Midnight Oil

[Powderworks] NMOC: Rabbit Proof Fence

Randy Van Vliet bigdaddyrv@yahoo.com
Tue, 18 Mar 2003 14:31:35 -0800 (PST)


I was traveling last week, staying in a the Fairfield
Inn at Newark airport (spooty 1-9!), and was scanning
the pay movies and, much to my surprise, Rabbit Proof
Fence was on.  This is not the typical hotel movie
selection.  I knew the basic subject (the 'stolen
generations') but I wasn't sure what to expect.  

I was blown away!  The story is probably not too
unusual from others except that these two girls made
it, but the emotions and the insight into the era were
outstanding.  I fell in love with those 3 girls almost
from the moment we first meet them, not because they
are cute (they are) but because of who they are and
what they represent.  You can see character there as
well as a very natural presence and they are very
uncomplicated.  If these children were born under
other circumstances or to other parents, they clearly
would have bright futures ahead of them.  

Kenneth Branagh did a great job, although I imagine he
must have hated the role of the bigoted, racist, god
complex-ed bureaucrat.  (the scene where he is giving
the slide show to the group of women, it almost made
mu stomach turn).  The "taking of the girls" scene
broke my heart.  I was also very impressed with the
treatment of the rural homesteaders.  The first White
lady who gave them food, shoes and coats and the other
ones who lent them aid.  It shows that not all
Australians cared, or maybe even knew about, the
"problem".  It reminded me of my time in Northern
Canada where almost everyone will help our anyone who
is in distress, particularly in the winter.  It shows
a much more humanitarian side of people to lend mutual
aid.  

Anyway, if you haven't seen it yet, see it.  It's not
a good date movie because it will make you think, but
it certainly is worth an hour and a half of your time.
 

If anyone knows more about the story, I have a few
questions:

What happened to Gracie?  Did she just go back to
Moore River and back into the pipeline?

Did they take only Half-Castes or did they take full
aboriginals?

Was this just a WA thing, the removal of the
Half-Castes, or did it happen all over Australia?

Were there many Half Caste boys involved, or did they
not stay around the whatever the Australian term for
Reservations is?  

What finally made them stop?

Any idea how many Half-Caste children there were? 
Were interracial marriages very common?  


Thanks for your help, 

Randy


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