A presentation to inform the viewer about the policies and effects of the mass removal of Indigenous Australian children from their families in the mid 1900's that created a generation of 'stolen' people.
10. This extract from the Australian Constitution 1900 shows Section 127 before it was repealed in 1967. Section 127 of the Constitution excluded Aborigines from the census (although heads of cattle were counted). This was the situation until the referendum of 1967 when an overwhelming majority of Australians voted to include Aboriginal people in the census of their own country.
11. Profile of an Indigenous Person The story that I am telling you today is of a Wiradjuri woman from Wellington in NSW. She is a proud mother, grandmother, wife, sister, aunt and friend. She shares a history that is similar but also very different from many others. This is because we are all very unique, with our own experiences, so you understand when she says she can only speak of her experiences and not that of an entire race or community. Her mother was Aboriginal and her father was white. She and her younger sister were reared for most of their childhood by her father’s parents. They understood that they were not their parents, yet nobody told them where their mum was either. This is something that they could not understand. During this time they overheard a lot of negative talk about the Aboriginals and how bad and good for nothing people they were. She was unsure whether it was her curiosity or whether it was her then unknown natural connection that drew her closer to the “bad people” who were in her eyes the same as her. No matter how many times she was scolded for being in their company, she would always go back the next day and play with the Aboriginal children. Her younger sister wasn’t as stubborn as her, or maybe she just took more notice of what everyone around them were saying.
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13. From that point she grew learning that Aboriginal people weren’t bad. She says that the saying “You can remove the child from the Aboriginals, but you can’t remove the Aboriginal from the child’ is true. After 20 years she regained contact with her sister again. Her sister also identifies as Aboriginal. People have asked her why she says she is Aboriginal when she could pass as white. She tells these people that her identity is more than the colour of her skin, its how she feels, thinks and is who she is and to be told to deny that is an insult. “ For many Indigenous people it seems impossible for them to accept many of life’s challenges. Is it because many have not been able to connect with their own identities for different reasons?” Peters.K, Stand Strong Together, Indigenous Education Package, Commonwealth Department of Family and Community Services, Family & Community Network Initiatives, 2004. Profile of an Indigenous Person
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16. The greatest thing any leader can do is to heal their country, heal its people, thereby uniting the country into a oneness. We long for that special party and special leader of Australia , who will show that leadership. However, we are confident in the future. Indigenous and Non Indigenous younger generations of people who are ashamed of our Australian past will lead this country into a great new era that will forever seal the pride that we should hold united as Australians. We believe those youth will one day be Australia 's voice with a clear conscience. It takes time to relieve pain, we know. History exists in man's intelligence. We need to learn from our past. I hope that I can witness this in my lifetime. http://www.kimberleystolengeneration.com.au/speeches.html viewed 3 September 2007 Sorry Day Statement May 2003 by Mark Bin Bakar (Kimberley Stolen Generation Committee Chairperson )
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21. Joke: How do you know when John Howard is lying? A: When his lips are moving