EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR
JOURNEY OF HEALING

The Report of the National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from Their Families, Bringing Them Home, recommended an annual "Sorry Day" be held.

The Report revealed the extent of the forced removal, which went on for more than 150 years; its consequences in terms of broken families, shattered physical and mental health, loss of language, culture and connection to traditional land, and the enormous distress many of its victims still feel today.

The Journey of Healing offers the whole community the opportunity to take the next step, to heal the consequences of those policies.

The "Sorry Day", recommended in Bringing Them Home, provided the opportunity for all Australians to express their sorrow at the tragic events spanning such a long time of our shared history and, then, to celebrate the beginning of a new understanding. The wider Australian community was being invited to remember those affected by removal, so that the nation could continue the process of healing together. Indigenous people participate in the day dedicated to the memory of loved ones who have never come home or are still finding their way home.

The "Journey of Healing" is an important step on the road all Australians are ‘walking together.’

 

AIM OF THIS DOCUMENT:

To provide ideas for all Australians to express a meaningful response and make a personal commitment to acknowledge and understand the events, and the ongoing implications, surrounding the ‘Stolen Generations’ of Australia’s Indigenous Peoples through the"Journey of Healing".

There are many resources, many ways to express a commitment and many other ways in which the "stolen generations" can be honoured and acknowledged within the wider Australian population. Following are a few simple ideas to indicate what is possible.These activities are not aimed at one day, one event or one issue, rather they should be used as starting ideas to consider, discuss, and reflect upon during this journey all Australians should be on.

EARLY CHILDHOOD, AGES 4 - 8:

  • Invite an Indigenous parent/community member into the pre-school or school to speak with the children. Talk to this person beforehand, be familiar with what they will say and remember sometimes guest speakers need a small payment for travel and their time. Read a Dreaming story that includes families as part of its content. Discuss, draw, paint, etc ideas about families. Read PILA WUK: When I was Young by Janeen Brian ( a Magic Bean Book Published by Era Publications, 1996). Also available in a Big Book. Talk with the children about the content and the events. Tell the children what happened to young Indigenous children and that they were separated from their families. (While being aware of the children’s ability to deal with the issue of separation they will be able to cope with a certain amount of the history.) Have children cut out the shape of their hand on some coloured paper or card and write a message they would share with their family, friends, classmates, removed Indigenous people and/or other Australians. If the family or teacher is attending other ‘Journey of Healing’ functions these hands could be taken along for display.
  • Either during a flag raising, the flag (s) could be at half mast for part of the day, or at some other appropriate time of the day have a minute’s silence in honour of the "Stolen Generations" and the beginning of the "Journey of Healing".

MIDDLE / UPPER PRIMARY SCHOOL AGE, AGES 9 - 12:

  • Invite an Indigenous parent/community member into the school to speak with the children. Talk to this person beforehand, be familiar with what they will say and remember sometimes guest speakers need a small payment for travel and their time. Have the students respond in a variety of media. Writing a poem, a story, doing some artwork, etc.
  • Read at least one story from the Bringing Them Home Report. Full Report available through Australian Government Publishing Services. Community Guide available through Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, Sydney ph: (02) 9284 9600 or www.hreoc.gov.au see "Stolen Children" section.
  • Have the students respond in a variety of media. Writing a poem, a story, doing some artwork, etc.Have students ‘place themselves in the shoes’ of someone being taken away, of someone watching the event, of the parents and so on. Be sure to debrief students.Again, draw or paint the scene.View extracts from the videos "Lousy Little Sixpence" (available from libraries Resource Centres or Ronin Films, Canberra, phone (02) 6248 0851), "It’s a Long Road Back" (available from Libraries, Resource Centres and the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, Canberra, phone (02) 6246 1111.View some of the photos in the Bringing Them Home Report or summary document and have students analyse and discuss them. The Burnt Stick, Anthony Hill, Viking, Ringwood, 1994. A great resource! Relevant extracts from the Bringing Them Home Report can be found on pages 27, 50, 204 and 249. Other important extracts appear throughout the report.Have children cut out the shape of their hand on some coloured paper or card and write a message they would share with their family, friends, classmates, removed Indigenous people and/or other Australians. If the family or teacher is attending other ‘Journey of Healing’ functions these hands could be taken along for display.
  • Either during a flag raising, the flag (s) could be at half mast for part of the day, or at some other appropriate time of the day have a minute’s silence in honour of the "Stolen Generations" and the beginning of the "Journey of Healing".

