Melbourne’s eshay culture: Who are they and what do they do?

Sporting bum bags, trackies and a mullet, you can spot an eshay a mile off. So who are they and what are they doing at Melbourne’s train stations and shopping centres?

Spanian has become the poster boy of eshay culture. Picture: Instagram

Many Melburnians may never have heard of eshays before, but if you’ve spent time at a train station, shopping centre or public park in the past decade, chances are you’ve run into one.

Eshays are part of a subculture that’s gripped a decent chunk of the Australian youth in recent years.

They are often made up of young males from low socio-economic areas of Melbourne and Sydney and are associated with drug-dealing, gang violence and harassment.

Their most distinctive feature is their look, favouring trainers, polo shirts, trackies, bum bags and a mullet, you’ll spot them a mile off.

Popular choices include designer and sportswear labels Adidas, Nautica, Lacoste, Gucci and Tommy Hilfiger, while Nike TN trainers are the most popular feature of an eshay’s wardrobe.

The most distinctive feature of an eshay is their look. Picture: A Current Affair.

They speak in a bastardised version of pig-Latin, scrambling common words and making them indecipherable to the untrained ear.

The phrase “eshay adlay?” is synonymous with the subculture and is pig Latin for “sesh lad?”

which is asking to hang out and smoke bongs, drink booze or take drugs.

Other words include “eetswa” which means “sweet” and “illchay” which means “chill”.

Their style and attitude was brought into the mainstream when western Sydney “drill rap” crew OneFour took the scene by storm.

Their song “Shanks and Shivs’”has nearly four million views on YouTube with lyrics including “No bally then eetswa throw on my shirt” and “Chuck it on and lets lurk — eshay”.

More recently, Sydney rapper Spanian, has become the poster boy of eshay culture, with his popular “hood logic” videos racking up millions of views in which he teaches followers how to deal drugs and commit robberies.

Memes posted online as “eshays” are a popular topic. Picture: Facebook

The Herald Sun has identified a number of youth gangs that bear many of the hallmarks of eshay culture.

On TikTok and Instagram, the groups organise street fights, post videos of the violence and recruit.

Criminal youths linked to these gangs have also been linked to liquor shop thefts and snatch-and-grab robberies at popular electronics stores.

These gangs include:

ABZ 36

Based in the eastern suburbs including Ringwood, Wantirna and Bayswater.

VB (Vava’u Brothers)

Based in Melton, Tarneit and surrounding suburbs, the gang is made up of Pacific Islander youths.

HP (Hampton Park) Boys

Has been expanding over the past year amassing up to 200 members. Based in Hampton Park.

(NGS) also known as “710”

A rival gang to the HP Boys. Rife within Melbourne’s southeast, with many posting photos of themselves armed with weapons and footage of wild brawls in suburbs within Casey and Greater Dandenong

Eastside Drillers (ESD)

Consists of members mostly from Melbourne’s southeast, with some members known to also live in Melbourne’s outer east.

Young Reckless Drillaz (YRD)

Frequently use Instagram stories to lure new gang members and appear to recruit youths from all parts of Melbourne

STG

Consists of youths predominantly from areas in Melbourne’s northwest including Deer Park, St Albans and Sunshine.

Oakleigh Wogs

Popular in the 90s, this gang has re-emerged, with several youth members taking part in a vicious brawl in Eaton Mall in 2019.

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Youths from Melbourne’s west who post videos on social media about fights and rapping. Known to clash with other gangs from Melbourne’s southeast.