G'day all,

A sI tried to suggest in my last posting, the terms Bush Music and Bush Dancing are old terms. They arise from people in the city, whether from the bush or not, looking for something that does survive in the bush ... but isn't seen, because it is just part of the self-sufficient, supporting culture that is the only thing that keeps you alive in the bush.

The sort of self-run, social dance that is attempted in the modern Bush Dance was already vanishing in the 1920s. I did a long interview about 10 years back with a bloke whose familiy ran a regular cricket match against the people of the next little town (Barrallier vs Boulia, back of Mittagong) then ended the night with a dance for which the family members all played ... except John, who I interviewed.

John said that all this vanished almost with the echoes of the last hammer stroke on the new movie theatre in Mittagong. As soon as there were movies and professional dances, the young people were off to town like a flash!

The heyday of this style was probably the 1880s and '90s and this is true of much of the song as well, which is why a lot of people prefer to call it Colonial ... that is dating before Federation of the states and the advent of self government on the first day of this century: 1 January, 1901.

From this also proceeds a desire to keep writing and singing songs that use traditional styles - especially the freedom to sing your own song, instead of paying some superstar to 'entertain' you. Is this "Folk Music" ... ask me in 100 years time.

Regards,

Bob Bolton