MY FATHER, BURL IVES, PETE SEEGER AND AUSTRALIA’S FOLK MUSIC HERITAGE

Stephen Whiteside reminisces about the 1970s, his encounters with folk music and a couple of its noted singers, as well as their encounters with the notorious House Un-American Activities Committee in the 1950s.

On Stephen's website at:

https://stephenwhiteside.com.au/my-father-burl-ives-pete-seeger-and-australias-folk-music-heritage/

REMEMBER, REMEMBER ... WITH DANNY SPOONER

Here’s a teaser for the other Cracker Night (or one of them, at least). The late and much missed Danny Spooner sings the Guy Fawkes bonfire song and reminisces about the Fifth of November. More on this then!

CRACKER NIGHT!

Here’s a link to Rob’s Cracker Night mashup and the memories of Merle Hayward of NW Tassie.

Empire Day (May 24) was established in Australia in 1905. Officially, it marked the date of Queen Victoria’s birthday throughout the British Empire. More importantly, it was a half-day school holiday and in much of the country the evening of Empire Day became the folkloric ‘Cracker Night’, with enormous bonfires, fireworks and general celebration.

In 1958, Empire Day became 'British Commonwealth Day' and just 'Commonwealth Day' in 1966. Since then, hands-on (and off) fireworks have been progressively banned around Australia and ‘Cracker Night’ is no more. (Though the Northern Territory still allows fireworks on Territory Day celebration, July 1).

In NSW, Cracker Night was moved to June and in some parts of Australia, a ‘Cracker Night’ was observed on the evening of November 5, Guy Fawkes Day. More on this in November!

SOLDIERS SINGING – FROM THE BOER WAR TO VIETNAM

WEYMOUTH, ENGLAND. 1919-04-25. AUSTRALIAN SOLDIERS SINGING SONGS AROUND THE PIANO IN A YMCA. NLA.

Here's our second podcast - the songs made by and for Australian soldiers, featuring excerpts from the collections of Rob Willis, Graham Seal and the National Library of Australia. Hear the voices of those who were there – Bill Case, Maysie Tucker, Marion Hardy, Kevin O’Connor and Brian McMaugh.

UPON THE FIFTH OF MAY – THE DEATH OF BEN HALL

Today is the day bushranger Ben Hall was shot dead in 1865. Rob has put together a multi-media commemoration of the event at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHtJrQr0Gr8. Have a squiz. There’s a full commentary beneath the video, just hit ‘more’.

This also is the first in a new series we’re doing called ‘Today in Folklore’. We’ll be noting significant dates in Australian folk tradition, including commemorations like this one, celebrations, customs, (think ‘Cracker Night’, etc.), tragedies, disasters and other events that appear in traditional songs, poems, stories, events and the like. If you know of any, please send them to us at g.seal@curtin.edu.au

LAUGHING OFF THE SPANISH 'FLU

Advertisement for Nicholas’s Aspro, claiming to cure the Spanish influenza. Herald, 29 January 1919

Listen to the recollections of Australia’s experience of the Spanish ‘Flu in 1919. In these excerpts from the National Library of Australia Oral History and Folklore collections, Mrs Helen Hohnberg, Sid Briggs and Rocky Wedd tell us what it was like back then. It turns out that the responses and the problems were not so different to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.

https://yarnsofoz.podbean.com/?p=14295751&token=323a72de8f8aa4a9ec17175104d2aaa9

Graham Seal and Rob Willis, together with Dennis McKay and Maureen Seal  - and John Meredith - meander through a bracing concoction of memories, snake oil, home remedies, awful verse and the humour that helped Australians weather the pneumonic influenza outbreak a century ago.

FOLK AT THE NATIONAL LIBRARY

Explore National Folk Festivals and the National Library's folklore collections online

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Bring all things folk to your living room and explore the folklore collections at the National Library of Australia. You can also relive the excitement of previous National Folk Festivals and associated events by listening to all the recorded proceedings held by the National Library of Australia.

REIGNING THEM IN - WOMEN AND THE COACHING INDUSTRY IN AUSTRALIA

Chinese passengers inside and on top of coach, Castlemaine 1853.

Rachael Anderson has researched a little-known aspect of Australian history - the role of women in the stagecoach industry. Cobb & Co were one of many coaching companies vying for colonial business and women played a vital role in keeping the wheels turning.

Read all about it in our ‘Articles’ section - just click on the tab at the top of the page.

FRANK POVAH, BACK OF WOLLAR, 1990

Frank Povah at the National Library of Australia

Rob has edited John Meredith’s film (Super 8) of the late Frank Povah, musician, poet, author, raconteur, writer and editor.

Frank plays autoharp and guitar and sings some interesting songs from various sources, including Tex Morton, Aboriginal performers and himself. He does some nice blues, as well.

The film is now available on our Youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hT7ySj0NJ88

Frank in his hut at Wollar

VERANDAH MUSIC – ITALIAN PRISONER OF WAR STYLE

Cowra, NSW. 6 February 1944. Group of Italian prisoners of war (POWs) interned at No. 12 POW Group. Known to be in this group are: 56011 Claudio Lupi; 55608 Renato Giulotti; 56003 Antonio Anghelini; 56276 Riccardo Moltevto; 56263 Gino Mariotti; 56433 Salvatore Titella; 56186 Luigi Frati; 56464 Mario Zuccarelli; 56151 Giuseppe De Andres. 
Australian War Memorial 030176/20

Music is a vital part of Italian life, culture and identity. Readers will have seen media images of Italian music-making in the midst of the Corona pandemic, proof, if any were needed, of the importance of homemade music in personal, family and community coping with disaster.

During World War 2, Italian prisoners of war around the world sustained and entertained themselves with music of all kinds. Joanne Tapiolas has conducted a marathon research project into this little-known topic. You can access its many riches through her website at 

https://italianprisonersofwar.com.

Joanne has researched this music and related information (including recipes) in many other places, as well as Australia, bringing it together in a fascinating e-book, Walking in Their Boots, chocka with great stories and photographs. Click on the ‘Publications’ tab on her website to purchase a copy.