At the Tasmanian \u00a0film showing, I along with\u00a0community leaders, politicians, Municipal Councillors and\u00a0Church leaders, were informed by Tasmanian Indigenous Elders\u00a0of RECOGNISE which\u00a0is the people\u2019s movement to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the Australian\u00a0Constitution. See, RECOGNISE.<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span> Although broadly supportive, my concern is that this project may take energy from the deeper issue of growing respect and understanding, working practically, so\u00a0that we can build healthy and life giving ways to live together in this land, Australia.<\/p>\n The film is very well reviewed by Gemma Blackwood, Charlie\u2019s Country: David Gulpilil confounds our romantic\u00a0fantasies.<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span> A snippet:<\/p>\n In Charlie\u2019s Country, Eurocentric fantasies about Indigenous men are deconstructed. For example, the main character works as a tracker \u2013 but for the police. Rather than being able to live off the land, his inability for long-term survival in the swamps of Arnhem Land is revealed.<\/p>\n Gulpilil and de Heer\u2019s decision for the film to be a character study allows the banal daily problems and ongoing prejudices in Ramingining and Darwin to convey a much bigger social commentary about disadvantage and cultural misunderstanding and miscommunication.<\/p>\n Charlie lives in a self-made humpy because he feels the government provisions are inadequate. The film progresses through a register of emotional states, charting Charlie\u2019s struggle to do things in his way. He tries to go bush in the traditional sense, but he\u2019s all on his own and an unfortunate early wet season means he contracts bronchial disease.<\/p>\n Then, released after extensive rehabilitation from Darwin Hospital, he falls in with itinerant drinkers in the city and is eventually incarcerated, and for a while, silenced.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n I urge you to please take the opportunity to view and discuss this important film.<\/p>\n Following my heartfelt ‘Sorry’ to the indigenous peoples at my first media conference as Bishop of Tasmania, I asked that the\u00a0history of the relationship between the Aboriginal Community and the Anglican Church in Tasmania\u00a0be told. Anglicare(Tas) generously funded the project\u00a0resulting\u00a0in\u00a0James Boyce’s ‘God’s Own Country?<\/em>‘.\u00a0The book launch address at St John’s New Town, Wednesday 27 June 2001, is here.<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n Participation in events such as\u00a0The Water Ceremony<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Ecumenical Reconciliation Services<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0continue to grow my understanding, as does reading and consideration of indigenous\u00a0biography such as Yulki: Arnhem Land Priest<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0\u00a0and Michael Gumbuli of Ngukurr<\/span><\/span><\/a>. Also, listening to\u00a0indigenous concerns such as the\u00a0NT Emergency Intervention Response: An Indigenous Christian View.<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Engaging, thought provoking, feeling sad, comic, angry, frustrated!\u00a0\u00a0– Yes, these are all components of my response to this excellent film: Charlie’s Country. And did I mention that it is sooo sloooow! Ah! I hear, “You, white fella!” Yes, the pace … Continue reading ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/62e528761d0685343e1c-f3d1b99a743ffa4142d9d7f1978d9686.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com\/files\/54046\/width237\/c6v26h32-1405556639.jpg\")
Poster for Charlie\u2019s Country. Image.net\/Entertainment One films<\/span><\/p>\n