the stolen generation

« THÈME: the stolen generation PÉRIODE ÉTUDIÉ: 1909-1969 -> sg happening Impacts after 1969-Today INTRO: The forcible removal of Australian Indigenous children from their families during the 1900’s became official government policy (1909, the Aborigines Protection Act; 1911, the Aborigines Act and The Northern Territory Aboriginals Ordinance) until 1969 (all states repealed the legislation allowing for the removal of Aboriginal children under the policy of “protection”); the children who were taken away are now known as the ‘Stolen Generations’. I will raise the following key question: How has the forcible removal of Indigenous children affected the Indigenous people? My study will be twofold, firstly we’ll see what the children of the stolen generation went through and how it impacted them and secondly how did it impact other aboriginals and their descendants. PLAN: I. What happened to the children of the stolen generation? a) What they went through The removal of children from their families was part of the policy of Assimilation based on the misguided assumption that Australian aboriginals would lead better lives if they became part of the white society. Policies focused on assimilating children bc they were considered more adaptable, especially those with white parentage bc they would assimilate easier due to their lighter skin, they wanted to breed out unwanted traits (by marrying them to whites). -> children were taught to reject their culture and forced to adopt white culture -> their names were often changed, they were forbidden to speak aboriginal languages -> some were adopted by white families -> most were in institutions where abuse (physical or sexual) and neglect was common -> they were given minimal education, provided with poor food and living conditions, and expected to move into low-grade domestic or farming work Ex: testimonies of children in the stolen generation -> Stolen generation (2000, documentary. »