278:
262:
640:
168:
29:
389:
155:
376:'s short story 'The Romance of the Swag', he describes in detail how to make a dinky-die Aussie swag. Lawson states, 'Travelling with the swag in Australia is variously and picturesquely described as "humping bluey", "walking Matilda", "humping Matilda", "humping your drum", "being on the wallaby", "jabbing trotters", and "tea and sugar burglaring".'
437:" (1896), gives an account of a woman alone in a bush dwelling, where she is preyed upon and eventually raped and murdered by a passing swagman. This was in stark contrast to traditional bush lore, where swagmen are depicted in distinctly romantic terms. Swagmen were also prominent in the works of those associated with the
340:
At times they would have been seen in and around urban areas looking for work or a handout. Most eyewitness descriptions of swagmen were written during the period when the country was 'riding on the sheep's back'. At this time, rovers were offered rations at police stations as an early form of the
71:
of the 1930s. Many unemployed men travelled the rural areas of
Australia on foot, their few meagre possessions rolled up and carried in their swag. Their swag was frequently referred to as "Matilda", hence Waltzing Matilda refers to walking with their swag. Typically, they would seek work in farms
127:, a convict in Australia, used the term for similar purposes in his memoirs written in 1812 and published in 1819. By the 1830s, the term in Australia had transferred from meaning goods acquired by a thief to the possessions and daily necessaries carried by a bushman. The compound
452:
Coinciding with trends in 19th-century
Australian literature, swagmen were popular subjects of contemporary painters and illustrators. Drawings of swagmen, itinerant bush workers, rural nomads and other men "on the wallaby" were prevalent in newspapers and picturesque atlases.
218:
The economic depressions of the 1860s and 1890s saw an increase in these itinerant workers. During these periods it was seen as 'mobilising the workforce'. At one point it was rumoured that a "Matilda
Waltzers' Union" had been formed to give representation to swagmen at the
379:
Swagmen travelled with fellow 'swaggies' for periods, walking where they had to go, hitch hiking or stowing aboard cargo trains to get around. They slept on the ground next to a campfire, in hollowed out trees or under bridges.
349:
would arrive at homesteads or stations at sundown when it was too late to work, taking in a meal and disappearing before work started the next morning. The New
Zealand equivalent of a sundowner was known as a
192:" in Australia), but would not in general have taken kindly to being called "swagmen". Outside of the shearing season their existence was frugal, and this possibly explains the tradition (of past years) of
775:
New
Zealand slang: a dictionary of colloquialisms, the first comprehensive survey yet made of indigenous English speech in this country—from the argot of whaling days to children's slang in the twentieth
309:, who travelled throughout Victoria between 1869 and 1894, documenting his experiences in daily diary entries and through poetry. Swagmen ranged in age from teenagers to the elderly. Socialist leader
248:
Swags are still heavily used, particularly in
Australia, by overlanders and campers. There are still a large number of manufacturers actively making both standard and custom-design swags.
245:
The numbers of swagmen have declined over the 20th century, but still rising in times of economic depression. Swagmen remain a romantic icon of
Australian history and folklore.
800:, from the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Ministry for Culture and Heritage / Te Manatū Taonga. Updated 1 September 2010.
72:
and towns they travelled through, and in many cases the farmers, if no permanent work was available, would provide food and shelter in return for some menial task.
226:
During the early years of the 1900s, the introduction of the pension and the dole reduced the numbers of swagmen to those who preferred the free lifestyle. During
196:
in particular providing enough food to last until the next station even when no work was available. Some were especially noted for their hospitality, such as
481:, which is customarily held to be the first distinctly Australian movement in Western art and the "golden age of national idealism" in Australian painting.
