The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Discussion of any bush poetry topic.
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Gary Harding
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Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Gary Harding » Thu Jun 08, 2023 7:38 am

For interest.... (I hope)

Although the initial FBook post topic was about West Australian Of The Year 2023 (Mrs. Gina Rinehart) enough people were chiming in about Australian of the Year (which of course is separate) for me to record my post which I might reproduce here.... about Karen Christensen.

"Australian of the Year should be awarded to the talented Karen Christensen of Queensland who has voluntarily devoted the last eight years of her life to producing a vast number of magnificent displays for the Australian Cultural Centre Project. She has worked 18 hour days forever (she has trouble in actually sleeping) and fanatically too in order to proudly enshrine all things Australian before they become lost or deliberately overwritten.. as everyone knows is happening.

What Karen Christensen has done permanently for us Australians just defies belief.

Motivated not by money, one gets poorer by doing this, but driven solely by a profound and unwavering love of Australia that is unsurpassed by absolutely anyone else in this country! Not ephemeral speeches, posts or arms length cheque-writing. She has (and is still dedicating) what precious little time she has on this planet (and partially her health too) to OUR country.

Look, I have no problem with people being wealthy. Good luck to them. I wish I was wealthy.. however I am not. Karen frets about small things like the cost of cartridges for the printer which is not a worry if one is wealthy I suppose.
But if you choose to talk Australian Of The Year... the hard yard... working tirelessly and physically solely for the benefit of current and future generations, then that is the REAL meaning of it surely.

Wealth and Power always engender respect in others, regardless. It may be the yardstick for some people .. and that is fine for them.
BUT patriotism, tears, getting financially poorer and enormous self-sacrifice for one's country are MY yardstick. The true measure of the person. All work being done with no certainty that everything will not be literally put in the trash-can by a distracted and uncaring country. Living with the risk that years of your work to enshrine things truly Australian may all be for nothing. That perhaps in the end your country (the people in it I mean) will betray and forsake you... while effectively treating those folk who "made Australia", past and some present, with contempt too.

Accordingly if you want to talk Patriotism and Australian of the Year....and not images or fawning .... then there is only one candidate.

This post is probably quite pointless... likely nobody cares two hoots about Real Australians... but there it is anyway."


The real Australian Of The Year award is quite openly Political of course as one might expect...with criteria such as sex, age and race(!) weighed in. (Karen is not aboriginal so deduct points there, but is female so add points). I am not into that superficial, minority vote-chasing stuff, but I know Karen would enjoy at least some solid recognition.

I wish I could find some for her.

If the term "Great" belongs to anyone; someone who is effectively giving their life to promote and preserve the things that are proudly Australian .. in literature (our bush balladists), music, art, theatre, architecture (brilliant modelling), sport, even the natural world of celebrated flora and fauna, Etc Etc ... anything recognizably Australian... then it belongs to Karen Christensen.

If there is any hierarchy in the hereafter, even in the humble cemetery, then Karen will sit on the throne above the people who have the wherewithal to make it all happen for their fellow Australians.. and elect not to.

As John O'Brien said :

When at last the books are balanced in the settling-up to be,
And our idols on the rubbish-heap are hurled,
Then the Judge shall call to honour - not the "stars," it seems to me,
Who have posed behind the footlights of the world"


To me, Karen Christensen is forever one of the true unheralded stars and at least to me, she shines in the Southern Cross at night.. as the very top star!

Gary
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Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Gary Harding » Fri Jun 09, 2023 5:49 am

POSTCARDS

Postcards have always been a part of life in Australia and from time to time we will pick them up if they appeal.

As readers may recall, these cards were always being sent and received in those older days. I recall the great excitement in our house when a postcard from some friend or relative in an exotic place so distant as to seem unreal, was retrieved from the letterbox.

Some of them have a particular "cultural" aspect and because of this, a few select cards will find a modest place somewhere in the Australian Cultural Centre

The Advance Australia embossed series were produced around 1909 and I guess it is the nifty poetry aspect that makes them special. It is spooky to read the personal and yet anonymous messages they contain, 110 years after the event.

