Like what you've read?

On Line Opinion is the only Australian site where you get all sides of the story. We don't
charge, but we need your support. Here�s how you can help.

  • Advertise

    We have a monthly audience of 70,000 and advertising packages from $200 a month.

  • Volunteer

    We always need commissioning editors and sub-editors.

  • Contribute

    Got something to say? Submit an essay.


 The National Forum   Donate   Your Account   On Line Opinion   Forum   Blogs   Polling   About   
On Line Opinion logo ON LINE OPINION - Australia's e-journal of social and political debate

Subscribe!
Subscribe





On Line Opinion is a not-for-profit publication and relies on the generosity of its sponsors, editors and contributors. If you would like to help, contact us.
___________

Syndicate
RSS/XML


RSS 2.0

My brother’s keeper or my brother’s problem?

By Clifton Evers - posted Wednesday, 14 March 2007


Going for a surf at the city beach of Maroubra in Sydney isn’t always fun. There is always the threat of being bullied by the group of resident surfers. It’s happened to me just for catching a wave they wanted, or for parking my car in a spot they have “reserved”.

In surfing culture this process of dominating a territory and imposing its cultural laws on others is entrenched, and is known as “localism”.

The “Bra Boys” dominate Maroubra Beach. Some of them travel the world chasing giant swells. Most have tattoos marking their “brotherhood”: that’s what they like to call themselves.

Advertisement

These surfers have recently made a “documentary” about themselves called The Bra Boys. I went to the premiere at the New South Wales State Theatre.

When I arrived I was confronted by a lot of security guards, two bag checks, and a metal detector. It made me feel as though I was “dangerous” or in the presence of a “dangerous gang”. Surf star of the film Koby Abberton stood in the foyer. He wore a tuxedo. His shirt was open to make sure everyone saw the tattoo around his neck: “My Brothers Keeper”.

The film uncritically documents the history of Maroubra Beach and the Bra Boys. Some grew up in the housing commission estates that border the south end of Maroubra Beach. The film sets up a ghetto imaginary of Maroubra. There are lots of shots of Long Bay Jail, police helicopters, street brawls, and graffiti. There are no shots of the last decade’s gentrification of Maroubra - the cafes, boardwalk, multi-million dollar houses and apartments, sporting facilities, and the like.

Overall, Maroubra Beach is painted as a home away from home. As producer Sunny Abberton says: “Maroubra Beach has been Mum and Dad to so many kids” And the “brotherhood” a family many of the members never had.

The film sets up a classic working-class narrative of a hard luck story where young men from the wrong side of the tracks struggle against the odds to make it good, and show pride in their beach by defending it from “outsiders”.

A surfing magazine editor claims this is just “good old localism”. He even says that “without localism all order at surfing beaches would fall apart”. But he’s wrong. Surfers regularly share waves with no more than skill, a hoot and smile. It’s not that pride in your beach is wrong, it’s how it is expressed that is important.

Advertisement

In the film the Bra Boys portray violent localism in a heroic way.

Extensive footage is shown of a brawl between the Bra Boys and off-duty police officers in December 2002 and a fight between some Bra Boys and some Lebanese-Australian thugs the day after the Cronulla Riots is covered. The Bra Boys claim to have “saved” Maroubra.

The violent culture some Bra Boys grow up in is also evident in the court case of Jai Abberton. Jai was acquitted from charges related to murdering Anthony Hines, he shot him three times in the back of the head. Hines was another Bra Boy known to be a drug dealer, rapist and stand-over man. Professional surfer Koby Abberton, Jai’s brother, went on trial for accessory to murder.

  1. Pages:
  2. Page 1
  3. 2
  4. All

First published in the Sydney Morning Herald on March 13, 2007.



Discuss in our Forums

See what other readers are saying about this article!

Click here to read & post comments.

6 posts so far.

Share this:
reddit this reddit thisbookmark with del.icio.us Del.icio.usdigg thisseed newsvineSeed NewsvineStumbleUpon StumbleUponsubmit to propellerkwoff it

About the Author

Dr Clifton Evers is a cultural researcher at the Journalism and Media Research Centre, University of New South Wales. His new book is Notes For A Young Surfer (Melbourne University Press).

Other articles by this Author

All articles by Clifton Evers

Creative Commons LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Article Tools
Comment 6 comments
Print Printable version
Subscribe Subscribe
Email Email a friend
Advertisement

About Us Search Discuss Feedback Legals Privacy