Diggers

As noted in Due (2008), the role of the Australian and New Zealand soldiers who landed in Gallipoli in World World I (and known collectively as Anzacs) have played an important role in defining Australian cultural identity. As Due states:

"People gather all around the country to attend a dawn service in order to commemorate the soldiers who lost their lives in the failed attempt to occupy Gaillipoli, and to celebrate qualities such as 'mateship' and courage which are thought to be indicative of the 'Anzac spirit' and are considred distinctively Australian" (p.24)

 Infantry marching ahead in single file to the Front Line Source www.sl.nsw.gov.auacms.sl.nsw.gov.au/albu/album

Due notes that depictions of the Anzacs helps to shape a certain type of Australian cultural identity, which sees both the pioneers and Anzacs as being represented as 'tough, masculine and practical', with a 'wry sense of humour'.  He comments that both are 'disrespectful of authority and both are dedicated to their 'mates'.  Both are unashamedly male'. (p.29)

Australian Diggers Source: http://www.convictcreations.com/history/images/tobruk.jpg

Due puts forward some very challenging views about the role of the Anzac in forming Australian cultural identity. However, for the purposes of this assignment, I am simply seeking some basic definitions of Australian identity and then comparing this to what is represented in some early childhood television characters to see what, if any, messages about Australian identity are being communicated (or 'taught') to children via the characters and storylines.