Transcript The Stolen Generation Introduction Presentation

The Stolen Generation
Took The Children Away
Archie Roach
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aywDT6yHMmov
(Mushroom Records 1990)
•
This story's right, this story's true
I would not tell lies to you
Like the promises they did not keep
And how they fenced us in like sheep.
Said to us come take our hand
Sent us off to mission land.
Taught us to read, to write and pray
Then they took the children away,
Took the children away,
The children away.
Snatched from their mother's breast
Said this is for the best
Took them away.
One dark day on Framingham
Come and didn't give a damn
My mother cried go get their dad
He came running, fighting mad
Mother's tears were falling down
Dad shaped up and stood his ground.
He said 'You touch my kids and you fight me'
And they took us from our family.
Took us away
They took us away
Snatched from our mother's breast
Said this was for the best
Took us away.
The welfare and the policeman
Said you've got to understand
We'll give them what you can't give
Teach them how to really live.
Teach them how to live they said
Humiliated them instead
Taught them that and taught them
this
And others taught them prejudice.
You took the children away
The children away
Breaking their mothers heart
Tearing us all apart
Took them away
Told us what to do and say
Told us all the white man's ways
Then they split us up again
And gave us gifts to ease the pain
Sent us off to foster homes
As we grew up we felt alone
Cause we were acting white
Yet feeling black
One sweet day all the children came back
The children come back
The children come back
Back where their hearts grow strong
Back where they all belong
The children came back
Said the children come back
The children come back
Back where they understand
Back to their mother's land
The children come back
Back to their mother
Back to their father
Back to their sister
Back to their brother
Back to their people
Back to their land
All the children come back
The children come back
The children come back
Yes I came back.
What does this song tell you about the
Stolen Generation?
The Stolen Generations: The Facts
• Removal of children was official government policy from 1909 to 1969.
• It was managed by the Aborigines Protection Board (APB). They placed
children in government institutions and missions
• The APB had the power to remove the children without parental consent,
and without a court order. The labelled the children ‘destitute’ and
‘neglected’. This made it easy to remove them from their families for their
‘moral’ and ‘spiritual’ welfare.
• They were not allowed to speak their Aboriginal language or have contact
with full-blooded relatives.
• Those ‘not of full blood’ were expected to assimilate into the broader
society under the White Australia Policy.
• The education in missions: bible stories, sewing & cleaning for girls, and
stockwork & gardening for boys
• Once girls turned 14 they were expected to find employment with white
families as domestics
• By the 1980’s, 100,000+ children had been removed.
Timeline
Year
Event
1788-mid 1800s
Early removals through church-run missions
1837
British Select Committee recommends the appointment of ‘Protectors
of Aborigines’ in Australia
1869-1935
Indigenous child removal legislation is put in place in all states and
territories. The ‘Protectors’ now have the power to remove children.
At first, the removals were part of protection and segregation policies,
as it was believed that the Indigenous children were part of a dying
race.
Later, it was believed that the Indigenous children would assimilate
and be ‘absorbed’ into the non-Indigenous population.
1937
Assimilation is adopted as the official national Indigenous affairs
policy
1969
Indigenous child removal legislation is removed
Timeline cont.
Year
Event
1980
The first Link-Up Aboriginal Corporation is established.
1991
The Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody finds 43 of 99 deaths
investigated were of people separated from their families as children.
1994
Going Home conference – 600 members of the Stolen Generations
1997
The Bringing Them Home report is released.
2000
Over 250,000 people participate in the “Sorry” walk across the Harbour Bridge
on May 28th.
2001
The Moving Forward conference is held – exploring ways of making amends with
the Stolen Generations.
2004
Stolen Generations memorial at Reconciliation Place in Canberra is unveiled
461 Sorry Books are entered on the Australian Memory of the World Register
2008
23th February the Prime Minister moved the apology.
Source: http://www.reconciliation.org.au/
The Apology
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3TZOGpG6cM