tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post5711847902691391609..comments2024-02-11T19:28:27.997+11:00Comments on Personal Reflections: Australian Life - the decline of the swagmanJim Belshawhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-12817209267781852602013-05-02T05:06:47.298+10:002013-05-02T05:06:47.298+10:00What a fascinating article, kvd. This comment line...What a fascinating article, kvd. This comment line has given me a whole new post or posts.<br /><br />Hi Rod. It is a great painting. With WM, why do you dislike it? I could never quite understand the fascination with the song. I remember many years ago being asked to sing it in a bar in Bangkok by a group of American servicemen! Now, of course, half those singing it don't know the meaning of some of the words!<br /><br />Which brings me to your comment, Ramana. The song can't be all bad if it interested you in Australia!Jim Belshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-78990676063262841952013-05-02T01:59:47.301+10:002013-05-02T01:59:47.301+10:00Waltzing Matilda was a song that we learnt in scho...Waltzing Matilda was a song that we learnt in school via some Australian missionaries who were teachers. They explained many of the words to us with great enthusiasm and that was the beginning of my fascination with Australia besides of course the cricketing prowess of the country.<br /><br />Hobo is another word quite popular in the USA but nothing else captures the spirit of the Swagman.Rummuserhttp://www.rummuser.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-80919795033184567372013-05-01T22:25:01.775+10:002013-05-01T22:25:01.775+10:00Can I just say that for "Australiana" yo...Can I just say that for "Australiana" you've hit one of my greatest dislikes and one of my greatest pleasures at the same time. My incredibly strong dislike is the song Waltzing Matilda but the picture On the Wallaby Track is probably the "classic" Australian painting I love most...Rodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10962789743908134314noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-88836637856850144122013-05-01T19:30:54.444+10:002013-05-01T19:30:54.444+10:00And here's another link:
http://www.theglobal...And here's another link:<br /><br />http://www.theglobalmail.org/feature/gypsies-the-little-tramp-and-thieves/77/<br /><br />Also, I do remember the long low American cars mentioned in your earlier link.<br /><br />Sorry to distract.<br /><br />kvdAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-38463202244535866052013-05-01T18:13:29.180+10:002013-05-01T18:13:29.180+10:00You distract me, kvd. Here is a story on Australia...You distract me, kvd. Here is a story on Australian Gypsies - it includes links - https://open.abc.net.au/posts/the-history-of-australian-romanies-51tl4lmJim Belshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-78563039978271254712013-05-01T18:06:53.733+10:002013-05-01T18:06:53.733+10:00The camp site at Bringelly was there for at least ...The camp site at Bringelly was there for at least a couple of years as I recall.<br /><br />'Bright White Star' - and yes, in 'Field of Thirteen'. And now I'll have to go read 'Song For Mona' again. Again.<br /><br />kvdAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-59255209676392949422013-05-01T17:52:08.564+10:002013-05-01T17:52:08.564+10:00I'm glad that you joined me on nostalgia road,...I'm glad that you joined me on nostalgia road, kvd! A sugar bag. The F Dictionary says: "(Clothing, Personal Arts & Crafts / Textiles) Austral and NZ a small hessian bag occasionally still used, esp in rural areas, as a rough-and-ready measure for dry goods."<br /><br />I don't think that I've seen a gypsy camp in Australia. I have always thought of them as strictly European. I wonder what Dick Francis story you are referring too? Was it one in Field of Thirteen? Jim Belshawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10075614280789984767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-73513959063851620562013-05-01T16:55:55.318+10:002013-05-01T16:55:55.318+10:00Ha! I deleted a sentence, something like "He ...Ha! I deleted a sentence, something like "He had all his posessions in a sugarbag".<br /><br />Now I'm wondering - when's the last time you heard or read of a 'sugarbag'?<br /><br />kvdAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24338064.post-14804898332014851752013-05-01T16:47:04.593+10:002013-05-01T16:47:04.593+10:00Hi Jim
I remember as a boy in the late '50...Hi Jim<br /><br />I remember as a boy in the late '50's regularly stopping near a gypsy encampment at Bringelly, on our way from Lithgow to Culburra for holidays. That was a stopover point because my older sister was a (the?) teacher at the little primary school there.<br /><br />I also remember, back in Lithgow, my mother dealing politely with a tramp, who called a couple of times with his offer of any work for any payment. I remember my mother's insistence that he had fallen on hard times, but otherwise was "just the same as us". But she did make him work - if my memory is correct.<br /><br />Also, I have several times read a very good story by Dick Francis about a tramp - or maybe it's more about our treatment of tramps. Horses were involved of course, but the lesson was wider.<br /><br />Think I'll stop before I get all sillyfossical on you - but I'm intrigued by what may have bought this to mind.<br /><br />kvdAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com