The Stolen Generation
During the stolen generation, many Indigenous children were taken away from their families and put in institution and foster homes where they were forced to “become white”. Aboriginal culture was largely lost because an entire generation was taken away, this meant that there was no one to carry on cultural traditions. Despite the horrific times the stolen generation went through, the government and community has came together to try and resolve the loss of culture. Children of the stolen generations were made to feel ashamed of their culture meaning indigenous heritage has been largely lost.
The children of the Stolen Generation were put into institutions and foster homes where they received discrimination and were forced …show more content…
Young children grew up not knowing about their cultural identity, in turn not being able to pass it down to future generations. Traditional aboriginal medicines have been known to cure infections to diseases. Using nothing more than wild herbs, animal products, steam baths, clay pits, charcoal, mud, massages, sting amulets or secret chants and ceremonies. However, very little is still known about these natural cures throughout Southern and Eastern Australia. (Aboriginal art online, 2000) According to ABC News Journalist, Michael Edwards, before European settlement there was over 250 languages being spoken. Today it is believed there’s only dozens with certain languages on the verge of extinction. More languages have been lost in Australia than anywhere else in the world.(Michael Edwards, February 2008) As said by Uncle George Tongerie "Many of us eventually lost our language... When some of us finally met our parents, it was almost impossible to bridge the language and culture gap." The impacts were not only on the culture but on the children as well. Many of the children struggle with loneliness, low self esteem, loss of identity, legal problems, mistrusting people, internal guilt and the anguish of searching for their identity. The traumatic times the children went through, their trauma is passed onto their children. The CEO of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Healing Foundation, …show more content…
The neglect to the indigenous in past years has left the culture next to extinct, since then the government and community has made an effort to help the indigenous throught giving back land and restoring languages. A major step was during 1976, the The Aboriginal Land Rights Northern Territory Act was the first law where Aboriginals were recognised as the traditional landowners, giving them the right to claim sacred land. (Central land council, unknown when last updated) A massive natural landmark in Australia is Uluru, this piece of land was considered to be sacred or holy to the Aboriginal people and was rightfully returned to the indigenous. (NDLA, unknown when last updated) The issue of loss of language has also been addressed, as said by Jens Korff “2014, the Noongar people numbered more than 40,000 but with less than 250 fluent speakers of Noongar the language is considered endangered”. Through individual communities there are training courses to teach Aboriginal languages as well as the students gaining some cultural aspects. “Since running these courses to teach and revitalise our Wiradjuri language, we can see our students adopting important elements of our culture that we call Yindyamarra, which means to show patience, respect and honour, and to be courteous,” said Stan Grant Snr, a Wiradjuri elder, “This is a vital part of behaviour to the traditional people of the
During the stolen generation, many Indigenous children were taken away from their families and put in institution and foster homes where they were forced to “become white”. Aboriginal culture was largely lost because an entire generation was taken away, this meant that there was no one to carry on cultural traditions. Despite the horrific times the stolen generation went through, the government and community has came together to try and resolve the loss of culture. Children of the stolen generations were made to feel ashamed of their culture meaning indigenous heritage has been largely lost.
The children of the Stolen Generation were put into institutions and foster homes where they received discrimination and were forced …show more content…
Young children grew up not knowing about their cultural identity, in turn not being able to pass it down to future generations. Traditional aboriginal medicines have been known to cure infections to diseases. Using nothing more than wild herbs, animal products, steam baths, clay pits, charcoal, mud, massages, sting amulets or secret chants and ceremonies. However, very little is still known about these natural cures throughout Southern and Eastern Australia. (Aboriginal art online, 2000) According to ABC News Journalist, Michael Edwards, before European settlement there was over 250 languages being spoken. Today it is believed there’s only dozens with certain languages on the verge of extinction. More languages have been lost in Australia than anywhere else in the world.(Michael Edwards, February 2008) As said by Uncle George Tongerie "Many of us eventually lost our language... When some of us finally met our parents, it was almost impossible to bridge the language and culture gap." The impacts were not only on the culture but on the children as well. Many of the children struggle with loneliness, low self esteem, loss of identity, legal problems, mistrusting people, internal guilt and the anguish of searching for their identity. The traumatic times the children went through, their trauma is passed onto their children. The CEO of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Healing Foundation, …show more content…
The neglect to the indigenous in past years has left the culture next to extinct, since then the government and community has made an effort to help the indigenous throught giving back land and restoring languages. A major step was during 1976, the The Aboriginal Land Rights Northern Territory Act was the first law where Aboriginals were recognised as the traditional landowners, giving them the right to claim sacred land. (Central land council, unknown when last updated) A massive natural landmark in Australia is Uluru, this piece of land was considered to be sacred or holy to the Aboriginal people and was rightfully returned to the indigenous. (NDLA, unknown when last updated) The issue of loss of language has also been addressed, as said by Jens Korff “2014, the Noongar people numbered more than 40,000 but with less than 250 fluent speakers of Noongar the language is considered endangered”. Through individual communities there are training courses to teach Aboriginal languages as well as the students gaining some cultural aspects. “Since running these courses to teach and revitalise our Wiradjuri language, we can see our students adopting important elements of our culture that we call Yindyamarra, which means to show patience, respect and honour, and to be courteous,” said Stan Grant Snr, a Wiradjuri elder, “This is a vital part of behaviour to the traditional people of the