Bogan

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Bogan (pronounced BOE-gun) is a derogatory New Zealand and Australian slang term for somebody who is perceived as being an unfashionable "lower-class" person, typically of British Isles ancestry and living in deprived urban areas. Equivalent terms are:


Contents

History

The word "bogan" originated in Melbourne, to describe people of the working class. Then the character Kylie Mole on the famed Australian television program The Comedy Company popularised the term as an insult for any friend she didn't like, and by 1991, the word was in the national dictionary project.

The term itself has evolved further and no longer necessarily derogatory, and is considered a valid sub-culture of Australian and New Zealand lifestyle.

Characteristics

Bogans are stereotypically considered to be young adults (from approximately 15 to 30 years of age) Older males who would otherwise be described as being "bogans" are sometimes known as yobbos. Employment occurs primarily in the building or agricultural industries, with the main consideration being a requirement for unskilled labour. Low to midrange literacy and intelligence, (80-100 IQ) and above average physical strength are also prominent elements. They can primarily be observed in suburbs along Melbourne's northwestern corridor (although related variants from other states exist)and Brisbane, with greater numbers tending to the outlying/semi-rural areas due to increased opportunities for unskilled employment (examples being suburbs north of Adelaide such as Salisbury and Elizabeth). They also have a tendency to be xenophobic, although New Zealand Maori are stereotyped as hard workers by a large part of the bogan community, meaning Maori bogans are not uncommon. and highly nationalistic, living in predonimantly white lower class suburbs, although Blacktown and its surrounding area in Sydneys Western subrubs is considered the bogan capital, and has the largest population of Australian Aborigines in New South Wales, a large poplulation of Maori and Pacific Islander, and a growing popluation of Somalians.

In New Zealand, bogans are predominantly Pakeha rather than Maori, and some have links to white supremacist groups. The bogan capital of New Zealand is generally said to be Gore, a farming town in Southland. Bogans converge at night in Gore's wide streets, especially the centre parks in the main street. Invercargill and Christchurch also have large bogan populations.

With the steady decline in popularity of formalised religion in recent years, bogans also customarily use football as a de facto substitute for such.

Stereotypical clothing includes Moccasin-style slippers, ugg boots (especially outdoors), tight black jeans, flannelette shirts (or black jerseys and jeans in Waitakere) and prominent tattoos. Summer attire typically features short, tight 'footy shorts', blue singlets and thongs. Tracksuits (somewhat anachronistic in the early 21st century) are also occasionally worn by younger bogans, generally due to their low cost. The typical bogan hairstyle is the mullet, but shaved heads also occur. Female bogans in New Zealand favour tight skinny-fit jeans, tie-dyed Jim Beam t-shirts and bleached blonde hair.

Bogans are often stereotyped as driving loud, obnoxious cars of American or (in Australia) Australian manufacture such as older model modified Holden Commodores or Ford Falcons. The VK Commodore is a particularly highly prized vehicle. Australians, when describing people who are associated with bad or fast driving can be labeled as a "hoon", a variation of the Bogan. In fact, the term is so wide spread that the Western Australian and South Australian state governments have brought in what are known as 'Anti-Hoon' laws to cut down on young males causing auto accidents by excessive speed and street racing. New Zealand enacted similar laws in 2003 better known as the "Boy Racer Act". In Gore, there has been steady civic pressure to remove the parking in the middle of the main street to end its use as a bogan hangout. As such, a Bogan's dwelling will typically contain a large number of cars in various state of repair, invariably due to a lack of funding.

This phenomenon is described in a scene taken from the hit Australian movie: "The Castle". Dad: Steve, could you move the Camira, I need to get the Torana out so I can get to the Commodore. Steve: I'll have to get the keys to the Cortina if I'm gonna move that Camira Dad: Yeah, watch the boat mate Steve: Yeah.

The consumption of potent forms of alcohol features prominently in the bogan lifestyle. Among those from Melbourne, Victoria Bitter beer would undoubtedly be the most sought after type, (due to a combination of both price and nationalistic associations). In New Zealand, Lion Red would be chosen for the same reasons. However, several spirits including rum (especially Bundy), bourbon, or Scotch whisky are also favoured, the primary consideration being an acceptable expense/potency ratio. Although cheap varieties of vodka also exist, it is seen as a female's drink and is therefore usually avoided by males. Cask wine, or Goon as it is more commonly known, is also favoured anoungst the bogan population for its low cost and large quantity. Other forms of cheep wine such as Passion Pop or Spumante are a popular beverage for the younger bogan (12-14 years of age) and is traditionaly the very first drink they get inebriated from.

Bourbon and coke also commands a noteworthy position in the bogan's life. It is most commonly of the premixed variety, in half-litre cans, and serves as lubricant for all of the bogan's social interactions. As with some other groups, pubs are often seen as the bogan social centre, and tend to be considered almost holy places.

Besides alcohol and tobacco, bogan culture is not associated with any particular drug, although methampthetamine and marijuana use is highly popular (Sunbury, a minor bogan heartland in Victoria, was the scene of a number of marijuana-related police raids during 2002-2003, before which the sale of the drug in the suburb was semi-public and bordered on plague proportions) and occasionally features in bogan popular culture such as the film Mallboy.

Music

"Bogan rock" is an umbrella term for several artists and genres that commonly includes some elements of psychedelia, heavy metal, Big-Hair Rock, or, in Australia, nearly any Australian rock band from the 1970s and 1980s (see Pub rock (Australia)). In 2000 a Bogan Rock Festival was held in rural Victoria to some critical and financial success, suggesting that the term's derogatory power is becoming eroded.

In Australia, it is generally accepted that if a bogan national anthem were to exist it would be the 1980's Jimmy Barnes/Cold Chisel classic, "Khe Sanh", however due to the immense influence that Australian Rules Football has on bogan culture, the song "Holy Grail" by Hunters and Collectors must not avoid consideration.

Compilations such as 2003's "Songs for my ute" and the subsequent "More songs for my ute" both showcase the finest of Bogan Rock. More Recently there has been a 2 CD collection dedicated solely to the Australian bogan entitled "The All Time Greatest Bogan Songs".

Also the lyrics to the song "Nobody Likes a Bogan" by Melbourne ska band Area 7 encapsulate and summarise virtually the entire bogan lifestyle. The band also veered away from the traditional ska sound for which they are famed in favour of a more Pub Rock sound for this song.

Prominent examples

  • The Australian singer Jimmy Barnes could almost certainly be considered the prototypical bogan. His music is particularly prized among bogans, as his lyrics tend to encapsulate the bogan perspective. He also comes from Salisbury, South Australia (see above).
  • The television series Kath & Kim is an affectionate look at bogans. Similarly, the cult television lifestyle series Blokesworld is an accurate study and portrayal of "boganism" (or "blokedom", as the show refers to it). Bogan culture has also been a common subject in Australian stand-up and sketch comedy, with comedian Chris Franklin releasing a #1 single, "Bloke", a bogan's response to "Bitch" by American musician Meredith Brooks, and sung to the same tune.
  • Chopper Read, a criminal famous for his executions of prominent Australian underworld figures, also typifes the bogan culture, though is an extreme example, as his murderous activities would suggest.

See also

External links

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