February 13 – the anniversary of the National Apology to the Stolen Generations.
A day we gather in the Queen’s Gardens in Shepparton to acknowledge the deep impacts of the many government policies that led to the removal of so many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander infants and children.
Removal from families, communities, land and Culture.
Infants and children not allowed to speak their languages.
Housed in institutions, places where they were often abused, neglected and unloved.
Forced to conform to the ‘White way’.
Based on the idea of a White Australia.
And on the policies of all Australian governments throughout the 20th century.
The Stolen Generations.
A term with which we are now more familiar — but do we really understand?
Do we really understand that the ‘National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from Their Families’ – established by the Attorney General in 1995 – was set up because many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities were concerned that the silence around the forcible removal of children was reflected in widespread public ignorance about the devastating impacts of these policies?
That the courage of those who found the strength to tell their stories to the inquiry has been instrumental in helping peel back the layers of silence about the full history of the colonisation of this country?
That each story was multiplied so many times across our nation?
But what of the devastating impacts on those ‘stolen’, on their families and communities?
What of the ongoing legacy of not knowing family, language, Culture and this being repeated over and over for generations?
Do we really understand that the ongoing public silence about these actions was further compounding the trauma?
Was hindering the healing of Stolen Generations’ members and their families?
That the Stolen Generations’ members and families, who have endured a lifetime of trauma, grief and loss now carry a significant burden of health, wellbeing, social and economic disadvantage?
The impact of intergenerational trauma.
The Healing Foundation – a national First Nations organisation that works with members of the Stolen Generations and their families – describes intergenerational trauma in this way: “If people don’t have the opportunity to heal from past trauma, they may unknowingly pass it on to others. Their children may experience difficulties with attachment, disconnection from their extended families and culture and high levels of stress from family members who are dealing with the impacts of trauma.”
The landmark ‘1997 Bringing Them Home Report’ listed 54 recommendations.
These recommendations provided a basis for addressing the rights and needs of the Stolen Generations, but also for the healing of the nation that comes from a genuine understanding and acknowledgement of our past, and how to achieve justice for the future.
In 2023 – 26 years after the report was tabled in parliament – it is still relevant.
Many of the recommendations are still outstanding, with independent reviews showing limited implementation of the many recommendations.
This has added to the distress for many Stolen Generations’ members, causing a ripple effect on current generations.
It is reflected in the higher levels of disadvantage borne by Stolen Generations’ descendants and in the dangerous levels of child removals and incarceration suffered by many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities today.
The ongoing fear of children being removed is not just something that belongs to the past, it is still here.
And the shocking statistics of young First Nations children in out-of-home care is testament to this.
The Healing Foundation goes on to say: “Healing is fundamental to First Nations peoples reaching their full personal, cultural, social, educational, and economic potential. Healing is about restoring the wellbeing, strength of spirit, family connections, and lore that has made Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures the oldest living cultures on earth.”
“There is an urgent need to heal past wrongs – for the wellbeing of those who were stolen, their descendants who have inherited their trauma, their communities who continue to hurt, and for Australia as a nation.”
The 2021 Shepparton Apology Breakfast’s guest speaker Nartarsha Bamblett summed up by offering an invitation: “There’s been a long line of separation and disconnection in many families, but we are on the journey back home. I invite everybody else to join the journey walking with us, and to do that, we must acknowledge where we have come from and the roads ahead.”
“I encourage you to continue to listen and to stand and to walk with us in the journey forward.”
This is why acknowledging the anniversary of the national apology is so important – it helps shatter the silence.
It is about understanding the importance of healing and our role in this – taking up the invitation to learn more, to hear the truth and then to take action for a fair and just nation.
So, what actions can you take?
We invite you to join us on Monday, February 13 (the anniversary of the National Apology to the Stolen Generations) at 7.45am for the annual Apology Breakfast in Queens Gardens. RSVP to: www.eventbrite.com.au/e/shepparton-apologybreakfast-2023-tickets-527489283647
Write to the Federal Government and your local MPs and demand that the recommendations of the Bringing Them Home Report be implemented as a matter of urgency.
To find out more visit the Healing Foundation healingfoundation.org.au
Read the Bringing Them Home report: humanrights.gov.au/sites/default/files/content/pdf/social_justice/bringing_them_home_report.pdf