It is not surprising that Nicole Kidman attempted to play the sacred instrument, the Didgeridoo – an instrument forbidden to women, a ceremonial instrument of many thousands of years.
That Hugh Jackman would bounce around on one leg parodying traditional dancers and think nothing of is most likely because they are anglo-Australians who reflect the ignorance that some….many….Australians have regarding Aboriginal protocols and Cultural Respect.
All of us white-kids of the 60’s and 70’s eras grew up in a country that had long ago turned sacred symbols into tea towels and souvenir’s, had forbidden traditional Aboriginal language to be spoken in government institutions and were taught the “A,B,C of Racism” through the example of the adults around us.
We grew up in a country where Aboriginal knoweldge was dismissed, rights were taken away the cultural practices were targeted for annihilation.
Click here for more of that story:
Nigger and the A, B, c of Racism in Australia…
Nicole and Hugh most likely did not intentionally set out to offend, the footage shows an atmosphere of fun and levity, delighting the audience with their antics…..and that in itself says a great deal about how ignorant non-Aboriginal Australia will remain until we develop meaningful relationships with Aboriginal people on a far wider scale than currently happens in order that understanding and respect can develop.
Many people have expressed delight and appreciation of the role of the Aboriginal boy in the high profile film “Australia” though as far as a true representation it is a film made by white~Australians about the romanticism of colonial Australia at a time this country was immersed in the slavery and apartheid that defined post-European invasion of ’settlement’.
The young boy mentions that the white woman coming is a sign of things being made better…the missionary-rescue story re- told black people relying on white people to determine their destiny.
Perhaps one day Nicole might have the privilege of sitting with the Elders, learning about the role of the didgeridoo in ceremony and celebration…perhaps Hugh might be invited to dance with the Men and experience the process of dancing with the rhythms of thousands of years of Dreamtime….
Until then the disregard for Cultural protocols , regardless of the role that fictional Aboriginal boys play in films, will probably continue during these very early days of recovery, recognition and respect for traditional Aboriginal values and practices.
The map below shows how many hundreds of Aboriginal groups existed in Australia prior to the invasion by European armed forces in 1788. Each First Nation group with its own extraordinarily beautiful art, music, ceremony, Spiritual and societal practices
