February 2008

Here is an article written by our partner in Bhutan whilst on a recent visit to Australia.

Today has been a typical summer day on an Australian beach, as the strong sun warms the Pacific Ocean, the wave’s crash on the banks of the golden sands at rhythmic intervals while overhead the Silver Seagulls catch the cool breezes and land with complete ease on the beach. The scene is picture perfect.

But today there are more people then seagulls on Newport Beach in Sydney, as this day 26th January is an important holiday in Australia. The day in Australia is celebrated as “Australia Day” and is the nation’s biggest day of celebration. On this day in 1788 the first migrant’s of 1500 people; most of them convicts arrived in boats in Sydney Harbour.

On Australia day, Australians from all walks of life always congregate in pubs, parks and beaches to reflect on their ancestor’s journey and to celebrate the greatness of their country. On this day they take pride in being an Australian and then re-dedicate themselves to making Australia a better place.

The Australians are much like the Bhutanese. With a similar outlook on life they work hard and know how to party hard too. On the 2008 Australia Day, I joined four members of a Bhutanese delegation to celebrate Australia day in a de-facto Bhutan house in Newport Beach in Sydney.

At lunch comfortably clad in our surf shorts and in the company of numerous well wishers of Bhutan, we drink Victoria Bitter Beer and Penfold wines were quaffed as we savor the main meal of salad and roasted turkey. At the lunch table making and maintaining conversations was not difficult as it came naturally and the laughs heard on the beach house that day would have been the heartiest.

Australia is a good example where people from different nationalities live in harmony and co-exist peacefully in diverse climate, geography and history. The people here accept cultural diversity as the strength of the nation. Race vilification is considered a serious offence, but they are exceptions like everything else in life.

The Aussie’s take pride in being able to build a nation founded on a tolerant and inclusive society embracing the goodness of diverse cultures. An Indian doctor who migrated to Brisbane told me, “The Aussie will let you have a go at everything,” but was also quick to point out the “Tall Poppy Syndrome.” Even the former Prime Minister remarked, “If there’s one thing we need to get rid of in this country it is our tall poppy syndrome.” The Tall Poppy Syndrome is distinctively an Australian negative trait, which refers to the cutting the head off the tallest poppies so that none stand out from the crowd. In human terms it refers to those people who like to elevate their importance by bringing down others.

However, the average Australian is spontaneous and generous with their praises of a success of a friend or a neighbor. They can till maintain their positive attitude even after drinking their beers. “Good on you mate,” is a remark that is common for encouragement. Mistakes are reciprocated with statements such as, “No worries mate” or “That will be all right mate.” Mateship is an old Australian tradition that has been practiced to perfection over time. Mateship is a residue of the colonial times when men worked closely together and relied on the community strength for their survival and growth in the remote Australian bush. This tradition is still an important fabric of the Australian society reflecting the positive nature of the people living in the continent in the southern hemisphere. Even parents refer to their children as mates and the word has no gender.

Australia is an old country but a relatively new nation; only formed in 1901 after the arrival of mass migrants from many parts of the world. The founders of the nation learnt from other countries mistakes and wanted this new nation to be harmonious, united and egalitarian.

According to schoolbook version of Australian history the founders had progressive ideas about human rights, the observance of democratic procedures and the value of a secret ballot. These ideas were put to the test in 1930, during political crises, but principles of democracy prevailed when General John Monash stated “There is not too much wrong in Australia that the ballot box and a good education system will not fix.”

The results of the vision of the founders can be translated in the unity of Australians. The former Prime Minister, John Howard statement in 1987, which was used subsequently, when he lost the federal elections, reflects the soundness of a great democracy. Howard congratulated the leader of his opposition shook his hands and said, “The things that unite us far outweigh than the things that divide us.

The Australian unity is also often demonstrated on the sports grounds. Australia is one of the biggest sporting nations on the planet and it is no surprise that sports is the greatest factor that unites Australians regardless of color, creed or race.

Since the election of the new Government, Australia has made history by the parliamentary apologies to the Stolen Generations. Australians have just come to terms with the dark aspect of their history such as the harsh treatment of the aboriginal people by the first migrant settlers and the “white Australia policy” that gave preference to the ‘white’ European migrants over others. In the opening of the National Parliament this year the aboriginals applauded their Prime Minister when he apologized for the wrong doings and then committed to right the wrong marking a new chapter in the history of Australia.