Below are three of these particular Advance Australia postcards in near mint condition from the Collection.

Verses featured.....

A Token let this BLUE GUM be
That you, Old Friend, will STICK to me
Should you, perchance, find things look BLUE,
By GUM, Old Friend, I'll STICK to you.


AND ( Wattle-lot = pronounced "What a lot" et al )

Wattle-lot of Happiness, Wattle-lot of Health.
Wattle-lot of Peace and Joy, Wattle-lot of Wealth.
Wattle-lot of Everything wherever you may be,
Wattle-lot I wish you no one knows, but me.

I look forward to seeing what Karen can do to make their presentation dramatic. Certainly they will be hugely enlarged perhaps to almost poster size, so visitors can see the detail.

These short verses remind me of a poem from my Mother's autograph book :

I wish you health, I wish you wealth,
I wish you love galore.
I wish you heaven when you die,
What can I wish you more.


I believe as most people would that Poetry can say so much in so few well-chosen words, drawn from the treasure-trove of the vast English language.
With skilful use of rhyme, meter, aliteration and the inclusion of a few other poets' "tricks", it is a very powerful and moving form of Australian expression.

ABPA MEMBERSHIP

If you find these unique thread-posts interesting and are not yet a financial ABPA Member.. then please support us, join and "feel good" about yourself.

Why? It is called The Reciprocity Principle....

"The Reciprocity Principle is a basic law of social psychology: It says that in many social situations we pay back what we received from others. In other words, if John does you a favour, you're likely to return it to him.".... in some way.

Then we can look John squarely in the eye ... and finish life with perhaps not a totally clear conscience, but clearer at least. And that is surely important when one is facing an eternity to bear it!! :)

So please patriotically join the ABPA and thereby return something... IF you enjoy the Ups and Downs of this varying post series... and the mixed fortunes of The Australian Cultural Centre Project. :) Gary
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Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Gary Harding » Sat Jun 10, 2023 11:25 am

Anyone who enjoys the Recitations of Leonard Teale (everybody here that is) may enjoy viewing our post about him and his areas of accomplishment, just added to our Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100067169599947

.. and please don't be backwards in adding your "like" if you like it, that is. :)

His cultural contribution to Australia was enormous, especially in the field of Bush Poetry, and we have no problem in enshrining him at The Australian Cultural Centre for current and future generations to appreciate (as we ALL do).

For a listen to Len reciting :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qMlbsghPhA

A recent kind donation (an unexpected surprise) of a collection of TV Times articles about him came to us from Peter Wills of Geelong, Vic.
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Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Gary Harding » Tue Jul 04, 2023 10:15 am

Before and After

Some work at the Australian Cultural Centre Project involves restoration of various items, including books. This may simply dictate the creation of a new dustjacket. We do a pretty fair job overall.

With a first edition 1933 book inscribed by Banjo Paterson requiring significant repair.. (a national treasure perhaps?)... there is no room whatsoever for amateurs like us.

It requires the enormous skills and knowledge of a professional Bookbinder in order to obtain a proper and enduring finish. You only get one shot at it.

Time to call on the services of Fred Pohlmann, Master Bookbinder. The best in Australia.

Fred is a brilliant craftsman and a great bloke too... and dedicated (as we are) to the preservation of such heritage/cultural items. He is also a Banjo Paterson fan.

The binding on this book had largely come apart as can be seen, and was in no condition to be put on display.

Thanks to Fred (and myself for, as always, personally funding the work) it is now restored for the benefit of generations of Australians to come.
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Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Gary Harding » Sat Jul 08, 2023 6:47 pm

From the Australian Cultural Centre's New Idea Collection...

The cover of the April 1944 edition of New Idea (see pics) shows a young girl in a knitted outfit with bonnet. The garment pattern is in the magazine.

