This week the topics revolve around love and community/colonialism. Last week we looked at how colonies were effected by foreign rule. This week has a similar feel as we arrive in Australia and the story of a young couple is told, with added pathos from the off set. The interesting thing that one should note about Australia is that there are two alien groups that perceive the third-party as sub-human. The settlers and criminals/exiles when they first landed stated that the land was terra neuralist (unoccupied) yet the indigenous where of a high volume; many different tribes. In 1901 the aborigines were not part of the Human rights acts but instead placed under the flora and fauna act. The film Rabbit proof fence depicts how this white invasion sought to breed out the recessive gene; this meant if a child was under the age of 16 it no longer belonged to its own parents. So before the film has even began we notice how misshapen the relationship between these communities is. We have a bias to side with the down trodden society; Thornton himself being of indigenous birth. In this film I feel it is his prerogative to give us the Affect of this western takeover to his native people. With regards to problems faced when the colonists return home one can reference the troubles arisen in the film La Bataille d’Alger (Gillo Pontecorvo). This deals with a country as the French are on their way out. One could take from both of these films that colonialism is a European concept.
- “Europe undertook the leadership of the world with ardour, cynicism and violence.” (Franz Fanton, 1961 The Wretched of Earth)
These are both negative portrayals of the effects of western influence and I am struggling to find an example of positive portrayal of an invasion. This is disregarding colonial propaganda. Perhaps the Mission (1986) or merely Jeremy Irons’ character; one could argue as being an almost positive representation of western culture in a foreign land, although I would hasten to add that it is more a crusade than an invasion.
Love in this film is dealt with in a native way. There are many gestures and little speech that allow Delilah to be wooed by Samson. He seems resilient in his pursuit and although their activities are very physical their actual relationship seems very innocent. I am unsure as to whether this is due to the western biblical (Christian) set of morals brought by the settlers or an indigenous custom. I mention this as the names both reflect an old testament influence. They are “star-crossed lovers” forced together as they are both outcasts forced out of their community and also exiled by the white Australian population. This is where Warwick uses the bridge as a metaphor, they are stuck in limbo with a man fallen from grace. Samson is still able to maintain his first love of petrol sniffing that he slowly finds himself sharing as Delilah is forced to solvent. Driven to the bottle by the lack of compassion from her fellow Australians.
rolloaiscott 