musicglenn Review of The Extraordinary Tale of William Buckley: The great untold story of Australia's Robinson Crusoe

The Extraordinary Tale of William Buckley: The great untold story of Australia's Robinson Crusoe (2010 TV Movie)

"civilized" person goes indigenous, and back again

[9/10 · 30 October 2022]

Quite a rare look at an english man who had to adopt an aboriginal lifestyle after escaping from enslavement by english guards. He was convicted of a petty theft of cloth, and shipped off to a remote part of australia to help settle a post for england. Many other prisoners also tried to escape but all others turned back after facing the harsh conditions and little edible food. Buckley endured and nearly died before being found by aborigine people, who mistook him for the reincarnation of one of their own and thus took him in. He lived with them most of 30? Years, though by the end he was alone again after many brutal exchanges between competing aborigine groups, the last of which killed all his companions. He finally discovers a group of 3 englishmen who have landed on shore, and thus must deal with confliciting loyalties, re-learning how to speak english in the process. He tries to make peace between the aborigines, who want to kill the english, and the increasing number of english who are coming to the shores. Eventually he gives up and as expected learns of the destruction of the aborigines by the gun-powered english. While I have long known of the savagery of the so-called "civilized" world, the savagery of many indigenous people is no better, as they steal from and kill opposing groups, and steal women as possessions. Most humans, whether "civilized" or indigenous, seem to be brutal, selfish, and greedy. But what a rare tale of someone who got to deeply experience both worlds.