Chief Protector A.O. Neville, was not just a “man of his times”. He was much brighter than many other people of his era. He had big ideas for “improvement” as he was calling it. His circle of obligations was overwhelming, and he genuinely cared for all of the people of Australia. However, the way that he executed his ideas for improvement was not of the better of the people he supposedly cared about. He was unfortunately oblivious to the harm he was inflicting on the Indigenous people of his country. He and his fellow Europeans were not the first to claim the land in Australia, so conflicts quickly arose when the new settlers had arrived. The European settlers had interrupted the lifestyles of the Aborigines and immediately took control of the land. “In many areas, Europeans challenged the whole structure of Aboriginal traditional society and the authority of tribe elders was broken down” (Historical Context 1). This was demolishing the lives of the Aborigine people, yet Neville felt it was his duty to “protect” the Aborigines from further harming themselves. Along with the new culture the Europeans brought with them to Australia, they also spread diseases such as smallpox which killed enormous numbers of Indigenous people of the land. Over 100,000 children were forcibly removed form their families with out warning.
…show more content…
Many were physically torn from their mothers arms with beckoning cries as they were driven off to settlements that were much like orphanages. Moore River was one of the major settlements that the children of the stolen generation were taken to. “Whilst some gained opportunities, education, and a materially better life, the vast majority went to missions, orphanages, or children’s home where they were poorly treated and suffered identity crises and mental anguish” (Historical Context 1). Neville visited and observed these orphanages; Neville saw the scarce clothes they were given to wear and the little food that they were served, yet he did not find this harmful to the children in anyway. “The Aborigines living on these settlements were virtually prisoners” (Historical Context 2). At the camps, the children are taught to forget their past lives. They are forced to forget their family, culture, language, and everything they came from. Neville claimed he was teaching the Indigenous population the “right” way to live. The lifestyle they were being assimilated to was just a popular opinion of what was right. Professor A.P. Elkins, who taught Anthropology at University of Sydney claimed, “Thus, the Australian Aborigines and the African Negroes are human and have their powers, but they are not necessarily equal to the white or yellow races.” Gracie, Molly and Daisy, three of the young half-caste girls that were taken from a town called Jigalong, fought back against the policy. Upon their arrival at Moore River, Gracie was determined to find her way back to her home town , and she would only complete the journey with her sisters by her side. The journey was half way across the country, on foot, and it was done with Neville sending search parties for them along the way. The three sisters had minds of their own, and continued to fight the policy time and time again. Their mother was a strong woman who raised her daughters well; these girls did not need
Many were physically torn from their mothers arms with beckoning cries as they were driven off to settlements that were much like orphanages. Moore River was one of the major settlements that the children of the stolen generation were taken to. “Whilst some gained opportunities, education, and a materially better life, the vast majority went to missions, orphanages, or children’s home where they were poorly treated and suffered identity crises and mental anguish” (Historical Context 1). Neville visited and observed these orphanages; Neville saw the scarce clothes they were given to wear and the little food that they were served, yet he did not find this harmful to the children in anyway. “The Aborigines living on these settlements were virtually prisoners” (Historical Context 2). At the camps, the children are taught to forget their past lives. They are forced to forget their family, culture, language, and everything they came from. Neville claimed he was teaching the Indigenous population the “right” way to live. The lifestyle they were being assimilated to was just a popular opinion of what was right. Professor A.P. Elkins, who taught Anthropology at University of Sydney claimed, “Thus, the Australian Aborigines and the African Negroes are human and have their powers, but they are not necessarily equal to the white or yellow races.” Gracie, Molly and Daisy, three of the young half-caste girls that were taken from a town called Jigalong, fought back against the policy. Upon their arrival at Moore River, Gracie was determined to find her way back to her home town , and she would only complete the journey with her sisters by her side. The journey was half way across the country, on foot, and it was done with Neville sending search parties for them along the way. The three sisters had minds of their own, and continued to fight the policy time and time again. Their mother was a strong woman who raised her daughters well; these girls did not need