Documentary Australia

Bukal Bukal

One woman’s journey to return her great grandfathers Shell Regalia but first overcome the racism that withholds it.

$101,750

FUNDS RAISED OF $151,750
  • 19

    SUPPORTERS

Synopsis

A young Aboriginal woman suffers an egregious act of racism and decides that getting an education is the only way to eradicate racism for herself and others. Her fight for the return of her great grandfather’s Shell Regalia from it’s British Museum basement prison becomes the talisman for identifying racism at the very core of our laws and policies in Justice, Health, Education and Museums. The first Aboriginal person to be professionally employed at the United Nations she becomes an advocate for human rights, and all life on Earth, bringing Indigenous people from around the world to the table for the first time. With a brilliant international career in front of her, she realises her destiny is with her own people. She returns home to carry out her mission and creates a powerful solution, showing the Australian government the way forward, yet again. Bukal Bukal is not only a powerful story about a brilliant Aboriginal woman, it is also about our history, our law and Australia’s future.

Director

Rhoda Roberts AO

Producer

Julie Nihill

Story

“As the Bukal Bukal vine stretched and grew, and changed the grasses and the limbs of the trees as it wove its way across the land, so did the little girl.” — Director, Rhoda Roberts AO The return of the shell regalia is the metaphor for the return of sovereignty, of economic, social and cultural self determination that all other Australian’s get to experience. Henrietta’s life has been dedicated to this on the local, national and global stage – and it still is . A master interview will be combined with archival footage, photos, and eye-witness accounts, reimagined events, animation as well as graphic overlay referencing the Interconnectedness of Aboriginal Culture. Combining drone footage and visual effects the Bukal Bukal vine shoots, buds and waves its way across the screen revealing Henrietta’s Songline. One example of a re-imagined event is Henrietta re-enacting one of her speeches at the UN while winds are ripping on Country, the rainforest ground is alive with goannas eating snakes, and the Bukal vine grows it’s next shoot.

Production Stage

  1. Development
  2. Production
  3. Post-production
  4. Completed
  5. Outreach

DURATION: 90 MINUTES


Issue area

HUMAN RIGHTS & SOCIAL JUSTICE

INDIGENOUS

WOMEN & GIRLS

CONTACT FILM TEAM

Support this project

67.05% funded
  • $151,750

    FUNDING GOAL
  • $101,750

    FUNDS RAISED
  • 12th March 2025

    PROJECT ENDS
  • 19

    SUPPORTERS
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Documentary Australia is Australia’s only not-for-profit that fosters social change through documentary storytelling.

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The Argo Foundation
$10,000
Argo Foundation
$10,000
Delroads Trust
$30,000
Argo Foundation
$20,000
Argo Foundation
$15,000
Danielle Glover
$5,000
heather oswald
$5,000
Bernie Hobbs
$100
Jane Castle
$100
Argo Foundation
$5,000
Ella Wright
$50
Marita Wright
$200
Jane Clark
$200
Julia White
$200
Siri Hayes
$200
Bree McKilligan
$50
Natalie Duffy
$100
Judith Preston
$500
Sandy Edwards
$50

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