journal 3

WOMEN’S STUDIES 1.
Journal Week 3.
D.V.D.-WOMEN OF THE SUN- Nerida Anderson.

Nerida Anderson appeared to be a well-educated, alert young Aboriginal women who loved her family very much and was very concerned about her families welfare living in horrifying conditions. The shacks were overcrowded cold in winter, and run-down with stressful supervised fortnightly house inspections. The beds were inspected and the people made to feel as if in prison rather than in a free country with rights. The food was rationed and some only received 1 potato for dinner and yet they were expected to work hard.

Nerida was a good leader as she has just finished a four-year education course as a Clerk in the city so she was used to receiving some respect and also knew the laws quite well. She wanted to go about a change for her people in the correct manner rather than to fight and cause a disturbance, like her brother and relative. The young men were traumatized by their situation and hopelessness. Nerida gave them hope, a wonderful kind spirited women who was prepared to give it a go, to help her people help themselves to improve their lives and stop the neglect and starvation and sickness (including T.B) at the mission. She was their chance for a change and everyone was listening to every suggestion she made.

Her father, who had been suffering from lung-disease, after being gassed in the war, fought along side the Australian soldiers at Galipoli. The Galipoli war was fierce and a lot of soldiers died but when the Aboriginal soldiers arrived home they received no respect or recognition as an Ausralian service man, no parade or medals or even a pension, as they were not classed as Australian citizens until the 1960’s. Many men like Nerida’s father received no medication or follow up medical treatment and was still expected to work a full day, even though he could not stop coughing and his health was suffering. The men were treated as a non-entity because they were Aboriginals.

The people do not feel equal or Australian, as they do not have the freedom of movement that the other people have. The Aboriginal people are not allowed to leave the Koomalah Aboriginal Reserve without the permission of the reserve manager. I think the film tries to bring attention to how Nerida’s father would feel putting up his life to help Australia in the war and getting nothing from the Australian people or Government in return. A home for his family and some medical help is not too much to ask but they received nothing. Yet they enlisted for the war and so did many other Aboriginal men and women.

The reserve manager Mr. Felton was arrogant, rude, dominant, crude, a drunk and a brute yet he was the boss of the mission and it was common knowledge he was sexually harassing the women. He told Nerida when she came back to the mission to spend some time with her family that she had to work as a house maid yet she was qualified in office work, only the women that he abused received make-up favours. When Nerida refused his advances he became violent and changed the situation to try and blame Nerida for her advances towards him. This is when she decides to form a petition to gather signatures and present it to the Aboriginal Protection Board, to change the living conditions, but when they ignored their request she decides to have a secret meeting, which was illegal without the managers consent. The filmmakers did not play the station manager’s roll too harshly as I think the sexual abuse and starvation amongst the kids would have been as bad if not worse and it was his job to bring harmony and standard living conditions to all on the mission, which he failed to do. He is part of the problem a big part, he took away the people’s pride and self esteem and hope. Without these things a person will rebel.

When Nerida’s father took ill one night, Mr. Fenton didn’t even want to drive him to hospital but Nerida forced him to show concern and threatened him with action if he refused. Wearing only flour sacks over their heads for protection against the hard rain their father was taken to hospital where unfortunately, he died a few days later.

The station manager had gained information that Nerida and her brother and relative were holding a secret meeting and decided to have them arrested and tried for treason. They appeared in court for rioting and disobedience but the court judges the charge as inappropriate and questions why the Aboriginal Protection Board did not handle the case, therefore the court case was dismissed. The Board issued a 6-month bond for a non-permit meeting.

The priest Mr. Short, who lives on the mission was a weak man frightened of Mr. Fenton the station manager, he was supposed to help the people spirituality and with compassion yet when asked in court to describe the disgusting living conditions and the sad isolation of it’s people he lied and thought of his own job and himself and not the people.

Nerida knew no-one was safe on the mission especially the young girls who are forcefully removed from their families and sent off to work as domestic help at remote cattle stations. The families didn’t even know where their children were going - they were abused and beaten and traumatized by these actions.
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Through constant communication and persuasion Nerida, convinces the people to “walk-out” of the mission and live independent lives. This event is known in history as the Cumeroongunga Walkout. So Nerida was a good leader as she showed compassion and commitment to her people’s plight and the outcome was excellent. A new beginning, which will include better living conditions and freedom of choice for work or an education.

The statistics we looked at on Indigenous women was quite confronting. I am shocked that Indigenous women were 20 times more likely to be in prison than non-indigenous women. I thought many Aboriginal men are in jail but did not think that many women where incarcerated. Also that Indigenous women are 45 times more likely to be the victims of domestic violence than other Australian women. The solution to some of these problems would have to be on going. A chance for affordable housing with an education and keeping the family unit together would be first on the list. The women will need councilling for their mental anguish and a support group made up mostly of other Aboriginal women who have made the transformation from victim to survivor. All these things take time and I only hope that funding and on going treatment will instill a greater quality of life for all Native Australian’s – it’s long overdue!!!!!

CHRIS HICKS – page 2..