An Australian Swagman. Circa 1900
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A swagman is an old Australian term describing an underclass of transient temporary workers, who travelled by foot from farm to farm carrying the traditional swag. Characteristic of swagman attire was a hat strung with corks to ward off flies. Particularly during the depression of the 1890s and the Great Depression of the 1930s (though, in much of Australia, the 1890s depression was far worse), unemployed (mostly single) men travelled the rural areas of Australia on foot, their few meagre possessions rolled up and carried in their swag. Pictures and text: Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia |
Waltzing Matilda©Banjo Paterson | |
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Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong Under the shade of a Coolibah tree, And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boiled, You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me. Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda, You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me, And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boiled You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me. Down came a jumbuck to drink at that billabong Up jumped the swagman and grabbed him with glee, And he sang as he shoved that jumbuck in his tucker bag You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me. Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda, You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me, And he sang as he shoved that jumbuck in his tucker bag You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me. |
Up rode the squatter mounted on his thorough-bred Down came the troopers One Two Three Who's that jolly jumbuck you've got in your tucker bag You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me. Waltzing Matilda Waltzing Matilda You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me Who's that jolly jumbuck you've got in your tucker-bag You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me. Up jumped the swagman sprang into the billabong You'll never catch me alive said he, And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me. Waltzing Matilda Waltzing Matilda You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.
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Trooper : Police |
Jumbuck: Sheep |
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It is lawful, in Australia, for a marooned and hungry traveller to kill and eat a farmers sheep, however it must be eaten on the property. No part of the animal can be taken from the property. The hide is usually hung across a fence. to let the farmer know someone has eaten one of his sheep. According to the words of Paterson's poem, the Swagman was not taking the sheep to eat it imediately. He put it in his 'tucker' bag, intending to take it with him. He was stealing it. | |
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