Backbencher

The movie Rabbit Proof Fence tells the story of three young Aborigine girls, Molly, Daisy and Gracie, who are taken from their mothers and put in a camp designed to help integrate the girls into white society. In these camps, the girls were not allowed to speak their native language and are supposed to forget their heritage. The three girls manage to escape during a thunderstorm and begin their 1,500 mile trek back home by following the rabbit proof fence that stretches across the country. They have to endure many obstacles along their way home. The most obvious obstacle is the 1,500 mile journey across the Australian outback. They are also being followed by a tracker who begins searching for them as soon as he realizes they are gone and who has never failed to catch escapees from the camp. Luckily Molly, the oldest girl, manages to lead them home despite the fact that the tracker and the police are after them. Unfortunately, Gracie is caught but both the other girls manage to make it to their home village, Jigalong.

It is amazing to me that this movie is based off of a true story. It is sad that this "lost generation" of children were taken from their families because the government thought it would be better for them. I do not understand how any government can believe that it is better for a child to be taken from his or her family and friends and be forced into a foreign culture. I thought this was an interesting movie to watch since it showed more of the landscape of Australia than other movie I have watched.

Ashleigh Pust