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A Study Guide by Katy Marriner A STUDY GUIDE BY KATY MARRINER http://www.metromagazine.com.au http://www.theeducationshop.com.au ing scantily-dressed women to uncovered meat. But Dave is determined to uncover the man behind the controversy, and attempt to better understand Islam and Australian–Muslim culture in the process. To make Dave’s experience more authentic, Sheik Hilaly insists that he observe all Muslim practices. This includes praying five times a day, attend- ing mosque and not eating his usual breakfast of bacon and eggs. Dave is also expected to follow Sheik Hilaly’s rules when it comes to hygiene. It doesn’t take long for Dave to realize that his immersion experience is not going to be without some very personal challenges. To gain a better understanding of the Islamic com- munity in Australia, Dave speaks to Sheik Hilaly’s good friend, boxer Anthony Mundine, about his conversion. He also speaks to a newly married couple about relationships and to a young woman about freedom of choice. In a bid to find out why some Australians are so afraid of Islam, Dave trav- This study guide to accompany Embedded with Sheik els to Camden in south-west Sydney where earlier Hilaly, a documentary by Red Ithaka Productions, this year, locals rejected a plan to build a Muslim has been written for secondary students. It provides school. There, Dave meets with anti-Islamic activist Katie McCullough, a woman who caused a bit of a information and suggestions for learning activities in stir of her own when she voiced her strong opposi- English, International Studies, Media, Religion, SOSE tion to Muslims living in her community. and curriculum projects exploring cultural identity. Back in Lakemba, Dave and the Sheik’s unconven- tional relationship blossoms and it seems the pair iven the need for curriculum to be cultur- are becoming unlikely friends. But all this could ally inclusive, Embedded with Sheik Hilaly end when, over a cup of ‘man tea’, Dave decides Gprovides students with the opportunity to to confront Sheik Hilaly about the comments that understand and value the Australian-Muslim com- made him infamous. munity. Embedded with Sheik Hilaly is an observational Embedded with Sheik Hilaly is one of three episodes documentary that relies on the comical moments from the Embedded series, where young Austral- created by a clash of cultures to examine some of ians from a variety of backgrounds are placed into the bigger issues that have divided, and continue very different cultures in an attempt to bridge racial to divide, the Muslim community from the rest of divides. Australia. Synopsis Using Embedded with Sheik Hilaly in the classroom ‘Is Islam really a threat to the Australian way of life? Dave is about to find out … ’ Teachers may select from the following activities to support students’ viewing and close analysis of Dave Zwolenski is twenty-six years old and white. Embedded with Sheik Hilaly. Sheik Hilaly is He likes girls, drinking beer and eating bacon. the ex-Mufti of Raised a Catholic, these days Dave prefers to stay Before viewing the documentary away from religion altogether. Sheik Taj el-din al Australia who Hilaly is sixty-six, Egyptian-born and very Muslim. • Spend time defining and discussing the made national He likes praying and drinking ‘man tea’ (his own students’ understanding of the following key special blend). Together, Dave and the Sheik form concepts and terms: headlines for an odd couple, but for the next few weeks they are • Islam his comments going to be inseparable. • Muslim • Racism SCREEN EDUCATION comparing Arriving at Sheik Hilaly’s house in the Sydney sub- • Extremism scantily-dressed urb of Lakemba, Dave is a little apprehensive about • Tolerance what the next few weeks may have in store. Sheik • Do you think public perceptions of Muslims are women to Hilaly is, after all, the ex-Mufti of Australia who fair or are they discriminatory? Why? uncovered meat. made national headlines for his comments compar- • Muslims in Australia are an ethnically, linguisti- 2 ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS Michaela Perske – Executive Producer Michaela Perske is an award-winning journalist and producer. Perske pro- duced radio features, weekly programs and daily radio before making the transition to film. Her credits include Footy Chicks (Rebecca Barry, 2006), Inspiring Teachers and Making Babies. Gary Doust – Writer / Director Gary Doust began his career in the film and television industry working as assistant editor on the popular televi- sion show Beyond 2000. His credits as a filmmaker include Parking Patrol Officer 808 (1999), Murbah Swamp Beer (2002) Making Venus cally and culturally diverse group. At the time • Did Embedded with Sheik Hilaly challenge (2002), Battle of the Brains of the 2006 Census, there were more