Australia finally apologized
I didn't realize how much the news that Australia would apologize to its First Peoples for taking children away from their parents would affect me. I have thought about it periodically over the years, and tried to research it, but could find very little in the way of commentary on the web or elsewhere. I wanted to cry when I saw the news yesterday.
Growing up in small mining towns in Australia, I did have contact with these very children. I remember my aboriginal friends at school talking and sharing how they felt about seeing their parents only twice a year. How they ached for their families and time to be who they were. Mind you, in the news it said the forced removal had ended in 1970, but when I met these girls I was in grade 4 and 5 - 1977/8. They were still in the system...
The two friends I remember the most were Lynnette and Catherine. They were able to attend my birthday party and stay the night on one occasion. Thinking back I realize that my party was the only one they were invited to. I realize now that it might have been difficult to organize the sleepover aspect too. (I need to ask my mother about this.) I remember them telling me stories about their lives in the mission. Somewhere in there was a story at trying to catch emus too - I'm not sure when or how... Their huge, beautiful smiles, their curly hair (that was curlier than mine), their soft, dark palms and quiet voices remain in my memory. I see us sitting together at lunch time talking about family, how much they loved their mothers, and myself feeling lucky to have mine. I often wonder if they remember me at all.
For them I thank the Australian government for admitting to an injustice that has been ignored for so many years. But my heart goes out to them for the loss of their families and living within their culture.
Growing up in small mining towns in Australia, I did have contact with these very children. I remember my aboriginal friends at school talking and sharing how they felt about seeing their parents only twice a year. How they ached for their families and time to be who they were. Mind you, in the news it said the forced removal had ended in 1970, but when I met these girls I was in grade 4 and 5 - 1977/8. They were still in the system...
The two friends I remember the most were Lynnette and Catherine. They were able to attend my birthday party and stay the night on one occasion. Thinking back I realize that my party was the only one they were invited to. I realize now that it might have been difficult to organize the sleepover aspect too. (I need to ask my mother about this.) I remember them telling me stories about their lives in the mission. Somewhere in there was a story at trying to catch emus too - I'm not sure when or how... Their huge, beautiful smiles, their curly hair (that was curlier than mine), their soft, dark palms and quiet voices remain in my memory. I see us sitting together at lunch time talking about family, how much they loved their mothers, and myself feeling lucky to have mine. I often wonder if they remember me at all.
For them I thank the Australian government for admitting to an injustice that has been ignored for so many years. But my heart goes out to them for the loss of their families and living within their culture.
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