Rabbit Proof Fence

Rabbit Proof Fence is a story about three aboriginal girls who in 1931 were separated from their families in Australia.   These girls, Molly, Daisy, and Gracie, are captured and sent to the Moore River where the plan is for them to be trained by the white people to become among other things a new class of domestics and manual laborers.   With careful planning and knowledge beyond their years, these girls led by Molly, manage to escape and start a 1200 mile long walk back toward their families using only the rabbit proof fence as a guide.   The journey home is filled with many obstacles including consistently throwing the stalker off track, managing to eat and drink enough to survive the constant desert landscape, and also learning to trust no one including other aboriginals.   Learning to not be reliant on others however, did not totally come without trial and error.   Daisy is victim in trusting too much during the return, and is recaptured as the movie progresses.   In a positive light however, Molly, with Gracie carefully resting on her back for many scenes, both manage to finally return home safe to their reservation thus reuniting them with their mother and family.

Background of the movie aside, it was jaw dropping to be taught how Rabbit Proof Fence is so relevant to anthropology and history in general.   Fact of the matter is this is a true story.   During the year this movie takes place (1931) and even much longer (until the 1970’s), children being taken and separated from their family was truly a concern and way of life for the aboriginals.   Australia’s colonial history included an ordering for the removal of aboriginals and for them to be put and introduced to the white culture in order to be prepped for marriage to a white person, to be servants or to become manual laborers.   During these times of removing a generation, white people honestly saw this as assisting the aboriginals and not at all as a cruel or inhuman act.   Without judging whether it was morally...