407:. The swagman was venerated in poetry and literature as symbolic of Australian nationalistic and egalitarian ideals. Popular poems about swagmen include
700:
Grose's
Classical dictionary of the vulgar tongue: revised and corrected, with the addition of numerous slang phrases, collected from tried authorities
297:
Swagmen were often victims of circumstance who had found themselves homeless. Others were rovers by choice, or else they were on the run from police (
313:'s time as a swagman while a teenager informed his political writing, and also featured directly in some of his other books. Novelist
345:. They roamed the countryside finding work as sheep shearers or as farm hands. Not all were hard workers. Some swagmen known as
1051:
235:
1061:
239:
200:
in South
Australia which around 1903 provided over 2,000 sundowners each year with their customary two meals and a bed.
850:
1025:
1006:
987:
972:
948:
927:
902:
878:
758:
750:
733:
314:
317:
also began his life as a swagman at age 14. Several of his novels follow the lives of swagmen and aborigines in the
189:
1066:
809:
711:
Vaux, Hardy James; Field, Barron (1819). "Memoirs of James Hardy Vaux, Volumes 1–2". Printed by W. Clowes. p. 216
517:
485:
123:
you have lately obtained,.... To carry the swag is to be the bearer of the stolen goods to a place of safety."
67:
Swagmen were particularly common in
Australia during times of economic uncertainty, such as the 1890s and the
361:(canvas bedroll), a tucker bag (bag for carrying food) and some cooking implements which may have included a
325:
regions of Western Australia. Many swagmen interacted with aborigines along their travels; bushwear designer
318:
302:
575:
1056:
1046:
609:, a tune called "The Swagman", heard on an old music box, plays an important role in solving the mystery.
1041:
605:
393:
357:
Most existed with few possessions as they were limited by what they could carry. Generally they had a
184:
Before motor transport became common, the Australian wool industry was heavily dependent on itinerant
998:
283:
821:
628:
537:
529:
306:
261:
22:
919:
870:
220:
824:, from An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, edited by A. H. McLintock, originally published in 1966.
894:
494:
442:
404:
277:
52:) was a transient labourer who traveled by foot from farm to farm carrying his belongings in a
461:
popularised the open-air life of the swagman. By the 1880s, swagmen featured in the works of
438:
326:
111:
was used by British thieves to describe any amount of stolen goods. One definition given in
842:
584:
8:
520:
towards Sydney. Swagmen have been the subject of numerous books including the 1955 novel
458:
231:
212:
136:
333:, picking up bushcraft and survival skills from local Aboriginal tribes such as cutting
644:
596:
wrote a song about the 'swaggies' called "The Swaggies Have All Waltzed Matilda Away".
474:
177:
96:
92:
639:
620:
derives his name from the term, but takes more conceptual inspiration from Australian
1021:
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84:
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593:
513:
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330:
197:
143:. New Zealanders adopted the term in the 1880s, where swagmen were also known as
559:
554:
466:
358:
208:
185:
76:
53:
1035:
747:
Comparative studies in Australian and New Zealand English: grammar and beyond
366:
334:
193:
112:
120:
834:
579:
509:
499:
446:
429:
416:
408:
373:
268:
810:
The Diary of a Welsh Swagman, a treasure of the State Library of Victoria
545:
541:
533:
462:
400:
310:
298:
227:
61:
211:, which tells of a swagman who turns to stealing a sheep from the local
203:
A romanticised figure, the swagman is famously referred to in the song "
621:
549:
484:
Swagmen and other characters of the bush were popular subjects of the
151:
also originated in Australia, but became obsolete there by the 1890s.
624:
362:
88:
80:
57:
1017:
167:
91:
in 19th-century Australia, and is still seen today as a symbol of
28:
722:
Australia's many voices: Australian English—the national language
454:
322:
188:
who carried their swags from farm to farm (called properties or "
388:
75:
The figure of the "jolly swagman", represented most famously in
613:
536:(who himself lived as a swagman during early adulthood), and a
329:
spent his latter teen years as a swagman travelling across the
301:). Many were European or Asian migrants seeking fortune on the
941:
Australian Film, 1978–1994: A Survey of Theatrical Features
867:
City Bushmen: the Heidelberg School and the Rural Mythology
631:
during his final shootout with Australian law enforcement.
939:
Caputo, Raffaele; Murray, Scott; Tanskaya, Alissa (1995).
