The descendants of a great Aboriginal leader tell an inspiring story of two laws, two cultures and two families coming to terms with the past.

Seventy years after the controversial murder trial of the great Yolngu leader Dhakiyarr Wirrpanda and his subsequent disappearance, his family is still searching for answers. Dhakiyarr’s body has still not been found and laid to rest. His descendants know that justice was not served and want to restore what was denied to him, his honour. Dhakiyarr vs The King is their story, told in their own words. It is also the story of a clash of cultures and of one man bravely facing the unknown.

52 minute documentary
Directors Tom Murray and Alan Collins
Language Yolngu Matta

In 1933, on Woodah Island in remote northeast Arnhem Land, Dhakiyarr speared to death a policeman, Constable Albert McColl who had chained up his (Dhakiyarr’s) wife. To Dhakiyarr, the action was lawful on his land. On the advice of missionaries, he went to Darwin to explain his actions and his people’s ways to the Northern Territory Supreme Court.

He was found guilty of murder in a trial where conditions and justice were grossly stacked against him and was sentenced to hang. However, the sentence was overturned by the High Court and Dhakiyarr was freed. But he disappeared the day he was released and his family have never discovered what happened to him. This documentary journeys with the Yolngu as they re-trace his footsteps and as master storytellers, they relate it in their own natural way directly to camera.

In their journey, the Yolngu come face to face with the authorities who let Dhakiyarr down and with the descendants of Constable McColl. It is an inspiring story of remembrance and healing of two laws, two cultures and two families coming to terms with the past.

The first Australian documentary to be selected as a finalist for the World Cinema documentary competition at the Sundance Film Festival, and subsequently selected for numerous international film festivals, Dhakiyarr vs the King was co-directed by Tom Murray and Allan Collins and made with the Yolngu people of northeast Arnhem Land.

Pronunciation
Dhakiyarr is pronounced dhak-ee-yar with a thick “d” achieved by putting the tongue behind the front teeth. The emphasis is on the first syllable.

Yolngu is pronounced with the emphasis on the first syllable and a shorter-sounding second syllable. The “ng” is as in “sing” and the “u” is short—like the “u” in “put”. It’s yol-ng-oo.

Teachers notes and Press Kit available for download from Screen Australia

Comments from the directors:
A place to think - ABC (with photos and film preview)
Film Australia

Screenings and Awards
2007     Taiwan Peace Film Festival
2007     Pacific International Documentary Film Festival, Finalist - Official Competition
2007     ABC2
2007     Maori TV
2006     IMAGE ROOTS - International Film and Video Festival of Indigenous Peoples
2005     Jakarta International Film Festival
2005     Paroles d’Aborigènes
2005     Taiwan International Ethnographic Film Festival
2005     Vancouver International Film Festival
2005     Asia Pacific Film Festival     Finalist - Best Short / Documentary
2005     Jerusalem Film Festival
2005     Dreamspeakers Film Festival
2005     Heard Museum Indigenous Film Festival
2005     Southside Film Festival
2005     Terres En Vues (Land InSights) Montreal First Peoples’ Festival
2005     Mountainfilm in Telluride
2005     INPUT 2005 - International Public Television Festival
2005     Chicago International Documentary Film Festival, Finalist - Short Film Grand Prix Competition Section
2005     Sami Indigenous Culture Festival
2005     AIDC - Australian International Documentary Conference
2005     Sundance Film Festival, Finalist - World Cinema Documentary Competition
2004     Human Rights Medal and Awards, Highly Commended - Television Award
2004     Centre for Australian Cultural Studies National Cultural Awards, Special Mention for An Outstanding Contribution to Australian Culture
2004     Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards, Finalist - Best Documentary
2004     NSW Premier’s History Awards, Winner - Audio/Visual History Prize
2004     Garma Festival of Indigenous Culture
2004     The Sydney Indigenous Film Festival
2004     Sydney Film Festival Dendy Awards, Winner - The Rouben Mamoulian Award
2004     Message Sticks
2004     Reel Territory Film Festival
2004     Real: Life on Film Documentary Film Festival
2004     London Australian Film Festival
2004     Imparja TV
2004     ABC TV

