TALKING BROKEN. A PORTRAIT OF THE TORRES STRAIT ISLANDERS

The Torres Strait Islanders are Australia’s “other” indigenous minority. Unllike the Aborigines, little was heard of them until 1988 when they made a brief claim for independence.

Since first conatct in 1871, they have been controlled by benign but effective colonisers, which has left these islands between Papua New Guinea and the far northern tip of Australia curiously poised between first and third worlds.

The “broken “ of the title is Broken English, a pidgin spoken only by the Torres Strait Islanders; but it also pinpoints the problems of all indigenous minorities. Although they may appear to keep up with “the system”, the hidden language of the authorities will always remain a mystery.

With humour and intelligence, several islanders talk openly about subjects as wide-ranging as independence, tourism, culture, sex and sorcery.

“Talking Broken”, the result of 3 years of research, is the record of an encounter. It is about talking back. Without external commentary. The filmmakers were allowed to enter the Torres Strait reserves and filmed for 2 months with the support and friendship of the Islanders themselves.

- info from video slick