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AbstractHistoryArchive Description
A documentary that explores the life of Eddie Mabo, whose struggle for land rights, and his remarkable life in general, had a profound effect on Indigenous rights in Australia. It tells the story of an island man so passionate about family and home that he fought an entire nation and its legal system. Though he died before his great victory was won, it has forever ensured his place on Murray Island and in Australian history. Mabo effectively challenged the notion of terra nullus, which asserted that Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders did not have a system of legal ownership predating white settlement. He devoted his life to a fight to gain legal recognition of his right to own ancestral land and his family home in the Murray Islands. Mabo died of cancer just five months before the High Court's historic decision.
Notes
-
Study guide available
Contents
- Mabo : Life of an Island Man : Introduction, single work criticism (p. ixv-xxix)
Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of
Works about this Work
-
Aftershock and the Desert Landscape in Heaven's Burning, The Last Days of Chez Nous, Holy Smoke, Serenades, Yolgnu Boy and The Missing
2004
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Australian Cinema after Mabo 2004; (p. 75-93) In this chapter Collins and Davis 'are intersted in how a familiar icon of Australian cinema, the landscape (in particular the desert landscape, the outback), is suddenly made strange (unbearable even) by a historic event and how this raises questions to do with historical amnesia, shock and memory in a national cinema. In order to sneak up on on this post-Mabo experience of aftershock, we want to place these films in relation to threee critical categories which have been important in making sense of the ad hoc diversity of Australian films.' Source : Australian Cinema After Mabo (2004) -
Mediating Memory in Mabo - Life of an Island Man
2004
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Australian Cinema after Mabo 2004; (p. 59-72) In this chapter Collins and Davis analyse how the documentary Mabo : Life of an Island Man mediates 'public recognition of both the Mabo decision and Mabo 'the man'.' The authors also explore how the film 'has become a popular history of Mabo and what this success tells us about shifts in documentary filmmaking in the 1990s and the forms of spectatorship they can enable.' Source : Australian Cinema After Mabo (2004). -
Screenplay : Fighting for Justice
2000
single work
review
— Appears in: Antipodes , June vol. 14 no. 1 2000; (p. 78-79)
— Review of Mabo : Life of an Island Man 1997 single work film/TV biography -
Mabo : Life of an Island Man : Introduction
1999
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Mabo : Life of an Island Man 1999; (p. ixv-xxix) -
Mabo film Takes out Premier's Award
1998
single work
review
— Appears in: Koori Mail , 17 June no. 178 1998; (p. 20)
— Review of Mabo : Life of an Island Man 1997 single work film/TV biography 'A film tracing the political life of High Court native title claimant Eddie Mabo has taken out a $15,000 award as part of this year's NSW Premier's History Award...'
-
Screenplay : Fighting for Justice
2000
single work
review
— Appears in: Antipodes , June vol. 14 no. 1 2000; (p. 78-79)
— Review of Mabo : Life of an Island Man 1997 single work film/TV biography -
Mabo film Takes out Premier's Award
1998
single work
review
— Appears in: Koori Mail , 17 June no. 178 1998; (p. 20)
— Review of Mabo : Life of an Island Man 1997 single work film/TV biography 'A film tracing the political life of High Court native title claimant Eddie Mabo has taken out a $15,000 award as part of this year's NSW Premier's History Award...' -
Mediating Memory in Mabo - Life of an Island Man
2004
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Australian Cinema after Mabo 2004; (p. 59-72) In this chapter Collins and Davis analyse how the documentary Mabo : Life of an Island Man mediates 'public recognition of both the Mabo decision and Mabo 'the man'.' The authors also explore how the film 'has become a popular history of Mabo and what this success tells us about shifts in documentary filmmaking in the 1990s and the forms of spectatorship they can enable.' Source : Australian Cinema After Mabo (2004). -
Aftershock and the Desert Landscape in Heaven's Burning, The Last Days of Chez Nous, Holy Smoke, Serenades, Yolgnu Boy and The Missing
2004
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Australian Cinema after Mabo 2004; (p. 75-93) In this chapter Collins and Davis 'are intersted in how a familiar icon of Australian cinema, the landscape (in particular the desert landscape, the outback), is suddenly made strange (unbearable even) by a historic event and how this raises questions to do with historical amnesia, shock and memory in a national cinema. In order to sneak up on on this post-Mabo experience of aftershock, we want to place these films in relation to threee critical categories which have been important in making sense of the ad hoc diversity of Australian films.' Source : Australian Cinema After Mabo (2004) - y Mabo : Life of an Island Man [Study Notes] East Melbourne : Australian Teachers of Media (ATOM) , 1997 Z1702661 1997 single work criticism
-
Mabo : Life of an Island Man : Introduction
1999
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Mabo : Life of an Island Man 1999; (p. ixv-xxix) -
Mabo film Takes out Premier's Award
1998
single work
review
— Appears in: Koori Mail , 17 June no. 178 1998; (p. 20)
— Review of Mabo : Life of an Island Man 1997 single work film/TV biography 'A film tracing the political life of High Court native title claimant Eddie Mabo has taken out a $15,000 award as part of this year's NSW Premier's History Award...'
Awards
- Aboriginal land rights & native title
- Australian politics
- Justice
- Litigation & trials
- Aboriginal kinship
- Law courts
- Torres Strait Islander Australians
- Memories
- Families
- Aboriginal reserves & missions
- Aboriginal hunting, gathering & fishing
- Aboriginal relationship with the land
- Referenda
- Racism
- Judges
- Death of a loved one
- Cemeteries
- Aboriginal Australians & Torres Strait Islander Australians
- Murray Island, Torres Strait Islands, Queensland,
- Melbourne, Victoria,
- Townsville, Townsville area, Marlborough - Mackay - Townsville area, Queensland,
- Cairns, Cairns area, Ingham - Cairns area, Queensland,
- Brisbane City, Brisbane, Queensland,
- Canberra, Australian Capital Territory,
- ca. 1930-1995