Week Four
Students:
- using a range of sources, describe the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who were forcible removed from their families (Stolen Generation)
- describe the effects of the assimilation policy for rights and freedoms of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
- using a range of sources, describe the experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who were forcible removed from their families (Stolen Generation)
- describe the effects of the assimilation policy for rights and freedoms of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
Source One
Published in a Darwin newspaper in the 1930s this picture signifies the suffering caused by the inherent racism of the Australian government’s Aboriginal assimilation policies. The presents the children are holding were most likely only provided for the sake of the photograph.
The caption reads: A group of tiny half-caste and quadroon children at the Darwin half-caste home. The Minister for the Interior (Mr Perkins) recently appealed to charitable organisations in Melbourne and Sydney to find homes for the children and rescue them from becoming outcasts.
The hand-written note reads: I like the little girl in centre of group, but if taken by anyone else, any of the others would do, as long as they are strong. Photo: Australian Archives (“Between Two Worlds”)
The caption reads: A group of tiny half-caste and quadroon children at the Darwin half-caste home. The Minister for the Interior (Mr Perkins) recently appealed to charitable organisations in Melbourne and Sydney to find homes for the children and rescue them from becoming outcasts.
The hand-written note reads: I like the little girl in centre of group, but if taken by anyone else, any of the others would do, as long as they are strong. Photo: Australian Archives (“Between Two Worlds”)
Source Two
Source Three
Source Four
Activity
You are to complete the source worksheet. You are to find as many sources as you can that provide an insight into the Stolen Generation. If you are stuck a good starting place is the website below.
source_analysis.docx | |
File Size: | 13 kb |
File Type: | docx |
- describe the effects of the assimilation policy for rights and freedoms of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
The forced removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families was official government policy from 1909 to 1969. Once in care, high proportions were psychologically, physically and sexually abused. Consequently, substance abuse, depression, anxiety, post traumatic stress and suicide are commonplace. The impact of this trauma has also passed on to successive generations with members of the Stolen Generations having few past role models of parenting to draw on which can often result in a tragic cycle whereby their children are also removed by child protection agencies. From 1900 to the 1980s, many Australian State and Territory governments withheld wages and other payments from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples under their care and protection. This has had economic, social, cultural, civil, political and historical implications for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and is directly related to the disadvantage and poverty experienced today. The Federal Government has refused to compensate the Stolen Generations and their families and has failed to establish a national scheme for the repayment of Stolen Wages.