“Shut up” might be the most iconic line from Netflix’s ratings-dodging Zone.

Unless you talk to First Nations Australians. But there are far more relatable moments in the Top End’s meet-meet-mining-meet-Indigenous issues blockbuster that have left many Australians of all backgrounds thinking “same”.

The series focuses on the Lawsons, a wealthy fifth-generation grazing family who bitterly fight over the succession and inheritance of the world’s largest cattle station, in a mess of normalized violence and alcoholism.

A subplot involves Aboriginal cattle baron Nolan Brannock (played by actor Clarence Ryan) living between two cultures, struggling to build his own cattle empire while juggling cultural obligations to his community and the racist attitudes of non-Indigenous Territors.

It is Nolan who offers the mafia version of “shut up” in the third episode, written by Aboriginal screenwriter Steven McGregor. The scene sees Nolan scolding his rebellious young apprentice Dezi for not washing his Toyota Land Cruiser carefully enough.

“That’s the way we talk,” said Steven, emphasizing that most Aboriginal youth would fully understand the phrase “shut up”.

“If they had said, ‘Take that out (of the script),’ and said, ‘Well, what? Shut up, it doesn’t have the same truth,’ I would have turned it down.”

Steven, whose family were Nyikina mobsters from Nookanbah WA, was one of two Indigenous writers writing on the Territory. He and Kodie Bedford, along with series creator Timothy Lee, pushed for more Aboriginal stories.

“But I thought: ‘No, no no, you can’t do that; if you do that, that’s not the world that’s shown.'”

Steve was pleased that producers and Netflix listened to him and were “respectful”, but said the process was a “tough balance”.

“I wish there were more Blackfulla stories out there,” he said.

A ‘powerful’ salute to the Stolen Generations

According to the series’ star, Noongar woman Kylah Day (who plays Sharnie Kennedy), the sensitive weaving of intergenerational issues with dark humor and slang has sparked conversations not only with local Australians, but also with audiences around the world.

When the series’ villain, a mining baron, tries to persuade Nolan to let him build a port on his land, Nolan tells the story of government officials luring children away by baiting them with boiled marshmallows. “Are you throwing boiled sugar at me?” asked the mining baron. he asks.

“It’s really powerful and it’s something that definitely stays in my mind because it’s a nod to our Stolen Generations and it’s something my family knows well,” Kylah said.

“It’s really important to talk about these big historical events that are rooted in Australian history, and Territory does that in a way that makes an impact and stays with you.”

In Kylah’s view, accurate representation of First Nations issues relevant to the area was a result of robust consultation with Traditional Owners and the involvement of Indigenous crew and writers.

Netflix and production companies have applied for special permission from high-ranking insiders to film in Kakadu’s sacred sites, close to heritage sites.

“When writer Timothy Lee was working on the series, he wanted to make sure it was authentic to our group,” Kylah said, adding that filming began with Welcome to the Country.

First Nations consultations take story to ‘next level’

Watching the “highly relatable” scenes in the Territory was thrilling for Goreng Goreng woman Jade Ritchie, who has spent 20 years working in different government departments dealing with Aboriginal affairs and lived in the NT for 12 years.

“I actually ate the whole thing in one day,” Jade said, adding that production companies properly consulting First Nations people when describing their experiences could take the story to the next level.

“We need a process for the industry and it needs to be adhered to and shared… so you don’t get into the hot water Jamie Oliver found himself in this week.”

Although simmering tensions between wealthy white farmers, Traditional Owners, mining magnates and the government were legitimate storylines in the Territory, it was a slow and subtle simmer for Jade, leaving her hungry for more focus on First Nations stories.

During the Voice Referendum, Jade realized that “many Australians are not familiar with Indigenous history and the contemporary complexities of the relationships we have”.

For example, Native Title and its image issue: “People think it’s a magic bullet,” Jade said, but she’s happy Territory has debunked that myth.

Jade appreciated Netflix’s respectful treatment of topics that other mainstream shows “hadn’t been brave enough to tackle before.”

“This show does a good job of introducing the concepts and explaining that ‘There’s Native Title, and then there’s pastoral leases, and then there’s mining leases, and that gets overshadowed by everything,'” he said of a vital line in the show.

“It’s very important for people to understand what mafia we’re dealing with when we’re trying to work on our own land.”

But what was disappointing for Jade was how the story was talked about in the wider media.

“The story about the mafia’s involvement was completely left out of the conversation,” he said.

“What matters is how easy it is to dismiss, silence, or exclude Indigenous voices from everywhere. We must always strive for better in this area.”