Their Darkest Hour: the films and photographs of William Grayden and the history of the 'Warburton Range controversy' of 1957

Abstract

This paper discusses the use of documentary films and photographs of Aboriginal people from the Ngaanyatjarra region of Western Australia in the late 1950s during a heated public debate about remote Aboriginal health and welfare. The recruitment of images of people in situations of physical distress to illustrate arguments about political and bureaucratic neglect was controversial, sparking accusations of propaganda and disagreement about the norms of Aboriginal well-being. Some of the images produced, most notably those of Western Australian politician William Grayden, had a significant impact on audiences at the time. Grayden's film, shown in a Perth cinema under the title Their Darkest Hour and sometimes referred to as Manslaughter, is celebrated in recent histories of Aboriginal activism and extracts from it have been used by a new generation of activist filmmakers and artists. The perspectives of the Aboriginal people who appear in Grayden's images are, however, a notable absence in these accounts. When considered alongside other historical sources, local Aboriginal voices reveal a significant visual distortion of the quality of people's lives and the substance of their histories as they are remembered today. The following research draws on a range of historical and ethnographic information including patrol officer field reports, government correspondence, and interviews with local Aboriginal people and other participants in these events. The perspectives of many Ngaanyatjarra people � a few of whom appear in Grayden's film and most of whom also have close family who appear in it � were gathered in 2008 and 2009 during a 're-documentation' project of historical films and photographs conducted by Pamela McGrath. 1 Supporting ethnographic observations and opinion offered by David Brooks has been gathered during his time working as an anthropologist for Ngaanyatjarra Council, a career that spans over two decades. 2 We begin with a brief account of the 'Warburton controversy' of 50 years ago, providing a description of Their Darkest Hour and its circulation and reception. We then analyse what the film and associated texts suggested about the quality of remote Aboriginal lives, discuss how they are received and valued by yarnangu 3 families today, and examine why their ongoing use by others is at times highly problematic. Show more