The 1954 Charles Chauvel film , Jedda, which starred Territorians Robert Tudawali and Rosalie Kunoth , made a big impact on audiences and the Australian film industry. It also sparked a souvenir industry .
Some years ago , I found a wooden carving of an Aborigine on a round wall plaque on Magnetic Island. Attached to the back were paper stickers on which was penned JEDDA above the name ROBERT TARRWADIE (sic) . It was obviously Robert Tudawali , described as Australia’s first Aboriginal film star.
The National Museum of Australia collection contains a Brownie Downing ashtray with a portrait of Jedda, one of several inspired by the film. The ashtray portrait of Jedda is one of the illustrations in an article about Aboriginal representation in the ceramics of Brownie Downing and Martin Boyd pottery, by Victoria Haskins , in The World of Antiques and Art, December 1999-June 2000.
The world premiere of Jedda was held in Darwin at The Star theatre . A young reporter who covered the major event for the NT News was Bill Tuckey who went on to become a renowned Australian motoring writer and author . Tuckey was so impressed by the film he said Jedda was the biggest promotion for Australia since discovery of the platypus.
Tudawali , or Robert Wilson, working as a gardener, wore a white suit to the gala occasion. His co-star, Rosalie Kunoth, of Alice Springs , was decked out in finery . Recently , I spoke to a woman in Darwin who had attended the Jedda premiere . She said everybody had dressed up to the nines and the street had been packed with people wanting to see the unusual event .
Unfortunately for Tudawali , his career became something of a roller coaster ride . After his film fame, he found it difficult to live in the Bagot Aboriginal reserve in Darwin where he was a house painter . In 1960 he appeared in the TV series Whiplash which led to roles in the film Dust in the Sun and the play Burst of Summer . From time to time he got into trouble drinking. To get away from his problems , he became a stockman at Wave Hill and involved himself in the Gurindji landrights struggle. While helping load a truck in Darwin with supplies for the Gurindji , he became ill and was found to be suffering from TB .
He died in 1967 at the age of 38 after receiving burns in a drinking party at Bagot . There was a confused claim that an attempt had been made to burn him alive after he had a row with some people . His co star in Jedda also experienced tough times after her moment of fame , but as Rosalie Kunoth Monks rose above her difficulties to become an inspiration to Aboriginal people in the Centre. Even now she is speaking out about conditions at Utopia.
Some years ago , I found a wooden carving of an Aborigine on a round wall plaque on Magnetic Island. Attached to the back were paper stickers on which was penned JEDDA above the name ROBERT TARRWADIE (sic) . It was obviously Robert Tudawali , described as Australia’s first Aboriginal film star.
The National Museum of Australia collection contains a Brownie Downing ashtray with a portrait of Jedda, one of several inspired by the film. The ashtray portrait of Jedda is one of the illustrations in an article about Aboriginal representation in the ceramics of Brownie Downing and Martin Boyd pottery, by Victoria Haskins , in The World of Antiques and Art, December 1999-June 2000.
The world premiere of Jedda was held in Darwin at The Star theatre . A young reporter who covered the major event for the NT News was Bill Tuckey who went on to become a renowned Australian motoring writer and author . Tuckey was so impressed by the film he said Jedda was the biggest promotion for Australia since discovery of the platypus.
Tudawali , or Robert Wilson, working as a gardener, wore a white suit to the gala occasion. His co-star, Rosalie Kunoth, of Alice Springs , was decked out in finery . Recently , I spoke to a woman in Darwin who had attended the Jedda premiere . She said everybody had dressed up to the nines and the street had been packed with people wanting to see the unusual event .
Unfortunately for Tudawali , his career became something of a roller coaster ride . After his film fame, he found it difficult to live in the Bagot Aboriginal reserve in Darwin where he was a house painter . In 1960 he appeared in the TV series Whiplash which led to roles in the film Dust in the Sun and the play Burst of Summer . From time to time he got into trouble drinking. To get away from his problems , he became a stockman at Wave Hill and involved himself in the Gurindji landrights struggle. While helping load a truck in Darwin with supplies for the Gurindji , he became ill and was found to be suffering from TB .
He died in 1967 at the age of 38 after receiving burns in a drinking party at Bagot . There was a confused claim that an attempt had been made to burn him alive after he had a row with some people . His co star in Jedda also experienced tough times after her moment of fame , but as Rosalie Kunoth Monks rose above her difficulties to become an inspiration to Aboriginal people in the Centre. Even now she is speaking out about conditions at Utopia.