The success of the Australian society is largely due to willingness to set difference aside and share common values and to co-exist without letting the past affect their duty to the nation and its future. Although Australians admire courage they are wary of foolhardiness and while Aussies love fun and are known for their calmness they don’t like lavishness and waste.

The diversity of Australia is amazing. The culture and customs, the traditions legends, myths and folklore are drawn from a rich tapestry of nationalities. While indigenous 'Dream time' legends and stories form the base of tens of thousands of years of spiritual aboriginal art and culture, Ned Kelly a former bushranger (lived in the early nineteenth century) is revered as one of the most important historical figure of Australia.

Australia-Bhutan bilateral relations have progressed from very modest beginnings to today's very active and full cooperation. In 1962 Bhutan attended her first international meeting in Melbourne and as a result was subsequently admitted as a member of the Colombo Plan; a move which helped Bhutan advance efforts to modernize and play our part in international affairs

Even before the establishment of diplomatic relations and the formation of the Australia Bhutan Friendship Association in 2003, Australia has always been a caring friend and a strong supporter of Bhutan's endeavor to end its isolation and improve the livelihoods of our people.

Today, Australia's is one of Bhutan’s committed development partners providing assistance that covers many sectors though education forms the cornerstone of the relationship between the two countries. Since the 1960's, over 1100 Bhutanese have received education in Australia through programmes like the Colombo Plan, scholarship schemes such as AusAid, Endeavor and Australian Leadership Award. Today many of the Bhutanese alumni of Australian schools, technical institutes and universities hold very senior positions, both in the government and the private sector.

Australia is the sixth largest country in the world in land mass yet has a population of only 21 million people with the lowest population density per square kilometer of any country. Perhaps this is why Australia is still the pride of the naturalist with its wonderful beaches, crystal blue waters, ancient rock formations and pristine rainforests. Australia has 16 world heritage listed sites.

The irony of Australia is although she is surrounded by water, the greatest worry and shortage is water. Due to shortage of water most people live along the coastal regions from Adelaide to Cairns with very little people living in the heart of the land. The low rainfall and the high evaporation make Australia not only the driest continent in the world but also the most vulnerable country in the world to bush fires.

Farmers use all means to harvest water and build dams to even trap a small spring. Urban architects take great pains to design the house to harvest rainwater and then use several ways to sort out the water. The people are conscious of the use of water and accordingly use it wisely. For example, the wastewater is recycled and judiciously used to water the lawns. To economize the use of the water, toilets have two flushes, a half and full and the flushes are used only when absolutely necessary. There is such a great shortage of water that often water restrictions levels are increased making it difficult to maintain gardens and wash cars.

In Australia over 200 different languages and dialects are spoken, including 45 indigenous languages. However, the most commonly spoken and understood languages is the “Aussie English”. The Aussie spoken English is peculiar and not easily understood by even English speaking people. The nasal twang and blending of words and consonants are characteristic of the accent. As much as it is a nightmare for an English grammar teacher, it can be a source of great hilarity. An example of the Aussie vernacular can sound almost Greek, “After drinkin a cuppa at brekkiea a bloke and his mate wear a Beanie each and go to the creek to fish and have a couple of stubbies.”

I love Australia for many reasons. The minute I land in Sydney’s Kingsford Smith International Airport I can not only feel the warmth of the salt breeze but also the warmth of the people who seem to wear their heart on their sleeves. It is common for Australians to wear their sleeves rolled up just like we Bhutanese fold the sleeves of our gho when a tough task has to be done-showing that we are serious and committed to what we do. One example of this Australian attitude is the recent signing of the Kyoto Protocol in accordance with the promises of the election campaign of the new government.

Like the Bhutanese the Aussies too are masters in the art of sarcasm and use it liberally in their day-to-day conversations often confusing visitors. During my numerous travels to down under I have observed that the people here are happier and less intense and think, “Life is a beach” summing up their casual outlook on life.

So it is no surprise that a few weeks after the celebration of Australia day, I am back at Newport Beach soaking the sun on the golden beach, long after the Bhutanese delegation have left. I watch the sunset on the horizon of this country that both foreigner and Australians refer to as ‘down under’ (because it is below the equator). I notice and watch anxiously as a sailboat struggles to negotiate the wild winds and rough tides until my mate smiles and says, “She’ll be all right mate!”

Return to Bhutan tour page.

Tshering Tashi

www.australiabhutan.org.bt