The effects of the plot of the stolen generations.
During the years between 1905 and 1969 aboriginal and Torres strait islander children were forcibly taken from their families and put in government institutions or missions where many were abused mentally, physically and sexually. Poor living conditions were also common, and most children grew up almost entirely without affection or knowing that their parents even existed. This resulted in one of the biggest losses of culture in human history, as indigenous parents could not teach their children the way of life and tradition that had been the basis of their culture for tens of thousands of years. Because of this indigenous children grew up not knowing anything about the history of their people …show more content…
Indigenous parents were also affected, some could not go on living without their children, and though they tried to find them children were given new names and birth dates upon entering government …show more content…
Father of children that were taken during the plight of the stolen generations, Donald Collard, states that; “For a long while after the children were removed Sylvia[Donald 's wife] and I gave up on life and maybe a little on each other.” This was the case with many indigenous parents whose children had been stolen, and Many turned to substance abuse as a coping mechanism. Having their children take tore apart many indigenous families as traditional family life could not continue with so many members of the family missing. Children were sometimes even taken at birth, and a pillow was used as a barrier in the delivery room so that the mothers could not make any maternal contact with the baby, or even get a glimpse of their child. Many mother could not say if their child was a boy or a girl because of this. Many children 's names and birth dates were changed upon being taken, and this made it nearly impossible for indigenous parents to find them again, and often if they eventually found them they were refused contact with the child, or the child was taken so young that they could not recognise or remember their parents. Indigenous parents did not sign any papers to agree to sending their children away, and although the government often implied that it was because they were in a bad family environment and had to be taken away this was usually not
During the years between 1905 and 1969 aboriginal and Torres strait islander children were forcibly taken from their families and put in government institutions or missions where many were abused mentally, physically and sexually. Poor living conditions were also common, and most children grew up almost entirely without affection or knowing that their parents even existed. This resulted in one of the biggest losses of culture in human history, as indigenous parents could not teach their children the way of life and tradition that had been the basis of their culture for tens of thousands of years. Because of this indigenous children grew up not knowing anything about the history of their people …show more content…
Indigenous parents were also affected, some could not go on living without their children, and though they tried to find them children were given new names and birth dates upon entering government …show more content…
Father of children that were taken during the plight of the stolen generations, Donald Collard, states that; “For a long while after the children were removed Sylvia[Donald 's wife] and I gave up on life and maybe a little on each other.” This was the case with many indigenous parents whose children had been stolen, and Many turned to substance abuse as a coping mechanism. Having their children take tore apart many indigenous families as traditional family life could not continue with so many members of the family missing. Children were sometimes even taken at birth, and a pillow was used as a barrier in the delivery room so that the mothers could not make any maternal contact with the baby, or even get a glimpse of their child. Many mother could not say if their child was a boy or a girl because of this. Many children 's names and birth dates were changed upon being taken, and this made it nearly impossible for indigenous parents to find them again, and often if they eventually found them they were refused contact with the child, or the child was taken so young that they could not recognise or remember their parents. Indigenous parents did not sign any papers to agree to sending their children away, and although the government often implied that it was because they were in a bad family environment and had to be taken away this was usually not