Obscura

6. Babakueria
(c/o Phoenix1 - Cafe Utne)

Re: "a wealthy and powerful group of blackfolks who run things"... one of the BEST uses of TV I have ever experienced is in a half-hour program written, directed, & produced by Australian Aborigines (mainly Eora & Yorta Yorta tribes).

It's called "Babakueria"... the phonetic spelling of the white Aussie/ocker (redneck) pronunciation of "Barbeque Area".

It is a mock-documentary, reversing the white/black roles in the European takeover of Australia; i.e., the Aboriginal colonisers arrive and "conquer", then marginalise, the indigenous white inhabitants.

It is hysterical... and frightening. Most thought-provoking. If it is ever shown where you live, or if you can get the video, don't miss it.

It is obvious (to me, anyway) that Amerika's wealth has been built on the backs of black and Hispanic forced labour... and so sad that, several hundred years later, certain sectors of the community cannot even bring themselves to acknowledge it. I also think that the vibrancy of the US pop culture is largely due to African-American influences in music, literature, and the arts in general.

But why does mainstream culture not recognise this?

posted by Cobb @ 11:03 AM