than your views and values? and Great White Hunters (2008). Doust is also the 340,000 Muslims in Australia, of whom 128,904 • Why is Embedded with Sheik Hilaly a timely Co-Founder and Director of were born in Australia. In addition to Lebanon production? Popcorn Taxi. and Turkey, the other major source countries are Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iraq Director’s statement Dave Zwolenski – Co-Writer / Presenter and Indonesia. In the last three decades, many Muslims have migrated to Australia under It became apparent very early on that no matter In his early twenties, Dave refugee or humanitarian programs, and from what perspective or point of view this film took on Zwolenski spent much of his time travelling through African countries such as Somalia and Sudan. the subject of Islam, it was going to create contro- Europe as a backpacker. This Australia’s Muslim communities are now pre- versy. As early as pre-production, when we were journey gave him an interest dominantly concentrated in Sydney and Mel- researching the film, one reader of Sydney’s inner in global events. Upon his bourne. Since the 1970s, Muslim communities western newspaper The Torch responded harshly return to Australia he began have built many mosques and Islamic schools to a press interview I did, questioning a quote I pursuing this interest, as well as his passion for film and and have made significant contributions to the made stating that ‘not all Muslims were terror- writing. With no professional multicultural fabric of Australian society. ists’. While I think this reader would have a very training, Dave has somehow Find out more at <http://www.dfat.gov.au/ hard time proving all Muslims were terrorists, the managed to work as an actor, facts/muslims_in_Australia.html> and reader’s main point was to criticize a film that they director, camera operator, <http://www.immi.gov.au/media/publications/ perceived had an agenda to paint a ‘politically cor- video editor, music journal- ist, graphic designer and multicultural/pdf_doc/Muslims_in_Australia_ rect’ picture of Muslims and Islam in Australia. I can scriptwriter for both theatre snapshot.pdf>. honestly say that we never set out [to] either portray and film. • Working as a class, write a list of the things Muslims positively or negatively in the film. Our only Prior to making Embedded that divide Muslim and non-Muslim communi- preconceived objective was to attempt to under- with Sheik Hilaly, Dave had ties in Australia. stand Muslims and their religion from a non-Muslim no experience in documen- perspective. – Gary Doust tary making whatsoever, but After viewing asked himself ‘how hard could it be?’. It was this • From your perspective, what agendas are courageous statement that • What were you thinking as you watched Em- served in Embedded with Sheik Hilaly? impelled him to submit his bedded with Sheik Hilaly? video application to SBS. The • Make a list of questions you would like to ask Themes application included stories Dave. Share your list with the class. SCREEN EDUCATION about his inability to bend his thumb until he was fourteen • What did you learn about the beliefs and • See list of themes on page 4 and add your and the perfect way to end practices that are part of Islamic life? own ideas. the movie of his life (in a gi- • Do you think Embedded with Sheik Hilaly • What does Embedded with Sheik Hilaly tell us ant balloon that crashes into challenges prevailing prejudices about Islamic about each of these themes? Ask students to the fake sky hanging above Australians? support their responses with specific evi- us all). 3 • How does Dave try to fit in? • Performing my basic Muslim duties was getting harder by the day. I had to help out around the mosque, attend a man’s Sufi session where praises to Allah were chanted in song … And sit in on one of the Sheik’s women’s classes where I was even offered an incentive to convert. – Dave Do you think Dave finds it difficult to leave his Australian lifestyle behind? • Dave has to go without his usual breakfast of bacon and eggs. He learns the difference between the terms haram and halal. Write your own definition of each of these terms. What things are regarded as haram? What things are regarded as halal? Lakemba I’m not quite sure what to expect. – Dave Dave decides to spend time in Lakemba, a suburb in Sydney’s south-west. Lakemba has earned the nickname ‘the Muslim capital of Australia’ because it is home to more than a quarter of the country’s Muslim population. • Based on what the camera lets you see, write a description of Lakemba. dence from the documentary. THEMES: As Dave strolls down a busy Lakemba street, he • Select one of the themes explored by Em- discovers that bringing a camera crew wasn’t a CULTURE bedded with Sheik Hilaly and work with other good idea.
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