Stolen Generations - Essay Example

The Stolen Generations 1 The Stolen Generation – A Critical Analysis Paper Order ID – 428088 Student’s Name: Lecture’s Name: Course Code: Date of Submission: The Stolen Generations 2 Introduction The history of the ‘Stolen Generations’ dates back to the late 1800’s up to the 1970’s when children from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families were forcibly relocated by the Australian Federal State and Territory agencies of the Government and church missions after being taken away from the families. This atrocity was executed according to their respective Parliament Acts and such children were sent to live either in non- indigenous homes or other institutions. This research paper attempts to critically analyze and reflect upon the authenticity and justification of such an occurrence. Discussion of the research process Racial assimilation was the key reason for such steps taken by the governments. Right from the 1800’s, the general public of Australia was directed to believe that children from Aboriginal homes were at a great disadvantage in terms of education, food, health care and general upbringing and therefore were at risk in their communities. The authorities felt that by removing these children away from their families and placing them in a better atmosphere would help them to have a more caring and loving family and also help them to get a good upbringing and education which would serve to help them have a bright future. This annihilation of children from their own homes, brought about by the government policies deeply affected all the other family members and their communities and discriminated them from the mainstream society. Most of the parents comprised of one The Stolen Generations 3 Aboriginal and one non- indigenous parent and children from such homes were forcibly taken and were not permitted to talk or have any connection with their families. Looking at the bigger picture, we might think that the authorities were doing a good deed towards the Aboriginal population by wanting their children have a better life with a higher standard of living. But, on the other hand, such an act touches our conscience and we strongly feel that this act was not right. This act makes us question human integrity. Would the general Australian population accept such an act if was passed against them? Would they have been willing to part with their beloved children even if they knew it was for their betterment? I am sure they would not accept it. The Aboriginal population must have suffered a lot to see their biological ties being torn away from them. The children too, must have gone through a lot of trauma to be torn away from their own families and thrust into families and institutions not familiar to them. Critically speaking, one wonders how governments could make such decisions as separating children from their parents and their homes. To me this act is ethically unacceptable. Though it may seem that they had initiated this act for the good of the children of Aboriginal families, yet it makes us question as to what extent this act was successful. Those who were lucky got into families with loving foster parents and got a good upbringing and were well looked after, but what about the rest? The Stolen Generations 4 On critical scrutiny of the situation, we find that the Aboriginal children, who were displaced from their homes and placed in foster homes and institutions, were given a much lower education when compared to children from Australian homes. Maltreatment of children was rampant A good example of this is the treatment of children in Western Australia where children were made to live in dormitories and were given training to become laborers or domestic helpers and are sent out to work by the time they are fourteen years. On closer investigation, I found that many such children had gone through a variety of traumatic experiences. Some children are not even sent to school but made to work. Most of the displaced children were forced to give up their mother tongue (native language) and learn English. They were also made to abandon their own culture, heritage an d their traditional customs and norms in favor of the Australian way of life. (National Sorry Day Committee 1970). While they experienced a loss of identity, there were some children who were very unfortunate as they had been taken advantage of by the very parents who were supposed to be a solace to them. Assignment 2 has a glaring example of how a foster father molested her causing her so much pain and trauma as she got shifted from institution to the other, .thus making her life one sad, long and miserable journey. Critical Analysis of the Poor Outcomes One of the most unfortunate outcomes I came across in my research was the total loss of identity and culture of the minority group of the Aboriginal population. Following the The Stolen Generations 5 separation of these children from their own families made them lose not only their identity but also severed links with their biological parents, while forcing them to accept white people as their parents. According to me this act is not justified any way you look at it. I am sure, especially after researching this topic and finding out that both the children and parents would have suffered endlessly while trying to cope and live with their miserable lives, that they had no choice against the government and were forced to accept their lot. Reflection on Individual Contribution Weighing the pros and cons of this situation, I cannot condone this act on the part of the authorities in their treatment of the Aboriginal minority group. The Australian Government and other authorities may give many reasons for implementing it, but still one cannot get away from the fact that such an act gave them the liberty to play with the lives of other human being. According to me this was a shameful act on the part of the authorities and this needs to be rectified at all costs. From my research on the topic I also understood that a loss of their language (Spirits 1970) tore them away from their roots and made them alien to what was once their world. It made me realize that in case they happened to catch up with their parents somewhere along the line, what would they say to them when they don’t even know their language? The Stolen Generations 6 According to me, this would be one of the most unfortunate situations – to meet a parent and not being able to speak to them. One good example from my research is that of Doris Kartinyeri (2000) who lashes out in her autobiography titled ‘Kick the Tin’, where she explains how she was removed from her family as an infant. ‘Kick the Tin’ was a simple game she used to play with the other children at the orphanage where she was brought up. Life was good in the beginning, but when the Sisters who looked after her left, her world turned upside down, with everyone taking advantage of her, and even sexually exploiting her. Doris grew up to be a disillusioned individual and receded to a point when she needed professional help. It was the medication and love for writing that slowly encouraged her to become stable to a certain extent. Critical Assessment of my final Presentation My research topic I chose for study was a sort of personal statement to me and it was so interesting yet shocking that it gave me the impetus to want to know more about it. My search was extensive as it was intensive in order to collect data that would give a better understanding of how and why such a situation occurred. I made use of a lot of books which I read, in addition to going through scores of websites that had important information on ‘The Stolen Children’. I also took part in group discussions on the subject