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“We Are Going” by Oodgeroo Noonuccal

Presented by:Freddy BaiwalJosman GhaniNigel Lawai WillieNorhilman Bin HussinRachel Chin Mui Yin SKBS2213 Selected Literary Works

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“We Are Going” by Oodgeroo Noonuccal (Kath Walker)

They came in to the little town A semi-naked band subdued and silent

All that remained of their tribe. They came here to the place of their old

bora ground Where now the many white men hurry

about like ants. Notice of the estate agent reads: 'Rubbish

May Be Tipped Here'.

Now it half covers the traces of the old bora ring.

'We are as strangers here now, but the white tribe are the strangers.

We belong here, we are of the old ways. We are the corroboree and the bora

ground.

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We are the old ceremonies, the laws of the elders. We are the wonder tales of Dream Time, the tribal legends

told. We are the past, the hunts and the laughing games, the

wandering camp fires. We are the lightening bolt over Gaphembah Hill

Quick and terrible, And the Thunderer after him, that loud fellow.

We are the quiet daybreak paling the dark lagoon. We are the shadow-ghosts creeping back as the camp fires

burn low. We are nature and the past, all the old ways

Gone now and scattered. The scrubs are gone, the hunting and the laughter.

The eagle is gone, the emu and the kangaroo are gone from this place.

The bora ring is gone. The corroboree is gone.

And we are going.'

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Significant Meaning of the Poem

Pain of dispossession Cry for help from the aborigine's peopleWhite people are considered as ant since they

are busy at work and hurrying like antBora grounds The aboriginals felt neglected and left out by

the white people They are considered as strangers even though

they are the real owner of the sacred islandTreated like they don't belong in Australia

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Bora Grounds

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The eagle is gone, the emu and the kangaroo are gone from this place.

The bora ring is gone. The corroboree is gone.

And we are going.’

• Portrays how the life of aboriginal would be

• Destroyed culture

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Themes

Colonization Dispossession

Oppression

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Literary Devices

1. Personification- "Thunderer after him, that loud fellow"

(S4, L2)2. Simile- "White men hurry about like ants" (S1,

L5)3. Hyperbole - "...town a semi-naked band subdued

and silent" (S1, L1-2)

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4. Alliteration- "...subdued and silent" (S1, L2)5. Symbolism- "We are the past, the hunts..." (S3,

L3)6. Repetition- "The bora ring is gone, the corroboree

is gone" (S5, L4-5)7. Metaphor- "We are the lightning bolt over

Gaphembah Hill" (S3, L4)

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Tone

• Suffer from the dispossession and cultural disinheritance which results into lost of identity, spirituality, way of life, happiness and freedom

• Loss of hope• Confused and worried

DESPAIR, DEPRESSED, ANXIOUS

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Mood

Results from:• The pain of dispossession of the aboriginals’

right to cultural acceptance.• Ownership of their homeland • The whittling away of the traditional aboriginal ways

MELANCHOLY (A Deep And Long-lasting Sadness) & GLOOMY

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Moral Values

We must have enough courage and self-confidence to voice out our opinions and thoughts when someone is trying to overtake our roles, power and rights.

We must uphold and maintain our traditions and culture and build a strong unity among each member of the community

We must be patient no matter how hard the obstacles are

We must love our country

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Discussion1. Explain the meanings of "we are going"

and state the differences of each meaning.

2. Why do the whites have different perceptions on the bora ring?

3. For the poem we are going, Oodgeroo Noonuccal was criticised for not being poetic. Why was she criticised for this poem?

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