588:, a magical swagman helps Dot find Mother Kangaroo's lost
154:
477:, and other artists associated with the Melbourne-based
365:(tea pot or stewing pot). They carried flour for making
242:" tells the story of a swagman who fought at Gallipoli.
180:
in 1889, depicts a melancholic swagman "on the Wallaby"
812:, online.slv.vic.gov.au. Retrieved on 16 January 2011.
914:
Bertand, Ina; Mayer, Geoff; McFarlane, Brian (1999).
95:
values that Australians considered to be part of the
778:. Christchurch: Whitcombe and Tombs Limited. pg. 41
290:, 1898. Most swagmen travelled alone or with a dog.
403:grew in popularity alongside an emerging sense of
745:Collins, Peter; Peters, Pam; Smith, Adam (2009).
562:wrote a number of novels about swagmen including
1033:
445:, who was a swagman for much of his life before
891:Finch, Bloody Finch: A Biography of Peter Finch
634:
427:published a collection of short stories titled
965:The Swagmen: Survivors of the Great Depression
787:Register newspaper, 14 December 1903, page 8.
230:many were called up for duty and fought at
60:in the 19th century and was later used in
1014:Swagmen and Sundowners: Carrying the Swag
548:played the role of a swagman in the 1976
638:
387:
337:, tracking kangaroos and finding water.
166:
153:
27:
916:The Oxford Companion to Australian Film
769:
767:
135:first appeared in the 1850s during the
1034:
833:
139:, alongside less common terms such as
702:. London: Sherwood, Neely, and Jones.
698:Grose, Francis; Egan, Pierce (1923).
643:1887 studio portrait of a swagman by
764:
516:as a swagman travelling through the
486:silent film era of Australian cinema
369:and sometimes some meat for a stew.
240:And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda
982:. Aussie Outback Publishing, 2008.
943:. Oxford University Press. p. 400.
271:swagman from the 1870s to the 1920s
13:
957:
822:Lee, John Alfred Alexander, D.C.M.
383:
14:
1078:
751:John Benjamins Publishing Company
592:. The Scottish singer-songwriter
399:In the 19th century, Australian
305:. One such swagman was Welshman
276:
260:
32:Photograph of a swagman, c. 1901
933:
908:
883:
859:
827:
117:Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue
839:Henry Lawson, Selected Stories
815:
803:
790:
781:
739:
714:
705:
692:
1:
1052:Economic history of Australia
686:
682:"With My Swag on My Shoulder"
107:In the early 1800s, the term
16:Transient Australian labourer
798:Slattery, Edmond – Biography
651:"Australia's on the Wallaby"
635:List of swagman bush ballads
629:a suit of bulletproof armour
251:
102:
7:
1062:Social history of Australia
773:Baker, John Sidney (1941).
10:
1083:
654:"Four Little Johnny Cakes"
394:Adelaide Christmas Pageant
392:Swagman float at the 2008
162:
20:
967:. Five Mile Press, 1987.
720:Leitner, Gerhard (2004).
568:The Bushman Who Came Back
131:and colloquial variation
56:. The term originated in
978:Perkins, Leslie Howard.
582:'s 1899 children's book
528:, which was made into a
23:Swagman (disambiguation)
920:Oxford University Press
871:Oxford University Press
221:Federation of Australia
1067:Livestock in Australia
980:From a Swagman's Diary
895:Henry Holt and Company
889:Dundy, Elaine (1980).
647:
405:Australian nationalism
396:
181:
159:
137:Australian gold rushes
33:
672:"Snake Gully Swagger"
642:
439:Jindyworobak Movement
391:
170:
157:
31:
845:. pp. 449–454.
