Growing up in Australia was a very different experience as a member of a minority. I was the only black child in a white family, so when I came home trying to explain how I was treated different, it was just my imagination…apparently. When people stared at me walking down the street or touched my hair with wonder it was “just because you’re beautiful…like a doll.” So not feeling like I fit in was how I felt…ALL the time.
When it came to watching television or movies, I can remember Gordon on Sesame Street and maybe the odd Aboriginal tracker on Skippy… Mostly people that weren’t white just weren’t there. As I got older and met so many other African-American/Australian bi-racial children, who also didn’t have any contact with any other black people, I watched how they derived much of their black identity from television and film portrayals of black characters and from music. So when we were asked to research the spatial nature of media, its (film and television) affect on identity of minorities came to mind.
So here’s what I’m doing, I’ve put together a quick survey on film and television. If you’re not from Australia, feel free to answer also (as I found a number of really old Hollywood Films made in Australia), I’d like as many responses as I can get.
I would LOVE to click here to give my opinion
For those who have something to share I also have requested video responses.
Where you can either post me a response on Youtube or send a video clip to my email: cherokee_flower@yahoo.com
This small qualitative study will be compiled into a movie and blog as part of my university work looking at media and audiences. I also have a wide network of people online, so it’s a fantastic time to educate through storytelling.
I would love to listen to your thoughts. And if you have any questions feel free to ask in the comment box below. I always read them.
the blog that chris wrote 