The song narrates the final day of a swagman (an itinerant, nomadic farm worker):
*Matilda is a slang term for a swag and waltzing means to travel on foot from place to place while looking for work.
The 1894 shearers’ strike was a time of massive social unrest and violent strikes by Australian sheep shearers against rich land barons
It is believed to be heavily inspired by a real-world incident at Dagworth Station in Queensland. A striking shearer named Samuel Hoffmeister reportedly shot and killed himself near a waterhole to avoid being arrested by police and the estate owner after an arson attack.
Instead of celebrating kings, wars, or flags, Australians adopted a song about a poor, homeless thief who chose death over losing his freedom to the police and the upper class. It perfectly encapsulates the traditional Australian cultural values of mateship, resilience, skepticism of authority, and an independent spirit.
The Australian women’s national soccer team, the Matildas, takes its name directly from this historic ballad!