THE DREAMING: Constitutional reform

IN THE course of human history, nations sometimes do very bad things. South Africa and Japan are a case in point. In 1948, South Africa introduced Apartheid, a regime designed to deny the majority black population the same rights enjoyed by whites.

Apartheid inevitably collapsed in 1994, amid sustained international outcry and economic and social sanctions.

In 1941, Japan attacked the United States, and went on to commit some of the worst crimes of modern warfare.

But today, the national character of both nations bears little resemblance to their dark past. Their reform began with accepting their own histories, and both nations put it in writing.

BOWRAVILLE MURDERS: Video diary part VI

TRACKER managing editor Chris Graham presents his final video diary from Bowraville, where he is investigating the murders of three Aboriginal children in 1990.

Bowraville, NSW

SHOTS from Bowraville, on the NSW north coast. Bowraville is home to an important Aboriginal mission, where three children were abducted and murdered in the space of six months. The man responsible – a local whitefella – has never been tried twice, but never convicted.

The infamous Bowraville Cinema, in the main street. Until the late 1960s early 1970s Aboriginal people had to enter through a side door, and were sat at the front of the theatre on wooden chairs, separated from the whites up the back in the comfy seats (in a roped off area). Of course ‘the blacks’ had to pay the same entry price. I snapped this shot in monochrome to give it an ‘older’ feel and slowed the shutter right down to blur the car going past (and give a little ‘action’ to an otherwise still photo).

The PARISH CHURCH OF CORPUS CHRISTI, BOWRAVILLE. I snapped this shot because the building has an imposing view over Bowraville. It looks quite sinister… appropriate given the history of the Catholic Church in its interaction with Aboriginal people, I thought. Shot it in black and white to emphasize the darkness of the building.

A sign erected at the site where Clinton Speedie-Duroux’s body was found in February 1991. The sign has been replaced three times after being ripped down by rednecks. It’s now secured with concrete footings. Clinton was 16 years old when he disappeared from the Bowraville Mission.

The Bowraville Police Station… say no more.

Another young Bowraville resident… his name – Justice – is one of the more optimistic in the community 🙂 – shot the mission in black and white mainly because it just ‘felt that way’.

The main street of the Bowraville Mission. Don’t know why I like this shot… think it’s probably the happy ‘princess’ dress set against the grinding disadvantage of an Aboriginal mission.

A memorial erected to the memory of Colleen Walker-Craig (16), Evenlyn Greenup (4) and Clinton Speedie-Duroux (16) in the centre of the Bowraville Mission.