A couple of years ago we decided to reproduce the cover and from time to time we would pick it up and do a bit... then get distracted on other project jobs.
Karen's Mum did the piece knitting, Karen did the embroidery and assembly. I made the replica chair in the workshop while Karen was delegated to spray it red.
The Teddies were sourced from the local Op Shop in Maryborough who by chance were selling someone's collection, so lots to choose from.

It sounds simple but there was much frustration involved in trying to do the component parts properly and with some accuracy of concept.. and then have it all hang together.

Home made clothes were, and still are to a lesser extent, a proud part of Australian Culture. My mother used to enjoy knitting and I have kept all those lovely jumpers.

Our Expo on knitting in Australia has a number of interesting display items... but this is the centrepiece.

One objective is to encourage young people to learn a bit about knitting and take it up, so it has to be made practical, fun and always colourful... not just books about it. Maybe we will have some knitting-needles and wool for visitors to have a go.

I think we have succeeded? Gary
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Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Gary Harding » Sun Jul 30, 2023 7:20 pm

This week I was showing a lady visitor the collection of Women's Weeklies from the 1930's and 40's.

Mixed in with the magazines and their lovely covers, I discovered this Women's Weekly 1949 Knitting book that I had completely forgotten about!

No idea when I bought it... or perhaps it was mixed in with some other purchase?

Not that the Australian Cultural Centre's displays will be all about the past and old things.. the Present is also important.. but the classic material, especially the wonderful old bush poets, does seem to have a unique charm.

Anyway... this item will now be part of the display relating to home knitting that is proving to be such a popular subject on our FB site. Gary
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Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Shelley Hansen » Wed Aug 02, 2023 2:38 pm

Ah yes - my Mum collected the New idea patterns and had the WW knitting book!

Definitely an essential for any housewife!
Shelley Hansen
Lady of Lines
http://www.shelleyhansen.com

"Look fer yer profits in the 'earts o' friends,
fer 'atin' never paid no dividends."
(CJ Dennis "The Mooch o' Life")

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Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Gary Harding » Mon Aug 07, 2023 7:32 am

Visiting Grahame Price who lives down the road in Maryborough Qld and is also my next-door neighbour in Hervey Bay. He has the beach-house next door to me.

Grahame as mentioned previously is a fellow collector of things.

He loves old lamps, antique furniture, anvils, antique axes and old horse-drawn wagons which he restores. I think these items derived from his childhood memories where he had an association with them.

Grahame has a passion for old wood-stoves and restores these immaculately. From a heap of rusty castings he conjures up lovely stoves. He even makes wood-patterns for casting the parts he cannot find.
He has installed three old stoves in his humpy (see photo). Appropriately they are Scotia's, made locally in Maryborough.

It was his repro outhouse or "thunderbox" (lovingly made) which provided the basic design for the model I built. He has advised me on restoration of various cabinets and other things that will hopefully find their way into The Australian Cultural Centre.

Plus he has occasionally bought items at auction for me.

Aren't the stoves lovely, especially in this setting!?
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Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Gary Harding » Tue Aug 15, 2023 9:45 am

I might reproduce an extended FB post, taken from The Australian Cultural Centre

As fellow Bush Poetry enthusiasts might know, a number of famous bush poets had a go at writing passionately about the Old Bush School.

As a topic for today's writers, it offers a great opportunity to showcase one's talents... or lack of in my case when I had a go at it years ago.
School is an integral part of everyone's life so it is "cultural".

These days I believe that in order to succeed one needs to be "out there" and "in people's faces". There is just so much competition for attention and support, and therefore it is the loudest voice that wins. I really dislike doing that, and so does Karen Christensen. You have to be a persuasive and pushy sales person, and that is not me. Rather be happily making displays ...anyway...

Also had a recent visit from Jade Wellings, a Fraser Coast Councillor. Upon leaving, she took a quick video grab for posting of some things set out in the very big room downstairs for visitors and friends. All very "cluttered" of course but a bit of fun.

https://www.facebook.com/reel/241564748279796

................
FBook

Below are glass slide photos from our lovely display relating to The Old Bush School.
I bought this box of slides on spec at auction for a few dollars... and what a surprise it turned out to be! Photos from the 1890's of children and Mums at their school. Little Australians, and not seen for more than 120 years. What luck this was!! A real FIND.

