Professional Documents
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RPF Guide
RPF Guide
www.rabbitprooffence.com.au 1
Introduction the country. Aboriginal life has been
regulated and supervised at almost
Rabbit-Proof Fence is a powerful
Rabbit-Proof Fence:
every turn. There was no choice.
film based on the true story and
[Reconciliation and Its Key Issues: Improving
experiences of three young Aboriginal Relationships, no.2.]
girls, Molly, Gracie and Daisy,
who were forcibly taken from Curriculum Links
their families in Jigalong, Western
Australia in 1931. The film puts The themes and activities developed
a human face on the ‘Stolen in this study guide will have interest
Generation’, a phenomenon which and relevance for teachers and
characterized relations between students from the middle to senior
the government and Aborigines years studying these subjects:
in Australia for much of the 20th Studies of Society and Environment,
century. The girls were taken away Australian History, Cultural Studies,
to be trained as domestic servants at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
the Moore River Native Settlement, Studies, English, Personal Develop-
A Study Guide
north of Perth. This was consistent ment, Religious Studies and Media
with official government assimil- Studies. In addition to the specific
ationist policy of the time decreeing focus on the issue of the Stolen
that ‘half caste’ children should be Generations, Rabbit-Proof Fence
taken from their kin and their land, explores themes such as Aboriginal
in order to be ‘made white’. spirituality, relationships with
the land, family bonds, courage,
Focusing on the escape of the determination and faith.
three girls from Moore River in
the 1930s, the film highlights the Before Watching the
despair experienced by mothers whose
children were taken, and the terror Film
and confusion of those children, These activities, which students may
snatched from familiar surroundings complete before seeing the film,
and forced to adapt to European provide an historical context for
ways. Led by fourteen year old Molly, students to understand the film, and
the girls defy all odds to travel 1500 draw on the early chapters of the
miles through unfamiliar territory to book, Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence.
return to their land, their homes and Later in the study guide there
families in North-Western Australia, are activities for students who are
with the authorities chasing them comparing the film with the book.
all the way.
Rabbit-Proof Fence is a true story, Historical Context
based on the book, Follow the (Note: the early chapters of the
Rabbit-Proof Fence written by book, Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence,
Doris Pilkington Garimara, Molly’s provide historical perspectives on
daughter. early West Australian Indigenous
The Council for Aboriginal Recon- experiences and contact with
ciliation argues that the truth about Europeans.)
past experiences must be spoken When white settlers arrived in
about and acknowledged by all Australia, the interaction of two
Australians before reconciliation can vastly different cultures, with such
occur. Rabbit-Proof Fence will show different attitudes to the land, made
GERALDINE viewers truths that many have not conflict inevitable. In the 19th
CARRODUS, seen or heard about before. century, the white man’s guns were
LIBBY The Council tells us that: more powerful than Aboriginal
TUDBALL spears. By the mid-19th century,
It was standard practice … Children European pastoralists and settlers
AND were taken from their homes … had moved into Aboriginal lands,
TAMMY Whole communities were shifted interrupted traditional hunting and
WALSH from their home to another part of gathering routines, depleted natural
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resources and grasslands, polluted brought to public attention with the ines Act which made the Chief
waterways and damaged sacred release of the Bringing Them Home Protector the legal guardian of every
sites. European diseases such as report in 1997. Aboriginal and part Aboriginal child
smallpox and even the common Since the report’s release, there has under sixteen years in the state. The
cold decimated the Indigenous been much public discussion of the Chief Protector was appointed not
population. Alcohol and money issue of the Stolen Generations. elected and he answered only to the
further undermined traditional Some have argued that it wasn’t a Premier. From 1915 until 1936, Mr
ways. In many areas, Europeans whole generation; others have said A.O. Neville was Chief Protector.
challenged the whole structure of that the children were not ‘stolen’ He believed very strongly in the
Aboriginal traditional society and the but removed in order to give them removal of part Aboriginal children
authority of tribal elders was broken a better life. Nevertheless, certain as a means of benefiting the whole
down. They had always controlled facts are undisputed: community:
decision-making structures such the chief hope … of doing our
as marriage, education, and rituals • Thousands of Aboriginal children
were forcibly taken from their human duty by the outcast is
such as clan gatherings, but more to take the children young and
and more young Aboriginal people families or their families were
‘tricked’ into giving them up. bring them up in a way that
began to be attracted to white society will establish their self-respect,
and began to live on the fringe of • The policy was definitely aimed make them useful units in the
both worlds. at ‘breeding out’ Aboriginality, community and fit to live in
By the 1930s, when the story of because only half and quarter it, according to its standards.
