Arts and Design Concepts and Contexts

Question: Write an essay about the "Kangaroos as iconic objects in Australia". Answer: The continent of Australia has a very rich and diverse culture. The culture of Australia is derived from its varied geography, the rich heritage of oceans and seas including the influence the British colonization had on the land and people of Australia. The Australian culture is greatly influenced by the British settlement and it was the arrival of British that first created the rule of law and democracy in Australia (Glin 2013). Originally, Australia was a land of Aboriginal people who lived as tribals in Australia. Thus, Australia is blessed with varied and iconic cultural objects in their nature, however, the most iconic of the entire cultural objects which Australia inhabitants is the Australian kangaroo. The Australian kangaroo is only found in the continent of Australia where it lives in wild also. The Australian kangaroo is the national animal of Australia. Although kangaroos are only found in the continent of Australia, different species of kangaroo have different Australian states and territories as their home. There are almost four major species of Australian kangaroo and 12 different species of tree kangaroos which belong to different Australian territories right from Victorian to Queensland to Tasmania region. An Australian kangaroo is most popular for the strength and it possesses along with its beatifically different body structure compared to other animals or mammals. The scientific name for a kangaroo is Macropods which means the great footed and make them the most iconic and popular wildlife attraction which brings many tourist and locals in Australia making them the cultural icon of Australia (Cowlishaw Gillian 2013). The term icon is Greek in origin and refers to a person, symbol or object which represents a particular team or a region and has religious, cultural values attached to it. The term icon has repetitively been used to describe a religious object in medieval period in Europe which have certain belief, culture, values and traditions attached to it and which are followed by the population at large as believers (Burns 2010). Over the years, these icons become much more than just representative signs as they expressed deep-rooted, sentimental and significant ideas about faith that binds its believers together in one group. Certain individuals believed that icons had certain magical powers which allowed them to bind cultures and community together. Thus, icons are also divided into two parts namely the traditional icons which have religious values and the popular icons which express cultural values and faith. Thus, the Australian Kangaroo is a popular icon of the continent of Australia. The primary reason for the Australian Kangaroo to be an icon in Australia is because the kangaroos, including all its species which are about 60 approximately are only found in the continent of Australia making its a symbol which recognizes the continent of Australia. Thus, the first thing that comes to ones mind when you hear about Australia is the kangaroos. As the kangaroos are the most iconic and rare species found only in the continent of Australia, it attracts many foreign tourists (Murphy 2013). Thus, the Australia government advertises the tourism in Australia through a symbol of a kangaroo, making the kangaroos an iconic heritage of the Australian culture and nature. Thus, every icon has the same features whether it symbolizing a religious belief or a continent itself, all icons are objects which express certain belief or a faith or values and are believed to have magical powers which binds all the believers together as one group or nation. However, icons have different distinction and category based on what they convey. Thus, the further distinction of icons is pure icons or functional icons. Pure icons are term used for those icons which have no role other than to express belief or faith of whatever they symbolize. On the other hand, functional icons are term used for those icons which have a certain function attached to it other than mere or pure symbolizing a belief or a faith (Klugman, Gary 2013). Additionally, a further distinction of icons depends on its size and nature of the groups that believe in the icon. Thus, when a small group of individuals like a family believe in an icon and symbolize a sign or an object representing their family , the said icon is referred as personal icons. When a small community, area or a region symbolized an object or an article representing a particular belief or faith, the said symbol is referred as a local icon. However, when an icon symbolizes the belief and faith and values of a particular cultural group or society, the said icon is referred as a cultural icon. Thus, keeping in mind the above mentioned categories of icons, Australian kangaroo is a pure cultural icon of the continent of Australia (Craw, Charlotte 2010). There is great importance and significance attached to the kangaroo in the land of Australia. Kangaroo is the symbol which represents the continent of Australia. A symbol usually reflects the cultural