and read many personal stories of the actual victims who found a voice to express themselves. I made use of all these materials for my research and this has greatly helped The Stolen Generations 7 me to have a much deeper understanding of this historical incident which I would make use of in my further practice. Indigenous representation also took a major blow from the general society, is also one of the major issues I was enlightened upon from the information I collected for my research. Social factors came into play as the general public and media referred to aboriginal individuals as ‘hybrids’, in ‘authentic’, ‘part or fake’ and the like which was quite distressing for them and widened the gap of discrimination and segregation. My research also enlightened me on the fact that the original occupants of Australia were the Aboriginals and the Torres Strait Islanders and it is sad that they had gradually been robbed of their true identity. I strongly feel that the media and the respective governments should take drastic steps to rectify the damage caused through disintegration of the race. Personally I feel that the government and media should take up this issue as a social challenge and restore to the Aboriginal people their rightful legacy. Steps taken by the Government to Rectify this Mistake The testimonies of the Stolen Generation have gone down in history and people have come to realize that it was indeed a shameful act on the part of the authorities. During and after the period of colonization, the indigenous people were at a great disadvantage. (Hetzel, Page, Glover and Tennant (2004) The government realized that the children from such families who were forcibly taken from their homes and placed in orphanages, foster The Stolen Generations 8 homes and institutions did not get a good life. In fact, the children and their parents suffered untold misery by this separation. Realizing that implementing such laws was a major blunder on their part, the government authorities are doing all they can to set things right once again. According to (Hetzel, Page, Glover and Tennant (2004) the international community in association with the United Nations started championing representation and acknowledgement of the rights of indigenous people in Australia. Some of the major changes brought about were better health care and living conditions, equal employments and salaries and the right to own property. Recognizing the rights of the Aboriginal people, the government is promoting the cause of human rights by trying to solve the issues related to Aboriginal representation, by restoring their rightful identity and race. The government is joining hands with them in their struggle for social justice by incorporating these rights under the international law. Forums have been initiated by Media professionals to aid the indigenous Australians to express their interests and make representations of their identity, which would not only reach the local authorities but also the international community. These forums help the Aboriginal race to come out with their problems such as segregation and discrimination, poverty, unemployment, loss of identity and family and other health care issues. In the opinion of (Spencer, 2006, p.26; Dodson, 2003, p.28) the media could help to educate people globally so that they would be in a position to relate to the problems of the indigenous population of Australia. The Stolen Generations 9 According to Lino Dylan (2010) The Australian Federal Labor Government has initiated the ‘closing the gap policy’ whereby it offers compensation to all those indigenous families who were badly affected by the forced displacement of their children. They are also seeking to heal such families through reconciliation and raise the standard of life for them. In addition they are also trying their best to reunite the families with their children once again. A National inquiry has been set in place to carry out an investigation of the churches involved in the displacement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. According to Briskman, Linda, (2001) many of the churches have come forward and apologized for having taken part in such practices and they have started reconciliation by engaging them in many different activities. Conclusion Though the damage cannot be reversed completely, yet attempts are being made on the part of the governments and the media to rectify the issues pertaining to the forcible removal of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. Though their apologies are not enough to remove the scars of shame, yet they are trying to do their best in eliminating their pain by giving them equal rights and raising up their standards of living. However, this bitter lesson has gone down in the pages of History and if everyone join hands and supports this cause, such an incident should never ever take place again in any part of the world. References BRISKMAN, LINDA. (2001) Beyond Apologies: the stolen generations and the churches. Children Australia. Journal article. Vol. 26, no. 3. pp. 4-8 DORIS KARTINYERI, (2000). Kick The Tin. Last assessed on 10th April 2012 www.mdbrady.wordpress.com/2012/04/10/kick-the-tin-by-doris-kartinyeri HETZEL, D., PAGE, A., GLOVER, J., AND TENNANT., S., 2004, Inequality in South Australia, Key Determinants of Wellbeing, Volume 1: The Evidence, State Government of South Australia. LINO DYLAN. (2010) Monetary Compensation and the Stolen Generation. Australian Indigenous Law Review. Vol. 14. Issue 1 NATIONAL SORRY DAY. 1970. The History of the Stolen Generations. Last viewed on 1st August 2013 http://www.nsdc.org.au/stolengenerations/history-of-the-stolen-generations/the-history-of-the-stolen-generations SPENCER., S, 2006, Race and Ethnicity: Culture, Identity and Representation, Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. SPIRITS., J, 1970, Stolen Generations – Effects and Consequences – Creative Spirits, viewed 1 August 2013, < http://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/politics/stolen-generations-effects-and-consequences THE HISTORY OF THE STOLEN GENERATIONS. www.nsdc.org.au/stolen-generations/...the-stolen-generations/the-history THE STOLEN GENERATIONS TESTIMONIES. Last Assessed on 5th Sept. 2013. www.stolengenerationstestimonies.com Critical Assessment of my final Presentation This assessment task builds on the research conducted for Assessment 2. The 2000 word individual research paper requires you to provide a critical analysis of the assessment 2 research topic ( which is the stolen generation, i will upload it to you) and should emphasize your understanding about Indigenous representation and self representation and its social and historic context and how this may affect your practice in future. The research paper can also include 1. discussion of the research process; 2. reflection on individual contribution to the presentation; 3. a reflective and critical assessment of how successful your final presentation was in getting your message 4. across to a wider audience; 5. and the application of Professional Practice code guidelines studied in Assignment 1.( i will upload it to you as well. assignment 1 and 2 are all written by you) A minimum of ten course references and Those links could help you, those are some website about indigenous. http://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/politics/a-guide-to-australias-stolen-generations http://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?collection=journals&handle=hein.journals/austindlr7&div=46&id=&page= http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/orgs/car/recognising_rights/pg5.htm http://www.humanrights.gov.au/native-title http://www.culturalsurvival.org/files/declaration_guide2010.pdf Read More