The Last Wave Page #4

Darling, why didn't you tell me?

Why didn't you...

Why in the name of God are you helping

them? Why are they so important?

Annie. Annie, Annie,

Annie, Annie.

[Sobbing Continues]

Darling,

why didn't you tell me?

Because I can't

talk to you anymore.

I can't get...

I don't know you anymore.

[Wind Howling]

[Man On Speaker]

Plenty of parking. Come along.

The young gentleman in that Volvo car

and the other one in the Volkswagen.

We've got plenty of space here

for you. Do come along...

and we'll look after your car

like a newborn baby.

And also, we'll be

very moderate in our charges.

Would you like to come?

And please do. We'll be happy to...

[Continues, Indistinct]

Ladies and gentlemen, there's plenty

of parking available for you.

Do come drive straight in and

leave your car with impunity.

We'll look after it, and

then we'll deliver it to you.

We want your cus... We want your custom

very, very badly. Come along. Do come.

And the other young man in the Torana,

we like you as well.

Come along.

We like your face.

And, of course, some of these

lovely little babies from the country.

Oh, my, with apples

on their cheeks.

Oh, they've brought

those country apples along.

How sweet to see

these smiling faces.

[Doorbell Rings]

[Distant Rumbling]

[Doorbell Rings]

Does Charlie live here?

Can I see him?

Do you speak English?

Could you stay awhile?

I speak English.

Sometime I speak English.

Sometime I don't.

You were outside my house...

yesterday.

You frightened my wife.

What do you want?

Who are you?

Who are you?

What?

Who are you?

Who are you?

Who are you?

Who are you?

Who are you?

Who are you?

Who are you?

Who are you?

[Chanting]

[Chanting Continues]

Are you a fish?

No.

Are you a snake?

Are you a man?

Who are you?

Who are you?

Who are you?

Who are you?

Who are you?

Who are you?

Are you Mulkurul?

Yes.

[Chanting Resumes]

Don't speak in that court.

[Thunderclap]

[Man On Radio]... has been falling

in most parts of the Sydney area today.

Now, opinion around town seems

to favor the pollution theory,

and I must say that

I'm inclined to agree with that.

I took the liberty

of checking with the CSIRO,

and they tell me that the prime content

of whatever it was that fell...

was petroleum, oil.

Could be the answer

to the current energy crisis.

But maybe you have an opinion

on this that you'd like to express.

- [Horn Honks]

- [Radio Static]

"...found the most beautiful and amazing

rock paintings Australia possesses.

The most mysterious with their

hints of Egyptian sun gods.

Hallucinations are real."

I didn't hear you come in.

Where are the children?

I sent them to Mother's.

Just till the trial's over.

Do you want me to go too?

Yes, I want you to go too.

Oh, David!

Listen, darling...

I want you to take the children

and go away.

Go away from the city.

Do you understand?

But what is it?

I, I don't know yet.

But I'm frightened, Annie.

[Prosecutor] The events of the

The accused,

in a state of intoxication,

attacked and killed Billy Corman.

Now, you mustn't permit

the sorry history of conflict...

between the Aboriginal and European

cultures to cloud your judgment.

Your verdict must not in any way

reflect the sympathy we all feel...

for the few unhappy survivors of

the original inhabitants of this land...

who operated, until the arrival

of the white man,

under a system of tribal laws.

Your verdict must be based upon

the law as it prevails today...

over and for the protection

of all Australians.

And the accused,

in killing Billy Corman,

broke that most sacred

law of all.

The entry into the lungs of quite

a small quantity of fresh water...

can kill a person

in a matter of seconds.

The same quantity of seawater

would often not be lethal.

Would you describe the condition

of the deceased's neck and throat?

There was severe bruising,

consistent with manual strangulation.

The hyoid bone was intact,

so death was not due to strangulation.

- [Prosecutor] It was caused by...

- Drowning.

In my opinion, the deceased fell

or was pushed into a pool of water,

some of which he inhaled.

No further questions.

Doctor, do you ever

have any difficulties...

determining the cause of death,

particularly when confronted

by a number of possibilities?

Yes.

This case, for example?

This was not straightforward.

And yet you're absolutely certain

that the cause of death was drowning?

Yes, I am.

Do you know

what this is, Doctor?

A bone.

It's an Aboriginal death bone.

Your Honor, I must object.

I fail to see any relevance.

Your Honor, the relevance of the bone

will become clear, I think, as I continue.

Well, Mr. Burton,

with your assurance, continue.

Do you know what tribal sorcerers do

with a bone like this?

Well, I thought

that was common knowledge.

He points it at his victim

and... the victim dies.

Exactly.

If you examined the body

of such a victim,

is it possible that you would find

no apparent cause of death?

It's possible.

I put it to you that Billy Corman died

as the result of tribal sorcery.

No! Because the deceased

was not a tribal man.

Your secret

is linked to the water.

The black rain, the weather.

Is that what it is?

Tell me!

It affects us all, doesn't it?

Doesn't it!

I don't know everything.

My dreams are about water.

My dreams frighten me,

and they frighten Charlie.

Am I dreaming your secret?

Chris... something,

someone wants me to know.

Mulkurul wants me to know.

Chris, in my dream... of you,

you offered me a sacred stone.

You offered the secret to me.

I die!

I'm gonna ask you questions in court.

You must answer me, truthfully.

Do you swear that the evidence

you are about to give will be the truth,

the whole truth

and nothing but the truth?

Say, "So help me God."

So help me God.

Chris...

are you a tribal Aborigine?

You must answer

the question, Mr. Lee.

Yes.

[David]

Where is your tribal ground?

Here.

You mean here in the city?

- Yes.

- Objection, Your Honor.

- Overruled. Continue.

- I fail to see any relevance.

Chris, at the time

of the settlement of this colony,

how many people

were in your tribe?

Many thousands of people.

And how many of you today?

Just a few.

Do you have sacred sites

close to the city?

Yes.

Caves?

Yes.

What does it mean to be tribal?

You know things... secret things.

Is that tribal law?

Yes.

What happens if you break

tribal law?

You are punished.

Was Billy Corman

a member of your tribe?

- I must object, Your Honor. That's a leading question.

- Overruled. Continue.

Was Billy a member

of your tribe, Chris?

- Was he?

- He wanted to be.

- But he didn't go through yet.

- Through what?

The law.

Did Billy Corman

break the tribal law?

Yes.

How did he do that?

Did he see things?

Did he touch things

or steal something?

- Yes.

- What? Stones?

These stones?

Are these stones sacred?

Chris, what is the secret

Billy died for?

Does someone forbid you to say? The one

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