660:"My Old Black Billy"
585:Dot and the Kangaroo
576:1981 film adaptation
433:. The final story, "
21:For other uses, see
1057:New Zealand English
1047:Australian folklore
995:A Bluey of Swaggies
657:"Humping Old Bluey"
538:1987 TV mini-series
495:The Swagman's Story
459:James Alfred Turner
1042:Australian English
669:"The Reedy Lagoon"
663:"The Old Bark Hut"
648:
645:John William Lindt
564:Death of a Swagman
475:Frederick McCubbin
397:
182:
178:Frederick McCubbin
160:
97:national character
93:anti-authoritarian
34:
893:. New York City:
726:Walter de Gruyter
505:The Flying Doctor
479:Heidelberg School
441:, including poet
435:The Chosen Vessel
423:(1908). In 1902,
1074:
963:Nixon, Allan M.
952:
937:
931:
912:
906:
887:
881:
865:Astbury, Leigh.
863:
857:
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843:A&R Classics
831:
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813:
807:
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796:John E. Martin.
794:
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779:
771:
762:
743:
737:
718:
712:
709:
703:
696:
677:Waltzing Matilda
666:"The Ramble-eer"
508:was directed by
490:Raymond Longford
280:
267:'The Shiner', a
264:
205:Waltzing Matilda
173:Down on His Luck
125:James Hardy Vaux
85:Waltzing Matilda
69:Great Depression
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1012:Wignell, Edel.
993:Wignell, Edel.
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958:Further reading
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612:The Australian
606:Dressed to Kill
601:Sherlock Holmes
594:Alistair Hulett
574:(1963). In the
514:Charles Farrell
471:Arthur Streeton
443:Roland Robinson
425:Barbara Baynton
386:
384:Popular culture
331:Nullarbor Plain
295:
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40:(also called a
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518:Blue Mountains
467:Walter Withers
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307:Joseph Jenkins
284:George Lambert
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835:Lawson, Henry
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599:In the 1946
598:
583:
580:Ethel Pedley
571:
567:
563:
553:
522:The Shiralee
521:
512:and starred
510:Miles Mander
503:
500:Lottie Lyell
493:
483:
451:
447:World War II
430:Bush Studies
428:
420:
417:Shaw Neilson
412:
409:Henry Lawson
398:
378:
374:Henry Lawson
371:
356:
351:
346:
343:dole payment
339:
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269:South Island
247:
244:
238:. The song "
225:
217:
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128:
116:
108:
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87:", became a
74:
66:
49:
45:
41:
37:
35:
18:
627:, who wore
570:(1957) and
546:Norman Kaye
542:Bryan Brown
540:, starring
534:Peter Finch
532:, starring
463:Tom Roberts
415:(1893) and
401:bush poetry
327:RM Williams
311:John A. Lee
299:bushrangers
228:World War I
62:New Zealand
1036:Categories
922:. p. 245.
897:. p. 166.
687:References
622:bushranger
550:bushranger
347:sundowners
303:goldfields
288:Sheoak Sam
625:Ned Kelly
530:1957 film
502:. 1936's
363:billy can
352:tussocker
319:Kimberley
252:Lifestyle
232:Gallipoli
223:in 1901.
141:bundleman
103:Etymology
89:folk hero
81:bush poem
58:Australia
50:tussocker
46:sundowner
1020:, 1996.
1018:Elsevier
1001:, 1985.
873:, 1985.
837:(2002).
761:, pg. 52
736:, p. 218
616:villain
566:(1942),
498:starred
492:'s 1914
413:Out Back
213:squatter
190:stations
186:shearers
145:swaggers
119:is "any
115:'s 1811
776:century
618:Swagman
455:ST Gill
323:Pilbara
163:History
149:Swagger
133:swaggie
129:swagman
42:swaggie
38:swagman
1024:
1005:
986:
971:
947:
926:
901:
877:
849:
757:
732:
614:Batman
367:damper
236:ANZACs
207:", by
603:film
552:film
335:mulga
121:booty
1022:ISBN
1003:ISBN
984:ISBN
969:ISBN
945:ISBN
924:ISBN
899:ISBN
875:ISBN
847:ISBN
755:ISBN
730:ISBN
590:joey
457:and
359:swag
321:and
109:swag
54:swag
578:of
524:by
419:'s
411:'s
372:In
234:as
79:'s
64:.
48:or
1038::
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469:,
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449:.
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1009:.
990:.
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951:.
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