Analysis of The Secret River

Question: Discuss about the Report for a Article of Analysis of The Secret River. Answer: Introduction The movie, Secret River, is about issues on land, and how land was divided in the past before civilization, including the part of the ownership of property in land (McNamara 2013). The storyline is centered on William, a convict, who is used to show the disparities in land ownership between the whites and the Aboriginals, and the opinions of both parties towards these concerns. Through this analysis, I seek to answer increasing questions on the relationship the aboriginal people hand towards their land before colonialism (LaRoque 2014 p.6), the differences in their attitudes towards land ownership and use and the general feelings of racial superiority shown by the white settlers. The relationship of the Aborigines with their land Unlike indigenous people, the Aborigines attachment towards their land is of a deeper dimension as they have a physical, social, cultural and spiritual connection to it (Leonard, Parsons, Olawsky and Kofod 2013). This reiterates the fact that the land of the aboriginals owns them and they are connected to it in part of their lives. Due to their spiritual attachment to the land, their laws are in conformity with the land, people and other creations, giving them a direction in their cultures and dominance. Additionally, the health and water forms the main basis of the land and is important in their culture. This is demonstrated in the movie where Aborigines live in the forest and they are almost invisible as they adapt to the environment and retreat as settlements expand. During the night they light their fires in almost every part of the forest and attacked anyone moving into their land with spears. This shows their attachment to the land in all aspects, economically and spiritually alike. The clash of civilizations (Aborigines vs. Settlers) The theme of the clash of civilizations is evident in the movie majorly due to the disparities in their attitudes ad view of the Aborigines and settlers towards land ownership. In the movie, Scabby Bill is a character used in showing the negative influence of civilization on the lifestyle of the aborigines in the manner in which he forsakes his culture after an introduction to rum. Consequently, he proves the perception of the whites towards the black that they are savages and the colonists gather at Pickled Herring to watch Scabby Hill exchange rum with a dance. Cultural differences between the two groups led to conflicts and violence between the aborigines and settlers. This is attributed to the fact that the British occupied free land without structures on them assuming the aborigines did not invest, and it has been argued that the existence of an empty land does not warrant the lack of ownership. The rise of conflict is supported by the fact that the Aborigines warded off the interest of the whites in their land by attacking them with spears. The concept of racial superiority by the whites The concept of power and is based on institutional power, prejudice, stereotype, and oppression while that of privileges functions on a personal level giving advantages to dominating groups (Lenski 2013). Contextually, the concept of power and privilege is clearly when the whites preside over the indigenous inhabitants of the land and the aborigines. William, a convict living in Hawkesbury is a witness to the violence that increases on a daily basis between the Aborigines and settlers. This is portrayed when William first visited the river and encountered different opinions on the ways to approach aborigines as expressed by Thomas Blackwood and Smasher Sullivan, with the former having respect for the Aborigines. Thomas Blackwood has respect for the culture of the Aboriginals and is free of racial supremacy and privileges. Contrastingly, Smasher Sullivan has much hatred for the aborigines and refers to them as savages as he has the conviction that colonizers have the right to land ownership and full claim of land (.Margulis and Porter 2013). Furthermore, he is of the opinion that the Aborigines presence is a nuisance and that they deserve swift ruthless and heartless treatments. He goes to the extent of killing Aborigines who come into his home, hence confirming and agreeing to the worldwide opinion that colonialism led to the spread of Aborigines. Conclusion Conclusively, the land belonging to the Aborigines is more of a private entity and as such should not be interfered with by civilization.it is of utmost importance to embrace and fight for what one believes in the Aborigines fought against the forceful, unlawful occupation of their land. References Cowlishaw, G., 2013. Australian Aboriginal Studies: The Anthropologists Accounts. Sydney Studies in Society and Culture, 4. LaRoque, D.E., 2014. Colonization/Decolonization. Page 6 Lenski, G.E., 2013. Power and privilege: A theory of social stratification. UNC Press Books. Leonard, S., Parsons, M., Olawsky, K. and Kofod, F., 2013. The role of culture and traditional knowledge in climate change adaptation: Insights from East Kimberley, Australia. Global Environmental Change, 23(3), pp.623-632. Margulis, M.E. and Porter, T., 2013. Governing the global land grab: multipolarity, ideas, and complexity in transnational governance. Globalizations, 10(1), pp.65-86. McNamara, N., 2013. Literary legacy: unconscious bias.secrte river page