The Stolen Generations period was a devastating stage in time, causing a negative impact on Indigenous society and on the children and families civil and land rights and emotional wellbeing as a result of the forcible removal of Indigenous children. The term ‘Stolen Generations’ is used for Aboriginal people forcefully taken away (stolen) from their families, many to never see their parents, siblings or relatives again. (Korff.J, 2015). This had many short and long term consequences on the rights of the Indigenous families and communities; however, many steps have been taken today to resolve these issues.
The forcible removal of Indigenous children from their families became known as the ‘Stolen Generations’. This was part of the idea of …show more content…
It was said that their lives would improve in government institutions or adopted white families by receiving a better education, a more loving family, and more civilised upbringing. However, in reality, children were poorly treated and often received an education of a lower standard to white children. (NSDC, 2015) Many children were removed from their mothers early on, some as young as four years old. At the age of 14, they were sent off to work in missions and settlements, making living conditions extremely harsh. (Australia.gov.au, 2015) According to Doris Pilkington, 1996, it was ‘more like a concentration camp that a residential school for Aboriginal children’. In the short term, most children suffered dreadfully from the trauma that was caused, believing the propaganda that was thrown at them, and creating the idea in their head their families rejected them and often were told they were dead, demonstrating how easy it was to harm their emotional wellbeing. If they behaved in an ‘Aboriginal’ way and spoke their traditional language, they were severely punished. (Peeters. L, 2014). However, this wasn’t the case for all and some were able to flourish, despite the knowledge of the loss of their families, communities, land and culture. (NSDC, …show more content…
According to the HREOC Inquiry, ‘stolen’ children are disadvantaged by suffering mental illnesses and low self esteem, abuse, rejecting their culture, unable to retain links with their land, and cannot take a role in the cultural and spiritual life of their former community. (RacismNoWay, 2015) Now as adults, they often struggle to overcome their experiences with trauma, loss, isolation and abuse, creating terrible sadness in these generations of families, and therefore having a negative impact on society. The Indigenous communities were denied almost all civil and land rights. When implementing the assimilation policy, Aboriginal rights were sacrificed and they were not allowed to vote. They were further denied when classed as ‘Alien Aboriginal natives’, excluding them from old age pensions, and maternity allowances, all resulting in poor health care, little education access, unpaid work, no money control or marriage freedom, and no freedom of religious beliefs. (Gordon. S, 2015) In Indigenous pasts, their connection to the land was very strong. It was based off the idea of Terra Nullius meaning that the land did not have specific inhabitants like the way us Europeans do today. With the British invasion, Aborigines have constantly struggled to maintain possession of their land, causing the gradual petition for their rights. After the referendum in 1968, FCAATSI launched a
The forcible removal of Indigenous children from their families became known as the ‘Stolen Generations’. This was part of the idea of …show more content…
It was said that their lives would improve in government institutions or adopted white families by receiving a better education, a more loving family, and more civilised upbringing. However, in reality, children were poorly treated and often received an education of a lower standard to white children. (NSDC, 2015) Many children were removed from their mothers early on, some as young as four years old. At the age of 14, they were sent off to work in missions and settlements, making living conditions extremely harsh. (Australia.gov.au, 2015) According to Doris Pilkington, 1996, it was ‘more like a concentration camp that a residential school for Aboriginal children’. In the short term, most children suffered dreadfully from the trauma that was caused, believing the propaganda that was thrown at them, and creating the idea in their head their families rejected them and often were told they were dead, demonstrating how easy it was to harm their emotional wellbeing. If they behaved in an ‘Aboriginal’ way and spoke their traditional language, they were severely punished. (Peeters. L, 2014). However, this wasn’t the case for all and some were able to flourish, despite the knowledge of the loss of their families, communities, land and culture. (NSDC, …show more content…
According to the HREOC Inquiry, ‘stolen’ children are disadvantaged by suffering mental illnesses and low self esteem, abuse, rejecting their culture, unable to retain links with their land, and cannot take a role in the cultural and spiritual life of their former community. (RacismNoWay, 2015) Now as adults, they often struggle to overcome their experiences with trauma, loss, isolation and abuse, creating terrible sadness in these generations of families, and therefore having a negative impact on society. The Indigenous communities were denied almost all civil and land rights. When implementing the assimilation policy, Aboriginal rights were sacrificed and they were not allowed to vote. They were further denied when classed as ‘Alien Aboriginal natives’, excluding them from old age pensions, and maternity allowances, all resulting in poor health care, little education access, unpaid work, no money control or marriage freedom, and no freedom of religious beliefs. (Gordon. S, 2015) In Indigenous pasts, their connection to the land was very strong. It was based off the idea of Terra Nullius meaning that the land did not have specific inhabitants like the way us Europeans do today. With the British invasion, Aborigines have constantly struggled to maintain possession of their land, causing the gradual petition for their rights. After the referendum in 1968, FCAATSI launched a