WE ARE GOING
By Kath Walker
We are going is a poem which was written in 1964 which describes how the Indigineous Aboriginals reacted once the Europeans, or 'White Men' arrived at Australia. It's author was Kath Walker who campaigned for Aboriginal rights. She was also a poet and political activist. She changed her first name to Oodgeroo (the aboriginal name for a paper bark tree) and last name to Noonuccal (the name of her tribe) in protest in 1988 at the Australian Bicentenary celebrations. She wrote many poems in the 20th century including: The Rainbow Serpent, No more boomerang, Little Fella, and My people, but 'We are going' was one of her most appreciated poems.
The obvious technique is slow deliberate repetition. This reinforces the ancient sigh of a people dispossessed. All that is sacred has been violated. A history is being expunged.
Although thunder is an element of nature and not the name of a person, it gets characterised as being a character and part of the aboriginal dreamtime. It also emphasises the word thunder as being loud and terrifying.
'We are going' are the three words in the title, conclusion and theme and portrays how the life of the Aboriginals would be as the Aboriginals are not welcome to their own homeland.
The metaphors which are used in the poem show the reader how the aboriginals felt as shown by the number of metaphors used.
The poem is sad and depressing. it shows how the aboriginals do not feel a sense of belonging causing the atmosphere of the poem to be dull and unhappy
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alliteration, and expression of emotions
similie suggesting the fast & non personal way of life.
Their reaction meant that to the white men they are strangers and are treated like they don’t belong in Australia but the Aboriginals feel that the white men are the strangers and are in their land.
similie
Metaphors and repetition. The poet uses a positive mood.
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,
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 Thunder 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.'
More metaphors and repetion.
Negative repetion
In total the poem has six stanzas.