Cultural comparison between Australia and Singapore.

Tracing back into the history, we find that the culture of Australia today is a product of a unique blend of the established traditions and vivid influences. The original inhabitants of the country which mainly comprises of the people of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islands, are the individuals of one of the very oldest continuing cultural traditions of the world. It is known that they have been dwelling in Australia for at least 40 000 years and they have also left traces possibly back up to 60 000 years. On the other hand Singapore has a truly cosmopolitan population. It is a natural result of the countrys geographical position and its vibrantly successful commerce. Having established by the great Thomas Stamford Raffles 29 January 1819 as a trading post, the small town of Singapore soon attracted migrants and merchants all the way from China, the Indian subcontinent, Indonesia, Malay Peninsula and even the Middle East. Being drawn by a lure of better prospects and improved lifestyle, the immigrants brought with them their own culture, languages and also their customs and festivals. It comprised of the major ethnic groups mainly those of the Chinese, Malays, Indians and also Eurasians.

For most of us, Australia showcases an egalitarian society. However one cannot justify that this means that everyone in this country is equal in the eyes of law and governance or possesses an equal wealth or property. Meanwhile in Singapore diversity is seen not getting any wider. As being a result of a multi race society, Singapore has been a home to a cluster of communities, cultures and various religions, each of them accompanied by a rich heritage that traces to a time far back. Apart from just co-existing with one another, there lies a mutual respect and this can has been seen in the daily interactions and even during the festive celebrations. Coming to language, all individuals in Australia are made to learn English, which is also the national language of the country. This is one of the very important unifying element of the rich Australian society. Moreover the languages that are followed other than English are also valued. As a matter of fact, a figure which is more than 15 per cent of the Australians speak languages other than English. It is

little known fact that Australians do speak more than 200 languages which includes their Indigenous Australian languages. Meanwhile in Singapore, the most spoken languages after English comprise of Italian, Cantonese, Greek, Vietnamese and also Arabic. It is a fact that everyone in Singapore is bilingual. In Singapore it is found that most of the children tend grow up being bilingual from their infancy. Speaking of cuisines, the Australians love having tropical salmon and beverages along with it whereas in Singapore, the taste has a Chinese and Italian influence. Nevertheless, both the cultures have a thing in common, it is the easy going- fun loving attitude. This is what makes people unify irrespective of their differences that makes them both very successful countries.