Racial Prejudice Exposed In The Chant Of Jimmie Blacks Smith

When Author Thomas Keneallys “The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith” was published in 1972, the Indigenous Australian civil rights movement was beginning to grow in prominence. After decades of oppression under their self proclaimed “Colonial Masters”, indigenous Australians began to protest for their civil rights, specifically regarding aboriginal land rights. Just as the British ruled their colonial territories in Africa and South America under brutal authoritarianism and violence, they had treated indigenous Australians to the same brutal systems of oppression and segregation. “The Chant of Jimmy blacksmith” explores the issues of racial prejudice in early 20th century Australia, and the dehumanizing and damaging effects it has upon its subjects.

Set at the turn of the 20th century, ‘The Chant of Jimmy Blacksmith’ depicts the story of a mixed race man, Jimmy Blacksmith, who after enduring constant prejudice and poor treatment from white employers, decides to enact brutal revenge, which results in him massacring 9 white Europeans, including women and children.

At the beginning of the book, it becomes clear that Jimmy Blacksmith has developed an inferiority complex regarding his race, making his loss of dignity as a result of the established systems of prejudice and racism present in the novel evident. In addition to becoming disillusioned with the current state of his aboriginal community and it’s rampant alcoholism, he has received constant reinforcement by the Nevilles that his race is inferior, and that he should “find a nice white girl off a farm” in

The colonisation of Australia, and oppression of the indigenous population was a system built with the inherent attribute of Racial Prejudice, and resulted in aboriginals loosing many of their material possessions. A recurring theme in the novel is the theme of possession. Jimmie sees the possession, and ownership of land and family as an indication of success and colonial European values. During the British colonisation of Australia, the large majority of property owned by Indigenous Australians was taken by force by the colonizers. It is likely Jimmies obsession with possession has relation to the loss of Indigenous land, and jimmies aspirations to live up-to what he considers European values. The book strictly states Jimmie believes those who do not lay claim to property as having an “Accidental, random life. Nothing better.” Throughout the book, many of the indigenous characters would have the lifestyle Jimmie considers as accidental and random, often nomadic, while most of the European characters have a settled life that mostly revolves around manning a