Kirsty's Rewrite for Australia


Mission Island

My rewrite is based on the movie Australia. I am writing from the point of view of the aboriginal boy Nullah. In the movie he gets taken away to Mission island but we do not see what happens to him there.


I Nullah. My grandfather King George. He take’em me walkabout. He teach’em me black fullah way.
But I not black fullah. I not white fullah either.
They call’em me mixed blood.
Creamy.
My grandfather tell’em me I important. I magic man. But I not feel important. I belong no one. That why I on the Mission Island. Dem white fullahs they make’em place for the Creamies to go to learn’em white fullah ways. When I at Faraway Downs, dem coppers always come to take’em me away. Fletcher, he send dem for me but they never catch’em me there. Fletcher, he my father. He bad man. The last time he send dem coppers to Faraway Downs for me, that when my mama die. She drown in water tank, try to hide me from dem coppers. I not allowed to say her name no more. I miss her. I miss that Mrs Boss too and the Drover and my grandmother. Even Sing Song. He make’em good food. Everybody get taken away from me. I get found when I on walkabout. They take’em me from my grandfather and send me here. They put King George in the Lock Lock. Now I got nobody. So I tell’em story. I tell it to myself, but it not matter. I not want to lose the most important lesson my grandfather teach’em me. So I tell’em story.

That first day I come here I cry and cry. The boat take’em me away from Mrs Boss and it like losing my mama all over again. I find’em corner of the boat and cover my head and cry. That Father Benedict, he tell’em me I going to good place so I can learn’em be better. What better? I not good? They teach us to be like’em white fullahs. I not want to be like’em white fullahs. I want to be back at Faraway Downs helping the Drover break dem horses, and drove dem big cheeky bulls. I want to go walkabout with King George and learn’em magic song. This place not like Faraway Downs at all. Here we stay inside a lot. Too much.
It feel like I not breathing.
For one month I been here. I not run. I not climb trees. I not catch’em animals to play with. I not make’em magic.
For one month I not breathe.

The island run by dem priests. We call’em dem Father. I not know why, they not our real fathers. Every morning we get up and wash. Then we pray. It what dem white fullahs do. They pray to a fullah they call God. I not hear bout’em God from King George. Dem Fathers on the Mission Island tell us God made all the land, the water, the sky. Just like black fullah spirits. But he also make’em rules for everyone to follow. So many rules. The Fathers, they always tell’em us the rules. There lot of rules on Mission Island. The Fathers say if we don’t follow dem rules, we get punished by God. It seem like I always breaking dem rules. I always getting punished. Especially by that Father Benedict.

Our first day on Mission Island, the Father Benedict he talk to us all. He tell’em us why we here and tell us the rules. He tell’em us that we Creamies are not the will of God, that we insult to him. I not know what will or insult mean, but it sound very bad. Father Benedict he tell’em us not to worry. That there be hope. That on the island we learn’em good ways. God’s ways. Then we can go back to the mainland and be treated like proper people. That day I not like what he say. I tell’em him I good and I get treated proper.
I say to him, “That Mrs Boss she treat’em me good. She take care of me. She love’em me. I not need to be here”.
That be the first day that Father Benedict hit me. He walk’em right up to me and hit my face. It so loud all the other boys jump. Even the other Father’s get shock. One of dem Fathers, Father Thomas, he move to help, but Father Benedict stop him with one look. I never see anybody scared from just a look. But that Father Thomas he get’em scared. My face it hurt so bad I wanna cry. But I not show that Father Benedict. It make’em him happy to see that I think. I look right at him and he slap me again.

“You do not belong with that woman”, he tell’em me. “There is no way she could love you, or else you would not be here. I suggest you remember that dear boy” I want to shout at him. I know he wrong. Mrs boss, she tell’em me that she will find’em me. That day on the dock, she wave me goodbye and cry for me. I know she love’em me. But I not tell him that. I just look’em at my feet so he not hit me again. But he still keep talk’em me.
“This is where you are, and this is where you will stay until you learn the proper ways of good, godly men. You will leave all thoughts of that barbaric place you lived”. He turn to all the Creamies and he tell’em dem, “That goes for all of you. Your new life begins here and now boys. You will get used to it. If not, we’ll teach you”. That when he look back at me and smile. He make’em smile look mean. My stomach get a funny feeling inside.

Later I find out what that smile mean. It mean I get’em punished. That night the Father Benedict he not give me dinner. He make’em me sit with dem other boys who eating and watch’em dem. He tell’em me this is what happens when a children speak when he not asked. That was the first rule I learn’em on the island. There many after that.