identity and promotes cultural heritage and regeneration. Symbols usually define and explain what culture is about and how the individuals in the present day are connected with the culture that they inherited from ancestors or the Mother Nature. Thus, Australia is a large continent which has a small urban civilization and very small population along with diversity in terms of their natural resources, therefore having just one symbol to have over all compliance and acceptance is difficult in the continent. However, the kangaroo as an Australian iconic symbol is widely accepted and recognized over all Australia and globally (Henderson, Lissiman 2010). One good example of kangaroo being used as an iconic symbol in Australia was seen many years back around 1983, when the Australia boxing group named Australia II ended the 132 years old dominance of the America over the victory cup (Davison 2010). The Boxing Kangaroo was the iconic symbol of the said victory. Kangaroo have a inherit feature in them to box and kick in order to prevent themselves or their families whenever danger arises, thus, keeping the said feature of a kangaroo in mind the idea of a boxing kangaroo was used to act as a marketing icon which was ac accepted and appreciated in Australia and all around the world. Therefore, it is clear that since a very long time, the kangaroos have been important and significant cultural heritage for the continent of Australia and have been used repetitively to symbolize the continent as its iconic symbol or object (Khamis, Susie 2012). To further discuss why the kangaroos make an iconic object in the continent of Australia, it is important to have knowledge about certain theories like the semiotics theory. Semiotics is a termed use to define a study which includes learning sign processes and communications. Under the semiotics study, an individual learns to learn signs processes, designation, indication, metaphor, symbolism and meaningful communications. The theory of semiotics is based on the relationship between a sign or an object and its meaning. The sign under the said theory represents the object in the head of an individual who is referred as an interpreter of the said sign. Thus, according to the theory of semiotics, individuals and people are the ones who act as the interpreter of signs. This interpretation by individuals is based on three different objects which are the designative feature of a sign which directs an individual directly to a particular object, the Appraise feature, which highlights the qua lities and the features of the object which in return allows the interpreter to analyze and evaluate the object (Gilfedder, Deirdre 2010). Lastly, the perceptive feature which allows the interpreter to response or act in a particular manner about the said object. Thus, individual related kangaroos and Australia and this relationship between the two is interpreted by individuals all over the world accepting kangaroo to be an iconic symbol in Australia. Thus, individuals are directed to kangaroos as a sign for Australian continent, the features of kangaroo like its presence only in Australia, makes individuals evaluation its importance as a sign in Australia and lastly, individuals accepting kangaroo as an iconic symbol of the continent of Australia is a way of responding to the said object. Thus, according to the semiotic theory, kangaroo is an iconic Australian cultural heritage and a sign which represents the Australian continent. According to the semiotic theory, an individual res ponds to a sign in three different ways, which are the perception stage where the individual is told about object as a sign second is the manipulation stage when the individual interprets and responses to the said sign and lastly the consummation stage when an individual responds and accepted the object as a sign (Larmour 2012). Thus, applying the said theory, kangaroo is accepted as a sign and symbol representing the land of Australia not just within the continent itself but also globally where people associate the sign of kangaroo only to the continent of Australia. Thus, kangaroos are of great cultural heritage in the continent of Australia which are recognized as a symbol representing the Australians land and continent within and outside Australia. Australia due to its diversity ahs many number of symbolic icons like the opera house, the gold cost beach, the Tasmania region, however these symbolic icons are regionally or local icons which only the individuals living in the neigh borhood of the regions recognize, however different and varied species of kangaroos are found all over in every state and territory in Australia making them accepted as an iconic symbol all over Australia and the world (Appleby, Bryce 2010). The world has recognized kangaroos as the most important iconic object in Australia, as breaches and opera houses are present all over the world in different countries and cities, however a kangaroo is only present and found in the land of Australia, making it Australias most important, distinct and iconic object (Crase 2011). Another theory which will help us related to kangaroos being an important