On Wednesday, all around Australia, people heard or sung the “unofficial national anthem of Australia”, Waltzing Matilda. It was usually sung with gusto, although beer was often substituted. Mates put their arms around mates’ shoulders and bellowed out the words. I don’t know why, but I’d never really thought much about the song. It had always just been there, an aural backdrop to being a you-beaut ripper little Aussie.
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But in these days of political correctness and constant demands to ban anything from peanut butter to Barbie dolls, I now wonder how this one has flown under the radar.
Here’s what Banjo Paterson’s lyrics actually say:
Back in the day there was a homeless, unemployed bloke wandering the land and sleeping rough. He set up his poor excuse for a home under a tree next to a billabong. He sang a little song as he waited for his billy of water to boil.
The sad song was directed at one of his few possessions, a thick blanket or coat, which he carried tied up in a roll on his back. He called this rug, Matilda, something which hinted at his German migrant origins, as German soldiers carried their blanket rolls the same way and referred to them as “Matilda”, which meant “fierce warrior woman”. It was also the name given to comfort women who followed the soldiers around during campaigns.
Anyway, as this migrant (refugee?) is waiting for some hot water, a sheep comes down to get a drink from the billabong and the bloke grabs it without a moment’s hesitation, presumably killed it on the spot and stuffed its carcass in a bag.
A land-grabbing arrogant boss arrives on the scene on his posh pony, accompanied by three police he used as enforcers and orders that the sheep-thief is under arrest, that he’d come a-waltzing with his grubby blanket back to wherever. Thus hinting that the arrogant boss was also an anti-German racist.
In a spasm of fright and fear, the homeless, hungry bloke jumps into the water and commits suicide. And that’s about it, except some reckons there’s a supernatural presence in the water now. And no, his name was not “Andy”. (Andy’s ghost may be heard ... c’mon, keep up.)
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The story includes poverty, homelessness, disrespect for refugees, land-grabbing corruption, a corrupt police force, theft and suicide. Pretty good national anthem!
It gets worse. The music was stolen. It’s a tune called The Bonnie Woods o’ Craigielea, written in Scotland about 100 years earlier.
The events that underpinned this tale of corruption and despair are – if anything – more criminal and tragic.
It was inspired by a shearers’ strike in Queensland in 1894. It became violent and a massive shearing shed near Dagworth Homestead was burned down.
The squatter, Bob Macpherson, sent three police after the suspected arsonists, including one named Hoffmeister. Hoffmeister shot and killed himself next to Combo Waterhole, 150km north-west of Winton, rather than be captured.
Soon after, Banjo Paterson visited Dagworth Station and was shown around by Macpherson. He took him to the Combo waterhole, where they found the skin of a freshly killed sheep.
A day or so later, Banjo heard Macpherson’s daughter Christina playing the Craigielea March on a zither and he made up the lyrics of Waltzing Matilda on the spot. It was an early example of fake news.
WAYNE GREGSON
