Ecosystem as a source of national symbols: Insight into Australian and New Zealand cultures and languages

The article is devoted to the cognitive and lexical-typological aspects of Australian and New Zealand national symbols. Both Australia and New Zealand are relatively young migrant cultures which present a unique possibility of discovering connection between symbol creation and formation of nationalities. The research was done within the framework of the ethno-symbolic approach developed by Anthony D. Smith who states that ethnic symbols represent the origins of nations and the pre-modern form of national identity. This work contributes to the development of the interdisciplinary theory and the empirical basis of ethno-symbolism. The regularities discovered through the analysis of more than two hundred Australian and New Zealand symbols which were created on the basis of the ecosystem proved similarity of cognitive procedures of symbolization in migrant cultures of Australia and New Zealand. Australian and New Zealand symbols demonstrated interdependence between the evolution of British migrants' ethnic identity and the formation of Australian and New Zealand national identities. Biomorphic national symbols of Australia and New Zealand are culturally-specific: kiwi, silver fernleaf (in New Zealand), kangaroo, wattle (in Australia). But at the same time they are informative for the identification of common features of symbol creation in both cultures. The whole set of national symbols of Australia and New Zealand point at a multi-layered national identity, which in both countries comprises similar socio-cultural types, domineering at different historical periods. Their symbols are indicative of people's attitude to nature and their basic values. Among the socio-cultural types which are singled out within both Australian and New Zealand national identities are the following: • indigenous type (Polynesian type in New Zealand and Aboriginal type in Australia), which produced symbols based on mythological cognition (pohutukawa, lizards); • non-indigenous type (British type + colonial type + post-colonial type), whose symbols reflect the evolution of British ethnic identity; • national Australian / New Zealand type, which generates symbols of independent nations. The biomorphic character of national symbols of Australia and New Zealand is symbolic as it reflects the history of exploring the harsh natural environment, the vital values of the colonial period and the spiritual association of migrants both with their old and new homelands.

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