A Different View of Colonialism: “Babakiueria”

I’ve been doing some dialogue work around understanding race recently.

I was at a facilitator debriefing yesterday afternoon, and one of the other facilitators shared this video with us.

It’s called Babakiueria. Filmed in 1986, it depicts a sort of role reversal of colonialism in Australia, although I think the themes presented in the film have some overlap with themes in the U.S.

“Imagine what it would be like if black settlers arrived to settle a continent inhabited by white natives? In 1788, the first white settlers arrived in Botany Bay to begin the process of white colonisation of Australia. But in Babakiueria, the roles are reversed in a delightful and light-hearted look at colonisation of a different kind.

This satirical examination of black-white relations in Australia first screened on ABC TV in 1986 to widespread acclaim with both critics and audiences alike.”–description from Babakiueria’s page on ABC Shop

A definite conversation starter.

About 30 minutes long, the video above is the film in its entirety.

Grace & Peace,

From Aspiring Humanitarian, Relando Thompkins, MSW

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