New chums and diggers; the history of Australian mining fields through song

Songs from the Australian mining fields that have been handed down from singer to singer and collected by folklorists have become part of the traditional Australian folk music genre. Music played an important part in the life of the Australian digger, both around the campfire and performed by professional entertainers. The songs record experiences of miners and events that took place on the mining fields. The presentation will use fragments of song recordings to illustrate early life and events on mining fields, industrial unrest, introduction of new technology, and racial tensions.