Abstract
Nicolas Roeg’s Walkabout, a 1971 Australian New Wave film, has ignited and continues to ignite a deep desire in its audience to ruminate and engage with Aboriginal political discourse. This seminal work emerged out of social unrest for the injustices performed on Aborigines at the time, and made a definitive mark on how Australian’s think about race relations, intercultural understanding, and the place of empathy and thoughtfulness in a shifting and vibrant political landscape. Through the film, Roeg highlights the importance of sacred land and cultural heritage to the Aboriginal people, and the obligation white Australia has to respect and appreciate such a deep and fundamental component of the continent’s history.
Highlights
An indelible element of Walkabout is the earth itself, framing hardship and possibility through differing character motivations
The film focuses on three protagonists, Girl and White Boy, who are driven into the Australian outback after their father shoots a gun at them in a hallucinatory fervour
Black Boy appears, keeping them alive as they slowly drift back towards Roeg’s symbolic “civilisation”. Even in this simple synopsis, is Roeg’s deliberate distillation of each “character” into their gender and race, featuring Jenny Agutter as “Girl”, David Gulpilil as “Black Boy”, and Luc Roeg as “White Boy”. This could be attributed to the lackadaisical dialogue between characters, considering the importance of identity to the NEW: Emerging scholars in Australian Indigenous Studies is a Student Journal from UTS ePRESS showcasing outstanding student works
Summary
An indelible element of Walkabout is the earth itself, framing hardship and possibility through differing character motivations. The film focuses on three protagonists, Girl and White Boy, who are driven into the Australian outback after their father shoots a gun at them in a hallucinatory fervour. Black Boy appears, keeping them alive as they slowly drift back towards Roeg’s symbolic “civilisation”.
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