Bran Nue Dae (2009)
A few years ago my Aunt and Uncle took me to the movies to see a movie called "Bran Nue Dae". This was basically the start of my cultural awareness of the Indigenous people in Australia, as it was for the rest of the world, seeing as Geoffrey Rush was featured. Unfortunately it didn't necessarily shed a great light over them.
The Indigenous people in the movie were portrayed as drunks, people of lesser intellect and near-savages... All-in-all it was basically designed purely to take the piss.
Seeing as it's been a couple of years the only thing I can really clearly remember from the movie is part of a very catchy song:
There's nothing I would rather beThough the lyrics may be portraying what many of the Indigenous people in Australia are (and were) thinking at the time, the tune and melody was just way too cheerful, making it seem like a joke and taking any of the real meaning out of the lyrics.
Than to be an Aborigine
and watch you take my precious land away.
For nothing gives me greater joy
than to watch you fill each girl and boy
with superficial existential sh!t.
Now you may think I'm cheeky
But I'd be satisfied
to rebuild your convict ships
and sail them on the tide.
I love the way you give me God
and of course the mining board,
for this of course I thank the Lord each day.
I'm glad you say that land rights wrong.
Then you should go where you belong
and leave me to just keep on keeping on.
For people such as myself, who know very little about their culture, it's very hard to know how to feel about songs (or movies) such as this. On one hand what they're singing about really makes you feel bad and understand how they must be feeling, but on the other a part of you wants to laugh with (or is it at?) them and just dance along...
I have never actually seen this movie, but after watching the video you posted and reading what you have to say about it, I totally agree with you. It is evident in today's society that a lot of movies tend to use a stereotype for different groups of people, particularly those of different cultural backgrounds. This is really disrespectful in the way that it gives a whole group of people a blanket description that is then portrayed to the entire world. It also doesn't encourage younger generations to embrace reconciliation and cultural equality.
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