Rabbit-Proof Fence is set, many caste children were taken. Fully
A.O. Neville, The West Australian, 1938.
communities had become reliant Aboriginal half brothers or sisters
in the same families were left The Moore River Settlement,
on government handouts for food,
with their parents, while their just north of Perth, was W.A.’s
clothing and other necessities, since
lighter siblings were removed. If most significant institution for
their traditional ways of life had
the policy was really about giving the purpose of training ‘part’
been eroded over time.
Aboriginal children a better life, Aboriginal children. In 1938, a
then all children of an allegedly visiting journalist wrote of Moore
Why were Aboriginal River that it was a
‘bad mother’ would have been
children taken from taken. creche, orphanage, relief depot,
their families? • Whilst some gained oppor- old men’s home, home for
From the earliest years of European tunities, education and a mater- discharged prisoners, home for
settlement in Australia, there is ially better life, the vast majority expatriated savages, home for
evidence of Aboriginal children went to missions, orphanages unmarried mothers, home for
being taken from their families as the or children’s homes where they incurables, lost dogs’ home and
authorities believed it was ‘for their were poorly treated and suffered school for boys and girls.
own good’. During the first half identity crises and mental Anna Haebich, writing in the 1980s,
of the 20th century, it was official anguish. said that in the 1930s,
policy in most states to remove half • Many of the Aboriginal people visits to Moore River were
or quarter caste Aboriginal children. who today are alcoholics, drug not encouraged and it was an
The practice continued until the addicts, psychologically damaged offence to enter the reser ve
early 1970s, and was only fully or imprisoned were ‘stolen’ without official permission.
children, and continue to suffer This was rarely granted even
the effects of the destruction to Aborigines wishing to visit
of their identity, family close relatives. The Aborigines
life and culture. living on the settlement were
virtually prisoners.
A.O. Neville It was under the auspices of the W.A.
and the Aborigines Act that A.O. Neville
Moore River issued the order, in 1931, that the
three girls, Molly, Gracie and Daisy,
Settlement were to be removed from their homes
In 1905, Western and families at Jigalong and taken to
Australia became the Moore River Settlement.
the first state to
pass an Aborig-
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a description of the landscape this location instead of shooting
the girls passed through. in Jigalong where the film is
actually set?
After Watching the Film • How did the cameraman use
• Firstly, write down a few of your specific camera angles and
own thoughts about the film lighting in the film to indicate
Rabbit-Proof Fence. How did you different moods? What did
react to the film? Did you enjoy you notice about the camera
it? Why or why not? Discuss your angles as the girls became more
views with other class members. threatened?
• What do you think are the film’s
key themes and issues? The Start of the Film
• Write two different descriptions: The film begins with background
one in a few short words or phrases information, powerful music and
and another in a full paragraph what appear to be abstract images.
commenting on its style, what the • How do the filmmakers begin
film is about, where it is filmed, the film and engage us in the
the key characters and what you story?
learn from the film. Discuss the • When the film begins, what do
different impressions you create you think you are seeing at first?
with the language you choose.
• What impressions do you gain
The Book’s Introduction • How would you describe the of life in the desert Aboriginal
Doris Pilkington tells us that Molly genre of the film? community?
and Daisy wanted their story to be • The film passes through several • Very early in the film, we see the
published. phases – beginning at Jigalong, eagle, Molly’s totem, her spirit
• Read the introduction to the the journey to Moore River, the bird. Her mother tells her the
book to find out why it was Moore River settlement, the first eagle will look after her. When
so challenging for Doris to part of the journey, crossing the does the bird appear again in the
retell their story and for Doris salt lake and finally, the return to film and why?
to interpret and record what Jigalong. What techniques does
the director use to reflect and The first image of Constable Riggs
happened.
define these different phases? makes him appear huge. The camera
• Why do you think that Molly pans from his boots up.
and Daisy wanted to tell their • Which features of the events and
scenes in the film surprised you? • What impressions do you get of
story?
Explain your answer. the role of the policeman in the
• Look at the map of Western community?
Australia showing key places in • What other films has Phillip
Noyce directed? • How do we know that the
the girls’ journey. Using an atlas,
Aboriginal people fear the
calculate the distance of the route • The film was shot in the Flinders police?
south and the return journey. By Ranges in Adelaide. Why do you
looking at a physical map, write think the production team chose • By the end of the film, have
your impressions of the police
changed? Why or why not?
The Escape
Molly and the girls were well aware
of the consequences if they tried to
escape and were caught, yet Molly
was prepared to take this risk.
• What happened to Olive when
she was caught?
• Why do you think Molly decided
she should lead their escape?
• Why do you think Gracie was
reluctant to go? Why might she
have changed her mind?
• How is music used in the
escape scene to heighten the
atmosphere?
