Women of the Sun to shine on local screens

Written by RCC Communications

Wednesday, 12 September 2007

Rockhampton City Council invites you to screenings of a remarkable drama series that presents the Aboriginal story through the eyes of Aboriginal women, in their own language.

‘Women of the Sun’ was screened on Australian television in 1981, with a tremendous impact on the national audience, and a follow-up documentary, ‘Women of the Sun 25 Years On’ was featured during this year’s NAIDOC week celebrations.

The four episodes in the ‘Women of the Sun’ series will screen over four weeks in the Auditorium on the ground floor of the Walter Reid Cultural Centre, corner East and Derby Streets, Rockhampton.

The first in the series, “Alinta: The Flame”, (50 mins PG Dhamarrandju and English dialogue and subtitles) will screen on Friday, September 14 at 12 noon.  This story brings its audience closest to the customs and culture of tribal Aborigines, and gives a fascinating insight into rituals and legends. The lives of the Nyari people are completely disrupted when two escaped convicts are washed up on the beach of their tribal lands. Subsequently, the Nyari people meet other whites, settlers searching for grazing land. The abuse of the Nyari’s sacred tribal ways follows and eventually leads to the annihilation of the tribe. Only Alinta, ‘the Flame’ remains with her child to carry the torch for her culture and the people.

The second film, “Maydina: The Shadow”, (50 mins PG) will screen on Friday, September 28 at 12 noon.  As the seal-hunters discovered the rich bounty off the southern coasts, they supplemented their isolated lives by kidnapping Aboriginal women to fulfil the role of sex partners. Maydina was one whose life was changed when abducted. As the story opens, Maydina and her half-caste daughter Biri escape. Events lead them to be delivered into the care of Mrs McPhee, founder and guardian of a church mission. Maydina and her child are separated when Maydina is put into service.

On Friday, October 5, “Nerida Anderson”, (50 mins PG) will screen at 12 noon. This episode is based on the event known as ‘The Cumeroongunga Walkout’.  Nerida has been working in the city as a bookkeeper. While she has been away, conditions on the government-established reserve have deteriorated so badly that she attempts to motivate her people to improve them. This display of independence so angers the reserve manager that he retaliates by having Nerida and her family tried for treason. As the young male members of the reserve join the army to fight Australia’s war, life on the reserve continues to deteriorate.

The last in the series, “Lo-Arna”, (50 mins PG) will screen on Friday, October 12 at 12 noon.

Ann Cutler is the 18-year-old adopted daughter of middle-class parents in an Australian country town. Their loving relationship changes dramatically when she discovers that she is not French Polynesian, but Aboriginal, the natural daughter of her adoptive father and Alice Wilson, who lives in a nearby Aboriginal shanty town.  Ann attempts to resolve her emotional turmoil by re-establishing contact with her natural mother, but cannot, apparently, cope with the confrontation.

For more information on the ‘Women of the Sun’ screenings, please call Judy Couttie on 4936 8344.