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The Tracker Analysis

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The Tracker (2002) set in the breathtaking, rugged landscapes of South
Australia’s Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary (Heer, 2008, 1), perfectly encapsulates the incessant brutality of racism in the 1920s. Rolf de Heer’s 2002 art house feature film The Tracker, represents one of the most “unspeakable aspects of Australian history” (Smaill, 2002, 31), explicitly depicting the extreme racism, violence and inhumanity the egotistical European invaders inflicted on Aboriginals, whilst at the same time glorifies and treasures aboriginal culture and intelligence through film.
Set ‘Somewhere in Australia’ in the year of 1922, The Tracker follows the stereotypical associations of five individuals; the Follower (Damon Gameau), a young new recruit, the Veteran (Grant Page), a loyal old timer, both under the command of the Fanatic (Gary Sweet), a malicious government police officer, and the dependable Aboriginal tracker played by indigenous actor David Gulpilil, forced to lead the way through the outback. With only each other to keep company, the four set out in pursuit of The Fugitive (Noel Winton), an aboriginal man charged with the murder of a white female. (Wilson, 2002)
As Belinda Smaill notes, the Tracker is an “... indispensable source of labour … to the authorities, … enjoying … few of the privileges of his fellow travelers ... he is also frequently mistreated by them” (Smaill, 2002, 32). Although invaluable to the officers the tracker is deprived the privilege of commodities and

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