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Molly is not only very determined • Why do you think that Mavis film tell us what happened to the
but also very clever. rejects the option of running girls. Gracie was transported back
• Identify the various strategies away? to Moore River settlement after
that she uses to evade capture her capture. Later she was sent out
and enable the girls to survive Returning to Jigalong as domestic help on farms in the
and pursue their journey to the When Molly and Daisy are reunited wheatbelt, and to institutions in
end. with Maude and their other family the city. She married and had six
members, Molly is devastated when children. She never returned to
• How would you describe the Jigalong and died in 1983.
country that the girls had to cross she tells them, ‘I lost one, I lost
on their journey? Use an atlas to one’. Daisy moved to the Jimalbar
help construct your answer to • Why did Gracie want to run off goldfields, then to a camp along the
this question. to Wiluna? rabbit-proof fence south of Jigalong.
She married and had four children.
Whenever Molly is asked where she • Why did the girls subsequently Later she lived and worked on a
is going, the answer is always the follow her there? mission. Daisy now lives with her
one word: ‘home’. • Why do you think she was family at Jigalong.
• What does this concept mean to caught? Molly was trained and employed as
Molly? Represent Molly’s concept The final scenes of the film have a domestic help on Balfour Downs
of home either as a drawing or a very powerful impact on the station where she met and married
as a poem. viewer. Toby Kelly, a stockman. She had
• Imagine you are Molly aged • Why do you think Riggs two daughters, Doris and Annabelle.
about thirty, and the mother of withdraws from the women’s In 1940, she was again transported
two children. Tell your children camp? to Moore River, and was denied
what you learnt (life truths permission to return to Balfour
and practical skills) from your • Do you think Neville has
Downs. In January 1942, she again
experiences in 1931. changed his views at all?
escaped, leaving Doris behind,
• Write a short storyline describing but took her eighteen month old
Meeting Mavis the sequence of events in the daughter on the same route she had
The girls stumble across a remote closing scenes of the film. taken nine years earlier. Three years
farm where they meet Mavis, another later, Annabelle was taken from
Stolen Generations Aboriginal girl Comparing the Book to her, and Molly never saw her again.
who is working as a domestic helper. the Film Molly and Toby worked on stations
until their retirement in 1972.
• What evidence is there to suggest • After viewing the film, compare
Molly now lives quietly at Jigalong,
that life is very difficult for the book to the film and note the
where she is actively involved in
Mavis? differences, for example, in the
community affairs.
• Why was she so keen for the journey south, what happens at
the Moore River settlement?
girls to shelter with her for the Working Towards
night? • Why do you think the filmmakers
would have decided to alter
Reconciliation
• Why did Mavis think that her One of the key recommendations
boss would not report the girls? aspects of the story?
of the Council for Aboriginal
• Suggest reasons why the
Reconciliation is that all Australians
filmmaker did not choose
should have greater knowledge of
to focus on chapters one
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
to four of the book in
history and culture.
the film.
• What did you learn from viewing
• Would the content
Rabbit-Proof Fence that you did
of those early
not know before?
chapters have ‘fitted’
the genre of the film? • How does this knowledge help
you to understand Indigenous
What happened Australians today?
to Gracie, Daisy In recent years, more and more
Australians have joined in nation
and Molly? wide activities and calls for
Both the book and the reconciliation, and the public are
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better informed about the realities Many Australians support the established where Aboriginal people
of the impact of the European notion of an official apology for the of all ages lived. Many went
settlement on Indigenous peoples. removal of children, while others to missions willingly when their
Many Aboriginal Australians today resist the idea. traditional hunting grounds and
are still suffering from the effects of • Make a list of the arguments in food supplies were taken by
loss of identity and family brought support of an apology and those pastoralists, or simply for safety.
about by the practice of removing against the idea. What is your Others had no choice.
Aboriginal children. opinion? • As a class project, find out more
• In a class discussion, talk about about the mission experience in
what you understand by the FURTHER ACTIVITIES the 19th and 20th centuries in
word reconciliation. various parts of Australia.
• Consult web sites suggested in this The Stolen Generations • The eagle is Molly’s totem. Find
guide if your class requires more • Using some of the written and out about the role of birds and
information to discuss this issue. visual sources listed at the end of animals as totems in Aboriginal
• What do you see as the best this guide, examine some of the clans. Choose a particular totem
approaches to healing the scars experiences of other Aboriginal and examine its meaning and
of this experience and helping children who were removed from significance.
all Australians move forward in their families. To what extent were This study guide was written for
harmony? the experiences of Molly, Gracie ATOM by Geraldine Carrodus, Libby
and Daisy typical of others? Tudball and Tammy Walsh. © ATOM
• What practical actions can
students in school take to 2001, www.metromagazine.com.au
The Mission Experience ISBN 1 876467 12 6
become part of the reconciliation
movement? All over Australia, missions were