Mabo Film Analysis: Understanding Colonization and Racism

This report analyzes the social issues of colonization and racism faced by Mabo in the 2012 film. It discusses how discrimination ruins the life of an individual and how his courage helped him win the case. The report also addresses the historical and cultural consequences of racism and its impact on indigenous Australians.

SOC101 UNDERSTANDING THE
SOCIAL WORLD SOCIOLOGICAL
FILM ANALYSIS

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
The Film ......................................................................................................................................3
The Social Issue...........................................................................................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................1

INTRODUCTION
Social issues is defined as the problem that has negative impact upon the people within
the society (EVANS, and et.al., 2018). This also acts as barrier in order to attain full potential of
an individual. Different kind of social issues gives different kind of understanding to approach
and solve that particular problem. Different kind of issues have been seen in various film today
and are helping to enhance knowledge on particular issue. This report is going to address the
issue of colonization and racism face by Mabo in the 2012 film. Mabo is the film that tells us that
law can be terrible sometimes and it becomes very difficult to fight for your own right when you
belong to the indigenous group of the society.
Law becomes intimidating and even becomes humiliating for Mabo that can be seen in
the film. The Report will be discussing how an act of discrimination ruins the life of an
individual and how his courage in him helped him to win the case. Further, the report will also be
addressing the social issues of racism and will analyse its historical, cultural consequences. The
report at last will be concluding the social theme of the film and what literature says about the
film.
MAIN BODY
The Film
The film showcases a very important social issue that has been the discrimination issue of
colonization and racism issue that people were facing before and there were no indigenous rights
available to them (Boyd, and et.al., 2020). The film is based on the real incident and how much
time it actually took to solve an important social issue. Mebo 2012 the film which is based upon
the proud man Eddie Koiki Mabo that refused to accept the long lifetime racism. Movie is
centred around the theme of high court case that at last offered all the indigenous people the
rights they deserve. Ultimately after the 11 years of battle in high court Mebo finally won the
case by 6:1 majority. Mabo case ended the barriers and the long life battle of indigenous right in
country. Film has been able to draw attention on his wife Bonita, whose support become the
pillar strength for Mabo. The writer has been able to create the impact that law can be terrible
sometimes (Brosch, 2021).
It becomes difficult to wait for 11 years to finally win the case. Law also tried
humiliation tactics to avoid such cases in court as law was totally in the hands of white man. This
film has also showed that law can be culturally inflexible as law was not ready to take even the

case in initial of the film. Eddie Mabo's story is crucial point in the reconciliation of Australia.
This was the cases that helped country Australia in uniting and this was the time When
people of Australia joined together and made their best effort towards the Eddie Mabo case. The
Mabo case was not only supported by his family members but instead all the activist and social
workers joined him to make him win against the white people. This case le legacy in the history
of Australia that gave constitution recognition to the indigenous Australians (Kilroy, 2021).
The Social Issue
Social issue of racism has always been the negative point for the lower class people in the
Australia. There has always been negative attitude towards the black man. Australian
government has been seen trying laws, practices that does not support the Indigenous Australian
people. The government has always been harsh on such community individuals. Mabo 2012 film
has shown rightly the issue regarding racism. Australian has always been the victims of various
kind of discrimination and one of that is racial discrimination that has very bad impact upon the
lives of the people living there.
The severe restriction on their political, economical and social freedom has ruin life of
every other individual that belongs to that community group. Racism against indigenous is not an
result of an individual thing but rather it is Human behaviour and an mentality that has been the
reason of severe impact upon the lives of the people (Trent and et.al., 2019). Australians long life
war against colonialism did not end in one day, it has been the longest journey to came out of
that trap. Being in your own country with not right feels terrible and people have faced this issue.
This has always been the important issue that is concerned with the relation of government with
different race. White man never tried to give rights to the people that are not loyal towards them.
Racism has been not only faced by the Australian government but rather all the countries that
have been colonized in past has faced the same thing. Till today, countries are trying to solve this
issue of racism.
11 year long case itself says that the discrimination is always been there. The people treated
rudely and in inhuman way. Being white man was the proudest thing back then even the
constitution was not In the favour of Indigenous people and disregarded their citizenship as well.
Not only this the constitution of Australia even did not give them right to join military in the
country. This was only after the case of Eddie Mabo that all the indigenous people were given
certain rights to live their life peacefully. Discrimination being major issue was solved by long

case of 11 years but the saddest part is that at the time of wining case Mabo was not present as he
died because of the cancer. He could not see the moment of wining for his own people but
keeping that part he did what he wanted to do all his life. He reconciled all the Australian people
of different regions, colours and race.
Movie has been able to create impact that there were many things that the Indigenous
people have faced and how long it took them to actually come out of that nightmare. It did not
end till today people all over the world are still facing it, though on paper it has all ended but in
reality It will take time to reach that stage where there will be no discrimination in reality and
everyone on this planet will be treated equally with the same respect and will be recognized the
same way.
CONCLUSION
Social issues has always been the major concern in all the countries as it is not easy to
solve any of them. Different film are trying their best to showcase the different social issues to
the audience that they are offering their film to. No social issue can be solved in one day but
realizing youth about the problems has become very important thing. The above report has
addressed the social issue of discrimination and racism that has been seen in the movie Mabo.
The report has further described in detail what racial discrimination feels like and how countries
have come over this issue. Colonizers in all over the world has fixed the image that white people
are superior to other races which is totally wrong and has nothing to do with reality. The world
will become better place the day everyone will be respected without seeing their race, caste,
religion etc.

REFERENCES
Books and journals
Boyd, R.W.,and et.al., 2020. On racism: a new standard for publishing on racial health
inequities. Health Affairs Blog, 10(10.1377), p.1.
Brosch, R., 2021. FILMIC REPRESENTATIONS OF EDDIE MABO IN A CHANGING
CULTURAL IMAGINARY. Mabos Cultural Legacy, p.93.
EVANS, M., and et.al., 2018. From girls to men: Social attitudes to gender equality in Australia.
Kilroy, P., 2021. TORRES STRAIT SCREEN MEDIA ‘POST-MABO’. Mabos Cultural Legacy,
p.103.
Trent, M., and et.al., 2019. The impact of racism on child and adolescent
health. Pediatrics, 144(2).
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