THREE HORSEMEN [from the AIATSIS Collection]

THREE HORSEMEN is a documentary about three generations of Aboriginal stockmen on a cattle station in far north Queensland.

The film is one of several films that David and Judith MacDougall made in and around Aurukun in the far north of Queensland. It is a deeply moving portrait of three generations of Aboriginal stockmen at Ti-Tree station, 80km south of Aurukun, a former cattle out-station of Aurukun Mission and now a settlement for people who regard Ti-Tree as their home.

Bob Massey Pootchemunka, about 75 years old, has lived and worked all his life on cattle stations. He has a strong vision of Ti-Tree becoming a sustainable cattle station and feels a strong responsibility to teach "the proper way" to run the place, whether it be looking after leather-gear, mending fences or clearing scrub.

Eric Pootchemunka, aged 46, is Bob's nephew. He shares Bob's vision and works hard to teach younger people to be good horsemen and to develop a sense of Ti-Tree as their own place.

Ian Pootchemunka, aged 13, is Eric's son. He keenly feels a responsibility to learn as much as he can, as fast as he can, and is aware that he embodies the hopes that Bob and Eric have for Ti-Tree's future.

"The Aurukun films are related to the complex process of the Aboriginal community there struggling to maintain and transmit its autonomy, culture and land. ... (THREE HORSEMEN) is a deeply metaphoric study of the precarious hopes and fragile demographic basis of transmitting Aboriginal cultural continuity." (Fred R. Myers in Cultural Anthropology, vol 3, no 2, May 1988, pp 206-212).

A film by David and Judith MacDougall
Photography by David MacDougall
Sound by Judith MacDougall
Camera Assistant Colin MacDougall
Narrator Ray Saunders
Production support Michele Day

An AIAS Film Unit production - 1982 | Wik-Munkan language and English, with English subtitles

Ronin Films wishes to advise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people that this film may contain images and voices of deceased persons.

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