Aboriginal History Archive

The Black Power movement and Bruce McGuiness

In the late 1960s and early 70s, the Black Power movement emerged from cities and suburbs around Australia. It was “the most exciting and dynamic era in modern Indigenous history” according to historian and Aboriginal activist Professor Gary Foley, who gained widespread attention for protests during the period. Fellow activist, Koori leader and filmmaker Bruce McGuinness helped strengthen the intersection of activism and filmmaking with his politically charged Black Fire (1972).

Backroads and The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith

In the late 1970s, non-Indigenous filmmakers wanting to support Indigenous Rights in Australia released films on Black Australia to mixed success. While Fred Schepisi’s controversial The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith (1978) divided audiences and demonstrated how non-Indigenous storytellers could co-opt Indigenous stories to great detriment, Phillip Noyce’s Backroads (1977), made in close consultation with Gary Foley, was groundbreaking for tackling racism and giving First Peoples a say in how they were portrayed.

Dogs in Space and A Country Practice

The 1980s saw Indigenous activism and Black Power gain prominence in mainstream screen and pop culture, with activist Gary Foley appearing in the cult classic Dogs in Space (1986) and the family favourite TV show A Country Practice (1989). These pop culture moments, although brief, arguably reached a much wider audience than protests and demonstrate the power of screen culture as a tool of activism, social change and the ongoing struggle for Indigenous Rights.