I’ve just watched Avatar. It hit me hard between the eyes compared to the last time I’d watched it. Having just read a book on colonialism I now appreciate its purpose as an allegory (a story with hidden meaning).

Greedy humans – corporate and military together – have found a beautiful planet years in stasis away from an Earth whose Mother has been destroyed. They are on this new planet in pursuit of mining resources deemed of great monetary worth. The problem is, the indigenous people who inhabit the beautiful forest around a great, great tree, charged for the forces of nature, are in the way.

Either they get out the way and go somewhere else, or they are to be attacked and, if necessary, destroyed. Poignantly the nasty military commander in chief (who nevertheless answers to the corporation’s man in situ) refers to the indigenous people, who they are trying to teach English to, as ‘hostiles’.

This time watching it, the allegory was glaringly and painfully self-evident. A bit of searching online soon reveals I have been way behind the curve concerning this 2009 film.

“Discussion has centered on such themes as the conflict between modern human and nature, and the film’s treatment of imperialism, racism, militarism and patriotism, corporate greed, property rights, spirituality and religion.”

What a sickening history we have. And its tendrils reach through into present day.

#collonialism

#racism

#MotherNature