Culture among the Stars

There is a higher density of stars located at the top
of the dome compared to the bottom edge like in
the first photograph.

Walking through Hyde Park, the ANZAC Memorial stands as a testament to the men and women who served in World War I. The featured photographs were taken from the upper level of the memorial under the dome. My fascination with the gold stars covering the inside of the dome stems from the statement that the memorial makes about Australian culture. Fons Trompenaars contends that culture is comprised of three layers where each subsequent level reveals additional details about Australian culture.

Trompenaars describes the outermost layer as objects or behaviors that are overtly experienced by one of the five senses. In this case, the gold stars on the inner part of the dome represent the tangible aspect of culture. The placement of the stars overhead is comparable to the night sky, which exudes a sense of permanency in culture. Since no meaning has been directly attributed to the stars, they provide little insight into Australia’s culture. In order to gain a better understanding of Australian culture, a thorough examination of the next level of culture is required.

Norms and values, the next level of culture according to Trompenaars, clarify the driving factors behind the objects and behaviors. Beyond our senses, we realize that each star represents a single man or woman who served in World War I and since we are located in a war memorial, it becomes apparent that every star carries weight and importance. The ANZAC Memorial demonstrates to individuals serving Australia that their country recognizes and appreciates the sacrifices that they make for their nation. Even though not everyone has a personal connection with a servicemen or servicewomen, a person can respect each one by the star symbolizing them.

At the heart of culture, Trompenaars claims that an individual maintains a basic set of assumptions about his or her existence. Here, the defining lines of culture become blurred, thus allowing for various interpretations. Thousands of stars exist on the dome of the ANZAC Memorial, many of which are heavily clustered at the top of the dome while the edges are more scattered. Although the memorial does not have an explanation for the increasing density of stars at the top, design was probably a motivating factor. Every individual had a specific role that they played. Some soldiers were directly in the line of fire while other military personal had a less precarious role. By following the stretch of stars from the outer edge towards the top most point, I thought the growing proximity of the stars accounted for the increased risks assumed by individuals. Even though every role in the war effort is important, the individuals who sacrifice the most tend to garner a greater amount of my respect. My interpretation may not align with the architect's intention or how Australians view their culture, but it provides insight to how culture can be seen through various lenses.

From this perspective, the Australian and American culture closely align. Similar to the ANZAC Memorial in Sydney, the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, District of Columbia portrays a quantity of servicemen and servicewomen. Besides the obvious differences of design and location, a more distinct difference in culture can be observed. Each gold star in the ANZAC Memorial represents every individual who served in the war. However, the Vietnam Memorial only names the individuals reported missing and the lives that were lost as a result of the war. The distinction of the two memorials communicates contrasting aspects about the culture in Australia versus the United States. By including everyone with a role in the war, Australia demonstrates how every effort of both survivors and victims carries importance. America, on the other hand, only manages to credit less fortunate individuals who became a casualty or were reported missing. The lack of recognition for the survivors disregards the contributions of the survivors.

The most fascinating parts of culture reside not in the similarities, but in the nuances. Since Australia was settled through England’s use of it as a convict colony, the immigrant convicts were not interested in building and maintaining a culture exactly like that of the country that had openly rejected them. The stars reflect the idea that each person is unique and worthy of recognition. The gold stars in the ANZAC Memorial show the elevation of some Australians from a reputation as exiled convicts to newly recognized and respected citizens and soldiers. Observing the gold stars does not provide this level of detail about culture. Only a closer examination reveals the subtlety.