By Cynthia Cheponis
Don’t expect to see Crocodile Dundee walking around Australia’s Winterlude events this February. The Aussies are hoping to dispel some common stereotypes Canadians have about the Land Down Under through their participation in the annual winter festival.
“We want to show that we have different types of art and music, that we do have a winter, and that we’re similar to Canada in a lot of ways,” says Frances Lisson, deputy high commissioner to Canada.
Australia is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its federation this year.
Lisson is glad part of her country’s centennial celebration is taking place in Canada.
“We have a similar history and parliamentary system, so I feel it’s appropriate to have a celebration in Canada,” says Lisson.
The National Capital Commission approached the Australian High Commission several years ago about being the feature country this year. Lisson says the two had several conversations, where the NCC told the Australians what was expected of them for Winterlude.
The Australians were required to provide interactive events and cultural exhibits for festival-goers.
Laurie Peters, of the NCC, says it is exciting to have Australia involved in Winterlude.
“They’re putting up a ‘Gateway to Australia’ at the Festival Plaza with more than 2,500 blocks of ice,” she says.
Winterlude features a different country every two years, and Peters says the NCC chose Australia because it wanted to help celebrate their centennial year.
The Australian ice-carving team will create traditional images of Australia, and inside City Hall there will be Australian and Aborigine performers and storytellers. As well, the Canadian Museum of Nature will exhibit Aborigine art.
“We want to show that there’s more to us than Crocodile Dundee,” says Lisson.
There will also be some outdoor events put on by the high commission, including a regatta on Dow’s Lake.
In a variation of a race held in a dry Australian riverbed, contestants will stand in a bottomless boat and run down the ice for charity.
Aldo Chiappa, the city official in charge of sponsorship, is working with the Australians to put on the regatta.
“It’s going to be a lot of fun, it’s a great opportunity to experience the winter and learn about another culture,” says Chiappa.
He is also co-ordinating several other interactive features taking place on the canal, including dog sledding and an ice mountain that people will be able to climb.
Lisson would not specify how much money the Australians are spending on Winterlude celebrations. She did say they have received a great deal of sponsorship, including funds from an Australian federal commission and a mining company.
“It’s a bit hard to put a final number on it,” she says.
The Australians have been building up to their centennial celebrations for a while now. Last year they held a celebration in Britain, but Winterlude is their first international celebration of the year.