'Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, oi, oi, oi' is a kind of a sporting icon for many Australians who can think of nothing more profound. But alas, there has been a call to ban it by a journalist - Courier Mail writer Rory Gibson.
Rory Gibson refers to it as the most boring, irritating, cringe-making chant in the history of crowd noise and he goes on to say that it was inflicted on the crowd in St Peter's Square at the Vatican by a bunch of Mary MacKillop yobs.
Rory Gibson writes: "How utterly depressing that in a crowd made up of visitors from many nations gathered for a solemn ceremony, jingoistic bogans yet again show us up to be a country inhabited by ignorant boofheads."
One might also imagine the horror of it being shouted at 11.00am on the 11th day of the 11th month.
He goes on to give a history of the chant, which originated from England with a different word; 'oggie, oggie, oggie, oi, oi, oi' and how a Melbourne couple, Greg and Diane Davies, registered the Australian slogan as a trademark in 2004.
Rory asks is this the best we can come up with?
www.news.com.au/travel/news/time-for-aussies-to-throw-bogan-chant-out/story-e6frfq80-1225943556735
Many concur with with Rory Gibson's question and sentiment.
Australians might remember the signing off speech by then IOC President (the late) Juan Samaranch at the closing of the Sydney Olympics. He acknowledged this chant. I doubt whether he nor anyone else on the IOC quite 'exactly' knew what it meant.
As an Australian and a Christian man, Well-Being Australia chairman Mark Tronson, he has pondered on this question and recognise there are very sympathetic nationalistic Christian lyrics.
M V Tronson wonders whether there might be an opportunity to promote an Australian Christian 'national chant' that might be voiced at any number of Christian events from across the denominational divide.
Indeed a national sentence …....
The lyrics he refers to is "the Great South land of the Holy Spirit". Geoff Bullock penned these words in 1991. Most churches in Australia have sung this at one time or another.
www.swcs.com.au/southland.htm
His research indicated the 'symbolic origin' of the title of the song, comes from Pedro Fernandes de Queirós also known as Pedro Fernández de Quirós, (1565–1614) who was a Portuguese navigator best known for his involvement with Spanish voyages of discovery in the Pacific Ocean, including the 1605-1606 expedition which crossed the Pacific in search of Terra Australia.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedro_Fernandes_de_Queir%C3%B3s
The story is that this was in past centuries referred to as terra australis incognita (Latin) - "unknown land of the south"? He referred to these words (400 years ago): La Austrialia del Espiritu Santo – Australia of the Holy Spirit. "Terra" in this instance was dropped.
These Spanish words were spoken by a Christian minded Portuguese navigator on Pentecost Sunday, May 14 1606 â€" were then adjusted and published in English (and Spanish) in 1625 as Australia del Espiritu Santo and then changed again in Lieutenant James Cook's journal to Australia del Espiritu Santo in 1770.
We need clarity here. This was an expression of a man who had an understanding of how God's Spirit was somehow upon this strange south land that - he himself had never cast his eyes upon.
It could have been an expression of his Christian faith, or possibly a political statement claiming it for the Spanish King and his Spanish Catholicism.
Regardless, the pedigree is undoubtedly secure. Geoff Bullock's song captures the imagery and the spiritual power engaged here. So therefore, what words might be drawn from the song, that would take on as an acceptable 'Christian Chant' at Christian events, or indeed as a national sentence …...
It would require national significance, historical reflection and be diverse enough to be inclusive.
One such national sentence might be: "The great south land, a harvest comes".
The first part of this phrase has both national and historical components - "The great south land".
The second, inclusive part - "a harvest comes" - can apply to a host of events such as sports, cultural, national identity and expectant hope.
"The great south land, a harvest comes".