Actor and activist Rarriwuy Hick loves language.
But in her 13 years on screen, Ms Hick has never actually spoken language. Until now.
The Yolngu woman takes on the role of Toni Alma in NITV’s upcoming drama series True Colours.
Alma, an Arrernte detective is sent to the fictional community of Perda Theendar in the Northern Territory to investigate the death of a young Aboriginal girl in a suspicious car accident.
Learning language
The series sees Ms Hick and other cast members move freely between Arrernte and English.
Flying to Alice Springs a month before filming, Ms Hick was taught language by Arrernte and Warlpiri woman Marie Ellis.
“She is fierce, cheeky and funny. But not afraid to growl at me. What you need in a teacher, just that real aunty energy,” laughed Ms Hick.
"She was so generous, she just wanted to best for me and believed in me. It was so hard and even in times when I was worried I'd get it wrong or screw up, she always reassured me.
"She was my rock, and when either of us became overwhelmed with it – we had each other to get through.”
Ms Hick speaks her own language, Yolngu Matha, which helped her grapple with learning Arrernte.
"We didn't really use much English in that space,” she told NITV.
"You can't use English words for Aboriginal language sometimes, it's hard to translate that. I just couldn’t feel it in my spirit.
“So, there was a beautiful exchange happening. When she was teaching me Arrernte, I would translate it to Yolngu Matha.
"By the time we were filming, I felt like a desert girl. I was speaking Arrernte whenever I could because I wanted to, it's a beautiful language to listen to, it's a beautiful language to speak.”
Rarriwuy Hick (right) with True Colours series creator Erica Glynn (left) on set. Source: NITV/SBS
A Territory girl's dream role
For Ms Hick, the day producers called about True Colours was a dream come true.
"I'm an NT girl and have been acting for 13 years now. I have been dying to do a job in the Northern Territory. This opportunity came up and I knew I was in,” she said.
"This is the first time in Australia we're going to see on the screen a bilingual Aboriginal female detective."
Detective Alma is sent back home to investigate the girl's death. What follows is a complex mix of culture, identity, and the hardships of living in two worlds.
"You'll see Toni be challenged and sometimes frustrated with being a Blak woman in a very white space," she said.
“Whether that is being a detective and finding the challenges of how complex our families can sometimes be and the issues that surround the relationship between police and Aboriginal communities.”
Rarriwuy Hick stars as Toni Alma in a new crime drama set in the central desert. Source: NITV/SBS
Culture and community on-screen
The series delves into cultural customs and law.
"It's so important that we finally have these opportunities to talk about our very old and ancient laws... There are so many layers to our law, to our culture and custom,” said Ms Hick.
“It’s a complex system. I’m really excited to showcase that and see that portrayed on screen.”
While she has over a decade of experience in the entertainment industry, many of those cast alongside her made their acting debut in the series, including many Alice Springs community members and Arrernte people.
The cast includes Senior Arrernte Elder Sabella Kngwarraye Ross Turner, Arrernte woman Natalie Pepperill, 18-year-old Arrernte and Waayni woman Janaya Kopp, Arrernte man Grant Wallace, Siobhan Breaden, Kurt Abbott and Arrernte man Warren H. Williams.
Rarriwuy Hick plays Toni Alma, alongside co-star Luke Arnold as Nick. Source: SBS/NITV
Setting a standard
Country music star and radio personality Warren H. Williams co-created True Colours alongside writer and director Erica Gylnn.
The series was a ten-year labour of love, and, according to Ms Hick, sets a new standard on how to incorporate Indigenous people, perspectives and practices into filming.
"This story belongs to Arrernte people, it's their story,” said Ms Hick.
“There were Blackfullas everywhere, in every single department. That in itself was really important.”
Ms Hick said that in the creation of the series, culture was prioritised and respected.
"There are complex kindship systems within the show but that was present offset as well.
"Making sure that there were the right actors in roles, there are some people that Warren H. Williams couldn't speak to so they had to cast someone who he could, culturally, speak with,” she explained.
"We're bringing in cultural custom into a film industry environment. It's the first time in my 13 years of acting that I've seen that.
"That was exciting to know that we can actually do that. It is possible that we can work in both worlds and have our culture in these different spaces.”
Ms Hick said it set a precedent for how the industry can move forward and continue doing things “in culturally, the right way”.
Rarriwuy Hick stars alongside Warren H. Williams in SBS & NITV crime thriller True Colours Source: NITV/SBS
Date to debut
True Colours is a co-commission by NITV & SBS – the perfect home for the series, according to Ms Hick.
“You know how they have Netflix Originals, this is an NITV Original... I love NITV, my family and I are always watching it and I’m really excited that this is going to be its home,” she said.
Ms Hick hopes that the show can not only showcase the importance of daily cultural practice, but the “struggles we face trying to live in two worlds that are so different to each other”.
"For Arrernte people, I hope that they watch it and are proud to see their families on screen, their stories being told and hearing their language," she said.
“One of the biggest things I’ll take away from True Colours is the talent we have here in Australia...
"I hope the world gets to see that, and all of Australia. We need to keep encouraging our stories, and especially First Nations stories.”
True Colours premieres Monday 4 July at 8.30pm on NITV & SBS
Rarriwuy Hick with co-star Luke Arnold on set in Central Australia. Source: NITV/SBS
