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When considering the world’s indigenous populations, there seems to be less attention by the media given to groups outside of the Americas. Before colonialism, the land was tended to by a variety of indigenous communities. These communities lived in harmony with the plants and animals of their respective regions and in return, they developed connections to the land and its inhabitants. In Australia, for example, there were originally 500 different aboriginal groups that occupied the continent for up to 50,000 years. One such story that does highlight the plight of the Australian indigenous communities is the award-winning film “Emu Runner”.
The film opens by introducing an indigenous family enjoying a day at the water’s edge. The opening scene shows nine-year-old Gemma, her mother, and her sister fishing from a local creek in their rural Australian town. While fishing, Gemma’s attention is caught by a wild emu. The emu is a flightless bird that can run at speeds up to 31 miles an hour. Gemma’s mother tells Gemma that the Emu is called a Nori in their indigenous culture. She goes on to explain that she believes that all people have an animal spirit inside of them that connects them to their land and that the emu connects Gemma and her people to the land.
On their walk back from the fishing trip, Gemma’s mother collapses and passes away from what seems to be a massive heart attack. Gemma witnessing the entire tragic event is heart-broken. As the story unfolds, Gemma’s grief turns into an obsession with the emu. Viewers are repeatedly shown Gemma running back to the place where her mother died, trying to see the emu again imagining some type of connection between her beloved deceased mother and the bird. She begins stealing food to feed the emu and skipping school to visit it. It appears as if Gemma develops a deep tie to the emu in order to rekindle the bond to her late mother. Emu runner is a beautifully written movie that exemplifies the significance of keeping the stories and traditions of indigenous people intact as their legacies live on in their children. As shown by “Emu Runner,” it’s important to continue nurturing these legacies in the media for communities around the world and the overall well-being of their indigenous roots.
You can stream or download Emu Runner at vimeo.com.
