The Sports Loving 'Aussie'
Culture and communication provide the foundations for everyday life, impacting how we construct and share our ideas, beliefs and feelings towards one another (Liu, Volcic & Gallois. 2015). While there are over 200 ways to define culture, Antonio Gramsici expresses culture as “the creative meaning-making process, constantly being produced and reproduced by multiple groups,” (Liu. Et. Al. 2015). Within each culture, there are many areas and subcultures that contribute to how we function within society. Culture, according to Carley Dodd, can be deconstructed into three elements; the inner core, cultural activities, and institutions within culture. Elements of identity, beliefs and customs, will be explored in relation to the culture that has become prevalent in my life. The theoretical model conceptualizing identity, emic and etic approaches, and the attribution theory will be used in conjunction to fully understand such cultural growth. Using concepts from Dodd’s theory, I aim to reflect on the accomplishments and experiences that have shaped my cultural upbringing, allowing me to become the person that I am today.
Having been born in Queensland, Australia, to an English mother and Australian father, most of my life has been focused around the diverse nature that is Australian culture. This diversity in our culture leads to different passions for every individual, whether it is sport, camping, politics, or engaging in one of the many cultural activities that Australia has to offer. In the 18 years that I have lived in Australia, sport has defined who I am as a cultural being within our society, having an impact reaching further than just the pool or field. Citizens across the world have embodied the power that sport has to bring a nation together and the rivalry that it can create between countries, providing striking similarities to religious followers (Barber. 2011). As Australians we have a plethora of national sports that make up our cultural identity, whether it is the Australian Football League (AFL), National Rugby League (NRL) or A-League soccer, as well as the Olympics, taking place every four years, sport has the ability to unite our sense of national pride. My identity is largely shaped on my love and passion for sport, something that has been passed on from generation to generation within my family. For as long as I can remember, Friday nights have been spent watching the NRL game that is on television, Saturday’s were spent playing a game of soccer or water polo with my respective clubs and Sunday afternoons were enjoyed by sitting back and watching an AFL game that was on the television. When it comes to the NRL’s State of Origin, I am drawn into supporting my home state, Queensland, feeling an overwhelming range of emotions towards the game and the outcomes that occur. Our identity is shaped on two modes; the first being, self-awareness allowing personal continuity to occur and the second happening from the primary relationship, differentiating between the self and the Other (Liu. Et. Al. 2015). Being the ‘sports loving Aussie’ that I am, my identity and thus my culture is largely based around the differentiation between my opinions and those around me. Thus, my cultural identity is the product not only of my family heritage but also of my state and nation, forming an undeniable love for sport.
Our cultural understandings are often linked and associated with the beliefs that we have regarding certain elements of everyday life. Traditionally our beliefs are associated with what our religious affiliation is, but in our ever changing multi-cultural society, our beliefs branch further than what is expected, impacting how we understand events. Every individual has their own set of beliefs, which are the representations for their specific cultural window (Liu. Et. Al. 2015). Growing up, my beliefs have always been strongly centred around what my family considers to be right and what they see as being wrong. This has carried into how I approach sporting matches both as a player and as a spectator. On many occasions, my beliefs have meant that I speak my mind when I see something that I don’t see as correct. Practicing these principles on a regular basis allows me to grow within a culture that shares similar beliefs, despite sometimes offering diverse opinions. The cultural normality that sport gives has led researchers to believe that the citizens of Australia practice a new form of religion ‘Sportolocism’, centred on the love for sport (Roar. 2011). For centuries, Australian culture has been moulded to comply with our love for the ‘sun, surf and sand’. Embracing these loves has centred our society on beliefs that most other people and societies could not understand. Sports fanatics flock to stadiums to witness their heroic gladiators battle it out on the football field, while in Melbourne a public holiday takes place to celebrate the illustrious Melbourne Cup. Our Australian sporting beliefs are of emic approaches; un-comprehendible to many who look on from an outsider’s perspective (Liu. Et. Al. 2015). While many other cultures embrace sport with a national pride, none match the passion that Australians bring. Therefore, my sporting passions have largely been based around my beliefs that stem from the Australian culture.
As Australians we have many rituals and customs that are native to our homeland, and specific to the cultural environment that has been created within our nation. The sporting arena has not shied away from forming certain rituals that have become essential to how we view our identity. These rituals and customs are events that have become symbolic for my family and the formation of my cultural being, impacting how and when I do certain things. The last weekend in September is notoriously known within my family as the ‘finals weekend’; two days of fantastic athleticism demonstrated by the crème da la crème of AFL and NRL teams. Over these two days, multiple televisions are on starting the broadcast well before kick-off, the surround sound system is glaringly loud and there are ‘Four and Twenty’ meat pies in the oven ready to be devoured at half time. These annual rituals, that have been practiced for many years, have highly influenced my culture and the events that I deem to be important. However, these rituals are not limited to two sporting codes, but branch much further into how the ‘sports loving Aussies’ culture is maintained. Similarities can again be drawn between sporting rituals and religious practices, as it is believed that singing the national anthem to commence a game, or an Olympian winning a gold medal, has similar psychological effects as singing church hymns (Barber. 2009). For many Australians, myself included, this would be the case, revealing the overwhelming sense of pride to be an ‘Aussie’ sports fan. These ritualistic practices focus how attribution can be used to describe how we perceive our beliefs as everyday norms. Our internal attribution is the formation of behaviours towards certain circumstances, namely in relation to personality and beliefs, while external attribution is driven by the causes towards a person’s behaviour (Liu. Et. Al. 2015). The general perception towards Australian sports fans is one largely centred around our ritualistic devotion to our favourite teams and national pride. With this perception, it is not difficult to understand why Australians are so passionate towards important sporting occasions and the rituals that take place, a highly relevant aspect towards the shaping of my cultural identity.
As a sporting culture and society, there are a few iconic events that are celebrated nation-wide. As previously mentioned, the last weekend in September brings together the best athletes in the NRL and AFL, a weekend that proves my cultural passion and loves towards particular games. The first Tuesday in November celebrates the Melbourne Cup, an iconic sporting event in Australian history. With a public holiday in Victoria, the Spring Racing Carnival’s most prestigious day is adored not only by sporting fanatics but the wider Australian culture. From my cultural upbringing, the sporting event that has had the greatest impact would have to be the Olympics, bringing together the best athletes from around the world to compete in their respective sports. All of these events make us true ‘sports loving Aussies’.
When I think back on my upbringing, I have always known that the sporting culture of Australia has impacted my life to a certain degree, but I did not realise that extent until comparing my identity to the theories of communication and culture. Using the theories of identity, beliefs, and customs, as well as conceptual models, I have been able to reflect on an area of my cultural background that has so often been accepted as the norm. The influence of my family, particularly my father who has created many sporting opportunities for me, has shaped my cultural identity within a society heavily dominated by individualistic ideals and opinions. My values and beliefs are the product of where I stand within society, which are the manifestation of my parents and my cultural growth. As a cultural being, I associate with being a ‘sports loving Aussie’, and nothing could ever change this.