Mark Wilson argues that nationalists should enmesh themselves with festivals, events and organisations that are pro-Australian in some aspects, without having to worry whether they are 100% on-side or not.
As part of our break with the failures of the past we need to take a new approach to what is called “the cultural struggle”.
It has been theorised and discussed at length previously by various nationalists but nothing lasting was ever done. The discussions usually centred on theorizing, and lamenting the lack of hypothetical purist nationalist cultural institutions and the need to create from scratch our own to which the masses would swarm to. So you can see why nothing happened.
Our new approach is simple – we stop trying to create purist ideological ventures that are doomed to fail (because of their “hard-core” nature) and instead simply work with what exists.
We work with and take part in already existing events, including those that may not be what some might call “one hundred percent on-side”, i.e. not purist or “hard core” in the nationalist sense. After all, very few existing ventures are 100% tuned-in to any ideology.
We should be working with people and groups who are even partly on-side, working together on issues that are of mutual concern, uniting temporarily on areas of common ground, not arguing about areas of difference.
Working with other groups on specific issues does not mean that they are allowed to dictate our policies in other areas, it is simply a matter of teaming up with different horses for different courses, a unifying tactic that has worked for the Left for many years, but one that we seem to have been ignoring.
If we want to offer leadership and direction to the general public then we must move out of our self-imposed purist ghetto. Instead of being ideological purists, we need to move in normal Aussie circles.
Let’s face it – ideological purity is not what the public wants. In a nutshell, nationalists must start to properly relate to people in a “normal” way, or else they risk coming across as “extreme” or “odd”. We need to be accepted by the public.
We must also be mindful of the old saying “you will be known by the company you keep”. If we attend other peoples’ events and take even one person with us who is dressed in an extremist fashion with extremist badges etc., then we will all be seen in that light and will not taken seriously – and we will be eternally condemned to the fringe of politics.
So now we need to work out who we can reasonably work with and which events we should start to take part in. Here are some ideas, although this list is not exhaustive and hopefully others can think of many more:
Festivals:
Jan.: Tamworth music festival, Tamworth, NSW, www.tcmf.com.au
Jan.: Cygnet Folk Festival, Cygnet, Tas., www.cygnetfolkfestival.org
Feb.: Berwick Highland Gathering, Berwick, Vic., www.vicnet.net.au/~narre/highlandgames.htm
March: Blue Mountains Music Festival, Katoomba, NSW, www.bmff.org.au
March: Southern Roots Tasmania, Hobart, Tas., www.southernroots.com.au
March: Maclean Highland Gathering, Maclean, NSW, www.macleanhighlandgathering.com.au
March : Ringwood Highland Games, Ringwood, Vic., www.ringwoodhighlandgames.org.au
April: Man From Snowy River Bush Festival, Corryong, Vic., www.manfromsnowyriver.com.au
April: Apollo Bay Music Festival, Apollo Bay, Vic., www.apollobaymusicfestival.com
May: Wintermoon Festival, Cameron’s Pocket, Qld., www.wintermoonfestival.com
June: National Celtic Festival, Portarlington, Vic., www.nationalcelticfestival.com
July: Aberdeen Highland Games, Aberdeen, NSW, www.aberdeenhighlandgames.com
Sept.: Kangaroo Valley Folk Festival, Kangaroo Valley, NSW, www.kvfolk.shoalhaven.info
Oct.: Dorrigo Folk and Bluegrass Festival, Dorrigo, NSW, www.dorrigo.com
Oct./Nov.: Maldon Folk Festival, Maldon, Vic., www.maldonfolkfestival.com
Nov.: Queenscliff Music Festival, Queenscliff, Vic., www.qmf.net.au
National celebrations
Local nationalist organisations or branches should attend their local Anzac day celebrations and lay a wreath. Each local group or branch should make plans for Australia Day. These events should be attended by family and friends also.
Folk culture
There are many bush bands and country singers who are representative of our Aussie culture and who deserve our support. For instance: The Bushwackers, Chris Callaghan (Pauline Hanson’s partner), Eureka Smith, Smoky Dawson, James Blundell, Kasey Chambers, Beccy Cole, Sara Storer, John Williamson, Danny Spooner, Women In Docs, The Waifs, and many more.
There are Ned Kelly supporters’ groups that hold events and functions and are keeping this part of our history alive, they deserve our support as well.
Patriotic economics
We should also be involved in the promotion of Ausbuy, we should support Dick Smith’s “Buy Australian” companies and promote buying Australian in general.
Note: The inclusion of any of the afore-mentioned festivals, organisations, singers or groups does not imply a connection with the Australian Protectionist Party or any other nationalist organisation.
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