Whiteys like us

In 1991 a National Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation was established in Australia with the “aim of improving relations between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and other Australians” by the year 2001. To achieve this, Study Circles were set up across Australia whereby small groups of people would come together and debate the issues over a period of eight weeks and since 1991 over 1500 Study Circles have been held throughout Australia. This documentary focuses on one such study circle which took place at the Manly Community College in 1998 where all the participants were non-indigenous Australians from Sydney’s affluent north shore. The dynamics of the group and the responses of the individuals within it reveal a lot about the current and complex state of indigenous and non-indigenous relations in Australia. The emotions expressed by the group are quite confronting particularly when David Watts (Indigenous Heritage Officer) appears as a guest speaker at one of the weekly sessions. This is a most compelling documentary on the issue of reconciliation revealing the personal struggles it would seem that most “ordinary” Australians are attempting to come to terms with.