Film Screening Scattered People
The Centre for Law and Social Justice welcomed a diverse audience to view a screening of the film Scattered People.
Scattered People offers a vehicle through which audiences can consider the experiences of people seeking asylum and refugees: the environments they have fled; their immigration journeys; the trauma they have experienced and the ongoing uncertainty of their visa status. Audiences are prompted to reconsider their own attitudes, too often framed by short, misleading and unsympathetic media bites.
Utilising music to bring people and cultures together, the film helps to re-humanise people seeking asylum and raises audience awareness and empathy. Following the film, Dr Alice Neikirk hosted a panel discussion featuring Jack Chambers, Darkinyung man passionate about spreading the teachings of culture and connection, Ndi Ruppert, Principal Solicitor & Founder of the law practice Ruppert Legal and Louis Ndagijimana, Project Officer with the Centre of Excellence for Equity in Higher Education (CEEHE). The discussion commenced with reflections from Jack and Ndi on how shared social and cultural experiences – particularly music, dance and food – serve to bring people together. Louis noted the trauma experienced by people seeking asylum and how music can enable them to express their trauma and build solidarity and community.
One reflection offered in the film is the idea of ‘refugee’ being an experience rather than an identity. Louis found this resonated with his experience, sharing that – despite the horrible experience of fleeing persecution – he wants to be seen as a person who has overcome trauma and built a new identity that is multi-faceted. Ndi added that more could be done to communicate that the refugee experience is a phase of life that happens by chance rather than because of a person’s fault.
An audience member offered the insight that when opportunities arise for people to get together in community and learn more about others’ diverse experiences, we should be open to these opportunities. Jack noted that Australia is a multi-cultural society, and Ndi said that the film emphasised how – in our diversity – we all share the same basic human needs. Louis added that refugees seek opportunities to contribute to their new societies.
Centre director Shaun McCarthy reflected on how Scattered People revealed the power of the human narrative. Too often, the experience of people seeking asylum strips them of their names and stories. Ndi responded that the media and political discourses in Australia too often focus on a person’s mode of arrival and reinforce securitised narratives, rather than exploring what people were facing before they felt compelled to flee their countries of origin, what they went through to get to Australia, or what they aspire to for their future here.
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The University of Newcastle acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands within our footprint areas: Awabakal, Darkinjung, Biripai, Worimi, Wonnarua, and Eora Nations. We also pay respect to the wisdom of our Elders past and present.