A question for mudcappers. I am working on a radio doco about Australian traditional songs and religion. Being a Calathumpian I obviously need help. My producer posed the question "Why are there so few religious songs from the Australian folk tradition?" He was comparing (unfairly) with the USA. Obviously there are several factors: male dominated 19th century Oz society, our convict beginning, remoteness, lack of 'hill' communities, US being 100 years earlier etc. The only songs I can locate are early transportation broadsides of contrition, songs from shipwrecks imploring the Lord to help (bit late really) and mining disaster songs (ditto). Then there's the songs like Five & a Zack and Tolerant Man that seem to send up the Salvationists. We certainly had outback churches (nearly as many as we had pubs) but where are the god songs? I must admit it is an area I hadn't given much attention to but it is a brain stretcher. Over to you..... Warren Fahey