Poem Analysis: Beneath Clouds

When an individual experiences prejudice or a lack of connection to place it can diminish ones sense of identity, leading to social isolation and a loss of cultural practices and traditions.

The film ‘Beneath Clouds’ (2002) by Ivan Sen follows two Indigenous teens who experience prejudice and social isolation on their journey to Sydney. The poem ‘We are Going’ (1965) by Oodgeroo Noonuccal expresses the fears Indigenous Australians had over the dispossession land and cultural acceptance. The poem ‘Drifters’ (1999) by Bruce Dawe’s explores the journey faced by a financially unstable family, forcing them to move from place to place, without establishing any connection to the land.

Prejudice results in the lessening of ones cultural traditions,

The poem “We are Going’ explores these contemporary Australian Issues through the insight of Oodgeroo Noonuccal. The composer Oodgeroo, an Indigenous rights activist portrays her personal perspective on white colonisation and Indigenous discrimination in Australia through the use of symbolism and metaphors .Symbolism is used in the title “We are going” to portray how the Indigenous people responded to their dispossession of land, loss of culture and traditions. Therefore, no longer feeling a sense of identity or a connection with Australia. Oodgeroo furthermore uses symbolism to convey the issue of social isolation occurring due to prejudice and a lack of acceptance within Australia. “Rubbish may be tipped here”, this pronoun presents the negative affects of white colonisation. The settlers using the sacred ‘Bora Ground’ as a dump site exemplifies how the Indigenous community are ignored, and socially isolated in a country they once owned. Therefore, diminishing the connection they shared with the land, a similar issue explored in the film ‘Beneath Clouds’.“We are the old ceremony, the laws of the elders…We are the wonder tale of dreamtime, the tribal legends told” The accumulation of metaphors exemplifies what practices make up Indigenous identity. This was ultimately dismissed by white settlers, leaving the Indigenous community socially isolated,

These contemporary Australian issues are represented in the poem ‘Drifters’ through a refection of Bruce Dawe’s personal experiences as a child. Dawe grew up in the 1930’s during the time of ‘The Great Depression’. His family experienced many socioeconomic difficulties during this time, causing extreme instability within the family. Dawe’s use of symbolism in the title ‘Drifters’ represents the circumstances in which he grew up. It suggests a sense of aimlessness, constantly moving from one place too another. This doesn’t allow enough time for a connection to be established with a place, resulting in social isolation. Dawe uses imagery as an indicator of time, “The green tomatoes from the vines”, symbolism is used in the colour ‘green’ to represent an unripe fruit , suggooesting they weren't in one place for long, having to move on before they were ready. Similarly, this is explored in the poem ‘We are Going’ as the Indigenous people lost their connection to the land before they were ready, resulting in a lost sense of identity. “she won't even ask why they're leaving this time, or where they're headed for “ , suggests the mother has little control over where they’re headed next, they move so often it’s become a normal experience. As a result, the poem ‘Drifters’ portrays the contemporary Australian issues of lack of connection to land and