Credits

In collaboration with the Dhuruputjpi and Yilpara communities of Blue Mud Bay, northeast East Arnhem Land
Special thanks to:
DHUKAL WIRRPANDA
WUYAL WIRRPANDA
MULKUN WIRRPANDA
DJAMBAWA MARAWILI
GAWARATJ MUNUNGURR
GALAWARRIWUY WUNNUNGMURR

Directors
TOM MURRAY & ALLAN COLLINS

Producer
GRAEME ISAAC

Writer
TOM MURRAY

Cinematographer
ALLAN COLLINS ACS

Editor
JAMES BRADLEY

Composer
ALISTER SPENCE

Sound Recordist
CHRIS WEST

Sound Design
LIAM EGAN

Sound Mixer
PHIL JUDD – PHILM SOUND

Translators
NUWANDJALI MARAWILI & DENA CURTIS

Historical Consultant
TED EGAN AM

Production Manager
FOTINI MANIKAKIS

Assistant Editor
DENA CURTIS

Location Manager
NEVILLE KHAN

Sound Attachment
VANCE GLYNN

Foley Artist
LES FIDDESS

Foley Engineer
BEN GRANT

Additional Camera
ANDREW HYDE

Underwater Camera
CLAIRE ELLIOT

Newspaper Stills
GREG BARTLEY

Online Edit
ADAM ARCHER - THE LAB

Colour Grading
KIERAN BLEAKLEY

Titles
NICK HART

Graphic Design
IAN MASEK

MUSICIANS
Guitar
BRUCE REID
Shakuhachi
ADRIAN SHERRIFF
Percussion
FABIAN HEVIA
Keyboards
ALISTER SPENCE

FILM AUSTRALIA PRODUCTION UNIT
Production Affairs Manager
LIZ STEVENS
Production Assistant
SUEANNE FLYGHT
Production Accountant
LIANE WRIGHT
Executive Producer’s Assistant
AIDA INNOCENTE

THANKS TO
Joan and Alan McColl and members of the McColl Family
Chris Clugie, Phillipa Hetherington, Geoff Maine, Tom Pauling QC, Francoise Barr, Tom Berkley, Cecelia Bradley, Rick Brown, Graham Bruxton, Daniel Connell, Tianee Collins, Codie Collins, Sean Collins, Jamie Collins, Kyle Collins, Jane Connors, Ken Conway, Sue Cox, Richard Creswick, Isabel Dunner, Cathy Flint, Alana Harris, Keith Hart, Lee Hillam, Michi Hirzel, John Hughes, Michelle Jones, John Lawrence, Michael Letnic, Jane March, Murray McLaughlin, Robert Marbury, Freddy Mills, June Mills, Jim Murray, Joy Murray, Michelle Rayner, Victor Roseverne, Margaret Simpson, Stephen Tranter, Matt Tomaszewski, Leon White, Rosemary Wrench, Buku Larrngay Mulka Arts Centre, Layhapuy Homelands Schools
Office of the Chief Minister, Northern Territory Government

ARCHIVAL MATERIALS COURTESY OF
D.F.Thomson Collection – Mrs.D.M.Thomson and Museum Victoria, Eric Wilson Collection – Ian Wilson and Australian Institute for Torres Strait and Aboriginal Islander Studies, Mahony Collection –  Northern Territory Archive Service, The Hood Collection & Sydney Morning Herald headlines courtesy of State Library of NSW, Photograph of chained prisoners – Battye Library, WA,
Hart Collection – Church Mission Society, Darwin,
Melbourne Herald headlines – State Library of Victoria, Fred Gray Interview by Daniel Connell – ABC Radio National Social History Unit