‘MATESHIP. “HOW THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU?”!!

So, what’s in a word? A word originally from Germany as in ‘gemate’ meaning: to share a meal at the same table (Wikipedia)

Nothing has changed really in that regard except to perhaps extend the meaning of sharing.

‘Mate, is a four-letter word, but a great four-letter word when you think about it and never so apt as when you come across it used in the Australian vernacular.

Tradie Tom’s stomping ground!

It seems everyone is everybody’s ‘mate’ in the land of plenty.  “G’dday mate”, “how ya going mate?” “can I give you a hand mate?”, “ maaaate”!!!!

All these phrases and more are used daily and what is more is that the questions (and intonations) behind them are genuine. They imply a sense of shared experience, mutual respect, unconditional assistance (and perhaps, disbelief!)

We are one but we are many, as the song reminds us (The Seekers) and so diverse within our cultures but Mateship, daily crosses these diversities and holds out a helping hand. This has never been so true than during the summer of 2019/2020 when this land of plenty has seen drought, bushfire and floods. ‘Mates’ have opened their homes to ‘new’ mates, given what they could to ease the pain of others who are suffering their own private disaster. ‘Mates’ who have often never met before have got together to hold out a lifesaving hand to other new ‘mates’ going through the toughest time of their lives. Quite often these ‘mates’ never get to find out each other’s names before they pat each other on the back and say “thanks Mate, couldn’t have done it without you”.

“Mate” is a thousand words: Thank-you, how are you doing?  here, take this, what do you need? Well done, I’m here for you, I’ve got your back……………I could go on.

Mateship is a word for team work, it’s a word for just you holding out a helping hand, lending an ear. Its an idiom that embodies equality, loyalty and friendship. Its an amicable form of addressing someone you have possibly never met before but its also its an address used for friends you have grown up with and known for as long as you can remember. Your footy team mates, your school mates…………..

We all need a mate, a helping hand sometimes, with no questions asked. A pat on the back to tell us ‘well done, you did it’. A smile to say ‘I acknowledge you’.

Can you put yourself in the ‘Mate’ category?

It will make a difference to someone, believe me.

It’s worth a ‘bloody good go’!

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