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What do you do on Australia day?

Is there an awareness in the rest of the world of what National Days in Australia (Australia Day - January 26th) and New Zealand (Waitangi Day - February 6th) actually celebrate?

  • I am genuinely curious about how much awareness there is in the rest of the world of national days of celebration held in my two countries.  For instance most Australians and New Zealanders have a working knowledge of what Independence Day (July 4th) celebrates (it was the day President Whitmore defeated the Aliens right?).  I was wondering how much awareness and understanding of our culture and history the rest of the world has?

  • Answer:

    The only national day that I'm aware of in Australia and New Zealand is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anzac_Day, marking Australian and New Zealand sacrifices on Gallipoli during WWI, and having become a day not unlike our Memorial Day. I would especially note that it was very moving to watch a video of a New Zealand army unit performing a Haka dance on ANZAC day a couple of years ago.  A moving and fitting tribute to their fallen comrades. Unfortunately, I suspect I am in a small minority of American's who are aware of the day, to say nothing of it's meaning. ETA:  Found the video.  Apparently, this occasion was not ANZAC day, and I was mistaken on that.

Chris Everett at Quora Visit the source

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Knowing the history of another country is all very well but it may not be reciprocal. New Zealand once had the best education system in the world. Sadly, once we let the idiot politicians loose, along with the politically correct, that all fell apart. At school in the 1950s-19560s, we learned world history; world geography; world politics and the national events of specific countries as well as our own, even though some New Zealand history was mythological. It all developed something called 'a broad, general and world knowledge'. In recent years in the US, I met people who: 1. Thought they could drive down to New Zealand from Seattle. 2. Thought Australia was the same as Austria. 3. Thought Māori people still ate people. 4. Thought you could get killed by lions in the country. All of this is the price of insularity and totally self-centred views of the world.

Benjamin Pittman

Yes, I know about them (and ANZAC Day) because I have been in both countries on their respective holidays. I happened to be at Waitangi House on Waitangi Day in 2005!

James M Shook

I have a couple of long time Aussie eFriends and was well aware of Anzac Day. But like most Americans I wouldn't know of it without exposure to Aussies or Kiwis.

SE Osborn

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