iconic symbol of Australia is the concept of material culture. The concept of material culture talks about the physical evidence of a culture represented by an object. Material culture studies and philosophy describes the relationship between individuals in a society and the things around them, their history, preservation and the interpretation of the objects (Jaworski 2010). Therefore, a close relation can be drawn of the said concept or theory to the Australian kangaroos that are the physical evidence of the culture in the continent of Australia. The kangaroos are the objects which are the physical evidence of a cultural heritage and wildlife in Australia and are recognized globally (Postill 2012). Therefore, the semiotic theory and the concept of material culture make it evident that the kangaroos are the iconic symbol of Australia as individuals whether in Australia or outside always refer to kangaroos as a n inhabitant of Australia and recognize evaluation, respond and accepted kangaroos to be a symbolic and an iconic sign of the continent of Australia. After reviewing the semiotic theory and the concept of material culture, it is clear that the kangaroos are the symbols which represent the culture of Australia. It is also evident that the kangaroos are used as a sign to represent the Australian land and Australian since ancient times (McGregor, William 2010). However, a more recent theory of Visual rhetoric also will help us to argue that the kangaroos are indeed the most popular cultural symbol and heritage in Australia. The Visual rhetoric is a recent study which describes and states the manner in which visual images communicate compared to other modes like the verbal or aural way of delivering a message. This, the theory o Visual rhetoric somehow determines the ability of an individual to read a sign, image or a picture. Thus, the said theory of Visual rhetoric stated and tried to determine the capacity of an individual to read what an image or an object he sees is trying to communicate. Thus for an object, sign or symbol to be conceptualized as visual rhetoric, the object, sign and symbol must have three features (Verran, Helen 2010). These features include they object or sign to be symbolic in nature, representing a particular belief, faith or a region. The said object or sign needs to be intervened by humans and individuals needs to acknowledge it physical presence and lastly, the said object and sign needs to be held capable of being interpreted with the primary objective of communication. There is a close relation and similarity between the theory of Visual rhetoric and the theory of Semiotics. The theory of Semiotics is used to determine the rhetorical importance of sign making. Thus, the theory of semiotics talks about describing the physical importance or physical evidence of a symbol or a sign, whereas the theory of visual rhetoric is a broader aspect of a similar concept which determines the different ways in which individuals visually try to communicate with objects and signs. Thus, both these theories help us to establish concrete arguments which justify that the kangaroo is an iconic symbol and object of the continent of Australia (Silverstein, Michael 2010). The theory states that the images and signs communicate certain messages which is true in the case of Australian kangaroo which give its visual audience whether physical or in form of images, the message that the kangaroos are a rich cultural heritage of Australia and belong and habituate in the lands of Australia only making it the universally accepted symbol representing Australia. Thus, the use of icons to identify a belief, faith or a region is an ancient European concept which has taken a form of many theories in the recent past giving icons an identification too be used as a symbol in many regions and communities which are acceptable globally. As icons form a concrete part of a belief or a faith as it connects the believers of the same together in one group, the importance of icon is accepted and appreciated widely making its a globally accepted theory of identification of subjects (Raggatt, Pete 2010). There are a variety of iconic symbols representing different nations like the tiger is the iconic cultural animal of India; the city of Paris is symbolized by the famous Eiffel towers, the city of New York has an iconic street called Times Square whereas as the Bhuj Khalifa in Dubai is considered an iconic symbol. Thus, different countries in the world have different and varied signs or symbols which are iconic in nature and globally accepted. Thus, similarl y, in the continent of Australia, the kangaroos are considered to be an iconic symbol which represents the countrys rich diversity and heritage as the Australian land is the only place where kangaroos exist in the entire world, the whole world recognizes it as a symbol of the Australians land and culture. The iconic symbol of kangaroos is additionally used in the tourism marketing and attracts a lot of foreign tourist who visit to visit and see the kangaroos in the continent of Australia (Gorman-Murray2012). 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