
eucalypt tree trunk, its resonance is distinct and
sounds like a low humming growl.
Mastering the didgeridoo is not as easy as it looks, as it
requires a unique technique called ‘circular breathing’
to produce the hypnotic sounds.

8. Dance
The ceremonial dancing of Indigenous Australians is another cultural custom that is learnt and passed
down from one generation to another. For them, to dance is to be knowledgeable about the stories of
ancestral heroes, as well as an opportunity to entertain.
Aboriginal traditional dance is closely associated with storytelling and is often used to bring to the
present the reality of the Dreamtime.
A recognizable aspect of dance is the body decoration or body painting of each dancer. Designs are used
to change the surface of the body to help with illustrating the story, and will often reflect the dancers
community standing, totem animals, and ancestors.

10. The artistic styles of Indigenous Australians differ between regions and groups, although the
most common forms are bark paintings, body art, rock painting and engraving, ground designs,
and dot paintings.
Much like other forms of expression traditionally created by the Indigenous people, paintings
almost always represent a story, connecting the past and present, and using symbols and
designs to depict images of the Dreamtime.
Indigenous Painting

11. Most commonly associated with Australian indigenous art are
the vibrant ‘dot’ paintings.
Many paintings, particularly those representing ‘dreamtime
stories', are shown from an aerial perspective depicting the
contours of the land with stones, plants, flowers and distant trees
that ‘dot’ the rugged landscape.
Artists use symbols and motifs to depict other aspects of nature
such as animals or rivers.
The paintings completed with the dot technique, are visually
exciting and offer a sense of movement and rhythm that bring
the flat canvas to life. Colours and patterns jump and dance with
energy, as patterns flow across the canvas to unfold a story.
Dot Paintings

13. Sport in Australia has long played an important social and cultural role,
providing a form of social cement that binds communities and
individuals together.

14. Australia’s sporting prowess has remained a distinctive feature of the nation’s
identity, with ‘Sports’ forming something of a national obsession.
Due to the climate and outdoor lifestyle, being active is part of the
Australian way of life. We love to watch sport, play sport and brag about the
impressive results Australians have achieved at the elite level.

15. Australian Football League (AFL)
AFL or ‘Aussie Rules’, is an uniquely Australian
game with roots traceable to early forms of rugby
and Gaelic football.
The rules for AFL were devised in 1858 as an
activity to keep cricketers fit during the off-season.
Played on an oval field with a spherical ball, it
involves 2 teams of 18 players each, trying to score
the most points for their team by kicking the ball
through goal posts at either end of the field.
Today the league consists of 18 teams spread over
5 states, and is the most highly attended spectator
sport in the country.
AFL has some of the most loyal and devoted fans,
which has lead to many ongoing team rivalries.

16. Cricket is among the most popular sports in
Australia, and indeed the world, mainly due
to the historical reach of the British Empire.
The Australian cricketer Don Bradman (later
Sir Donald Bradman!), is universally
considered to be the greatest player of all
time.
Bradman captained the Australian Test Team
from 1936 until 1948, where of the 24 Test
matches played, Australia lost only 3,
including beating England to win the Ashes.
Bradman was a sporting hero who in the
1930s broke many long-standing cricket
records, and today still holds the world’s
highest Test batting average, of 99.94 runs
per innings.
His exploits on the cricket field defined a
national spirit and pride, and did much for
the international profile of Australia,
amongst other cricket playing nations.
Cricket &
Sir Donald Bradman

17. Competitive Surf Life Saving
Originating in Australia in 1906 - when the worlds first official Surf Lifesaving Club was founded at
Bondi Beach, Surf lifesaving combines aspects of voluntary beach lifeguard services and competitive
surf sport.
Australian Surf Life Saving clubs regularly hold surf carnivals, with clubs competing against each other
in a range of beach and rescue oriented events including swimming, paddle boarding, sand running
and mock rescues. While some events are for individuals, many are team events with the purpose of
improving life saving skills and promoting beach safety.
Today there are 305 Surf Life Saving Clubs in Australia that collectively patrol over 400 beaches, and
coach children (Nippers) as young as 7 years old, through to the professional ranks, or ‘Ironmen’.

19. Uniquely Australian styles that have
developed over many years include:
• Bushwear
• Swimwear & Beachwear
While no single Australian national costume exists,
something of a ‘local dress style’ has emerged in
response to the unique Australian climate, lifestyle &
identity.

20. Bushwear
A practical, casual, protective style of clothing, the distinct look
of Australian Bushwear is the result of an active outdoor lifestyle
and the harsh reality of the Australian climate and landscape.
Akubra Hats
Traditionally worn by men and women working the land in the
outback to protect themselves from the harsh sun, it is now
also often presented as a national gifts to visiting dignitaries
wanting to take a piece of Australia home.
Drizabone Coat
Originating as waterproof workwear for Australian
stockman to protect from wind & rain, the distinctive style
of the Drizabone has essentially remained the same since
the early 1900s. Its durability and recognizable urban
Australian charm has made it legendary.
RM Williams Boots
Tough and durable work boots ideal for working in the
outback, on cattle farms and riding horses. RM Williams
are now exported to 15 countries, with 900 stockists
around the world.

21. Beachwear
The Australian relaxed attitude and outdoor culture
is similarly recognizable through beachwear and
surf wear.
With much of the population living by the sea,
bikinis, board shorts and loud-print shirts have
become both a distinct statement of national
identity and a source of pride for many Aussies.
Several Australian beachwear brands such as
Mambo, Billabong, Speedo, Rip Curl & Seafolly have
gained international success, and are now
distributed around the world.
These brands often include indigenous prints and
other Australian motifs of native flora and fauna to
embellish garments.

23. The Sydney Opera House
Designed by a Danish Architect Joern Utzon, The Sydney Opera House is one of the most recognizable
buildings in the world, receiving international acclaim for its design and construction and labeled an
‘architectural icon’ of the 20th century.
Today the Sydney Opera House is a national cultural centre that has gained widespread recognition and
respect as a performing arts venue.
The Opera House is often considered as one of the ‘New Seven Wonders’ of the World, and in 2007, was
World Heritage Listed by UNESCO.
“Sydney Opera House is a great architectural work of the 20th century. It represents multiple strands of creativity, both in
architectural form and structural design, a great urban sculpture carefully set in a remarkable waterscape and a world
famous iconic building.” – UNESCO 2007

24. The Sydney Harbour Bridge
The world's largest (but not longest) steel arch bridge, has become a renowned international symbol of
Australia and very popular with tourists.
Under the instruction of Australian J.J.C. Bradfield, the bridge was designed and built by British firm
Dorman Long & Co Ltd and opened in 1932.
Nicknamed ‘The Coat hanger’ because of its arch like design, the bridge contains a total of 52,800
tonnes of steel, as well as approximately 6 million steel rivets.
The bridge links Sydney City with North Sydney, and carries 8 lanes of road traffic & 2 railway tracks.

25. Thank you for including Australia!
The World Cultural Heritage Time
Capsule would not be complete
without the unique elements of
Australian history and life.
Hopefully, the previous slides have
illustrated the significance of
Australia’s contribution, and
justify their inclusion in the
Time Capsule.