....................

OUR BIG PLEA FOR HELP

"In order for this vital, advanced, national Project to succeed, it urgently needs the experienced Captaincy of a dynamic Partner of Patriotism and high Financial Means. Someone who also shares this noble Vision for Australia and is a Friend too.

An Extraordinary and experienced Person... tough and determined too because there will be constant challenges along the path to completion. It is a love for Australia and its proud achievements that drives one to want success. Patriotism.. in its highest form because, like a war, it involves sacrifice of precious time in one's life for a noble Cause that benefits Others. This applies even if a Project Manager is delegated.

The Australian Cultural Centre is intended to be a monument to Australia and all it has achieved. It is both major and permanent. It represents the one and only chance to proudly enshrine Australia's achievements before they are all denigrated, over-written.. and finally destroyed - as they surely will otherwise be. Nobody else could do it. The Collection and presentation skills are unique. This is Australia's one chance. No comebacks.

What could be more important for our great Nation??

Karen and myself are producers of excellent presentations but also by being so focused and intense, we make mistakes along the way.

For example... our love of Australia and likewise our hatred for those people whom we see trying to destroy or over-write the things we admire, can occasionally distract. A Partner's experienced Project Manager would no doubt happily keep us all focused as a Team.

In the end, you earn the gratitude of future generations of Australians to whom you have bequeathed a real National Identity and a preserved Culture.

If Banjo and Henry Lawson are among one's admired Australians, then they would certainly at least in spirit raise their glasses to you as their Mate. Henry would likely raise two glasses! to all of us.
Can we and our fellow Australians ever be so incredibly fortunate to find such a wonderful super-Special person. We have done the hard yard for eight years... often working dawn to dusk. Can it all be allowed to fall by the wayside?

If anyone please knows of such an outstanding Person, or someone who might know such a great Patriot, then maybe mention us to them, please. If there are any suggestions, we welcome those too.

It all helps! Gary "
........................

*I do not know who reads this ABPA post series.

Maybe someone who is the personal friend of an Australian (or American or English or Jewish family..or Anyone!) of great patriotism and financial means?
If so, it might be in your power to please facilitate the rescue of Australia's Culture and National Identity... for current and future generations.
If you know Mr. ***** or Mrs. *****, please mention us and our important Project.. and urgent need!
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Re: The Spoken Word in Bush Poetry

Post by Gary Harding » Sun Aug 27, 2023 7:37 am

Maryborough is half-an-hour drive out of Hervey Bay and is promoted as a heritage city. There are a number of nice buildings etc.

However its hidden heritage treasure lies in its extensive underground community of outstanding "collectors" with whom I am gradually becoming more familiar.
I say underground because many are private and you get to know them and see what they have only by being passed along from person to person if they like you. "Oh you must see George's collection of.... I will introduce you" etc

Last week we visited John's small museum. I happened to meet him at Grahame's house where we got talking and an invitation resulted.

Apparently bus tours stopped at his house once but it is no longer open to the public. When he bought his property years ago, it had an early cottage with many old items which he presented. A WW1 digger lived there for 62 years and all his belongings came with the property.

It was a privilege to visit and the occasion was special. There was not much that would be of particular use to the Australian Cultural Centre project... a few things perhaps.

At the end he gifted me a framed postcard from WW1 which had a lovely inscription on the back... a nice honour!!

John is getting to be a bit of "an old bloke" now as is common with collectors in Maryborough.

It is too big a story to relate here but it was fascinating. I was so distracted with what was on show that I forgot to take photos. However I did manage to capture the plaque on his front stone fence. (see pic).

John is a geologist and one of the stones on his front fence contained what he believed to be the world's oldest fossil. It was a stromatolite. One could readily make it out, but it would not be visible unless it was indicated to you.

*"stromatolites are stony structures built by colonies of microscopic photosynthesising organisms called cyanobacteria".
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