Australian
Screen

an NFSA website

Marn Grook (1996)

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This clip chosen to be G

Clip description

Historical photographs show Doug Nicholls, one of the first Indigenous men to play in the VFL, who came from Cummeragunga mission. He later became a civil activist. We see historical footage of Doug Nicholls visiting Indigenous families and black-and-white footage of Melbourne. His family is interviewed.

Curator’s notes

Doug Nicholls was the first Aboriginal man to receive a knighthood from the Queen, and he is an example of how Indigenous men used sport to voice their political concerns about the treatment of Indigenous peoples. Doug Nicholls is an important figure in Australian history, and was very active in his fight for the rights of Indigenous peoples.