The National Myth of Anzac Day

“ Anzac Day now belongs to the past and during the war all energy was concentrated on the future but the influence of the Gallipoli Campaign upon the national life of Australia and New Zealand has been far too deep to fade… it was on the 25th of April 1915 that the consciousness of nationhood was born” (Bean 1924, p. 910)”

“The legacy inherited from our Anzac forebears includes values of courage, determination and respect…We have also developed a stronger sense of our national identity and realisation that our goals and aspirations were not necessarily those of the British Empire” Helen Clarke Prime Minister of New Zealand, April 25 2005

Anzac Day is based on the day of national significance. For John Howard, Australian’s prime minister, nationalism encompasses unconditional acceptance, mutual and self respect, sharing whatever is available no matter how meagre, a concept based on trust and selflessness and absolute interdependence’ (Howard, 2003).

The Anzac Day 2007 was caracterized this year with its patriotic festival showing the pride of the Australian Veterans during the fantastic march between Martin Place and Hyde Park, and the commemorial Sunset in Martin Place. However, since the late 20th century, the indigenous Australian community and their many supporters have criticized Australia Day celebrations as being excessively nationalistic.

But on this day the ideals of courage, endurance and mateship are still relevant. This tradition was established on 25 April 1915 when the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps landed on the Gallipoli Peninsula

(www.smh.com.au/news/world/thousands-mark-anzac-day-at-gallipoli/2007/04/25/1177459765055.html - 8 May 2007 ).

Several thousand people were standing in George and Pitt street waiting for their heroes walking down the Sydney main streets. All in all, a very mythic day. Mythic because of the complementary feelings of sadness and happiness, myhtic also because of all represented generations walking and sharing the same History and Culture, and mythic because of the nationality of the event in general. The number of australian flags was impressive, the Australian pride of the marching people sensational.
But still, is Anzac Day a viable strategy to promote nationalistic behaviour in Australia?

Mr Carlsen, 54, was one of the members during the march. Coming from New Zealand to Sydney only for the Anzac Day, he tried to give me an answer to this question: "I think the media always try to convince people that these traditions are bad, nationalistic or whatever; But we - citizens - were in the war. We fought for Australia! Don't we have the right to commemorate this by walking down the Pitt Street? Of course we are "nationalistic", or better: conscious of our identity; but who isn't? People who cry because their country lost in a football game, isn't that nationalistic? We are here to remember heroes, we owe them this, don't we?".

“The soldiers died not in defence of their own land but in someone else’s war, far from home. The action in which they died was of doubtful wisdom, and was inadequately planned and executed. In the event, the soldiers died to hold for a short time a few hills, a few valleys, and a tiny stretch of beach.”
http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=5758 (26/04/07)