SECONDARY SCHOOL AGE AND ADULTS:

  • Invite an Indigenous parent/community member into the school or office setting to speak with the students or colleagues. Talk to this person beforehand, be familiar with what they will say and remember sometimes guest speakers need a small payment for travel and their time. Watch the Bringing them Home video (available through libraries, Resource Centres or purchased at ABC Shops).
  • Read or photocopy for your group sections of the Bringing Them Home Report and/or summary document concerning:

- mothers and their children;
- government policies; and
- police and welfare.

  • Put yourselves in the shoes of the different participants in a ‘separation situation’. The responses could be oral, written, drawn or painted, enacted and so on. Debrief students. Cut out the shape of your hand on some coloured paper or card and write a message you would share with your family, friends, classmates, removed Indigenous people and/or other Australians. Bring it along to "Journey of Healing" activities.
  • Set up a debate or a mock court to discuss questions such as:
    • Would an apology by the Federal Government mean anything today? How have things changed in the Australian community since "Sorry Day", 26 May 1998? Is it appropriate to continue to press for greater understanding of the "Stolen Generations" issues year after year? Should the individuals and families of the "Stolen Generations" be entitled to compensation? What form should this compensation take?
    • Students can formulate their own questions.
  • Separation policies continued after the 1967 Referendum. See Bringing Them Home Report, page 425. Good summaries of the State/Territory Government Policies/Acts of Parliament are on pages 254 and 261 of the Bringing Them Home Report. Fuller documentation of the above are available on pages 600 to 648 of the same document.
  • An Internet site: www.hreoc.gov.au see "Stolen Children" section. Important extracts from the Bringing Them Home Report can be found on pages 27, 50, 204 and 249. Other relevant extracts appear throughout the report.
  • Important submissions to the National Inquiry can be found on;

Jennifer's submission - pp 52 to 55; John's submission - pp 166 to 167; and William's submission - pp 371 to 372.

  • The issue of Indigenous children separated from their families and taken overseas must be addressed.
  • See a short description of Russell Moore’s lifestory on pages 369, 370 and 471 of the Bringing Them Home Report.
  • Listen to the song "Muntjana" by Archie Roach on his ‘Charcoal Lane’ album. A tragic revelation!!! Other international removals are discussed on page 243 of the Report.
  • The Burnt Stick, Anthony Hill, Viking, Ringwood, 1994. A great resource!!!
  • The Stolen Children – their story, Carmel Bird, Random House, 1998.
  • Either during a flag raising, the flag (s) could be at half mast for part of the day, or at some other appropriate time of the day have a minute’s silence in honour of the "Stolen Generations" and the beginning of the "Journey of Healing".
  • Sorry Resource Kit available through Fraynework Multimedia, PO Box 5067, Alphington 3078. An excellent kit for $25 includes a video, song and resource/activity guide – phone 03 9499 9172, fax 03 9499 3879 or email fraynework@mercy.org.au

SOME OTHER RESOURCES TO USE

  • Bringing Them Home, the Report of the National Inquiry into the Separation of Indigenous Children from Their Families. Bringing Them Home, a summary document of the complete Report.
  • Being Aboriginal - Comments, Observations and Stories from Aboriginal Australia by Ros Bowden and Bill Bunbury ABC Books, 1990.
  • If Everyone Cared by Margaret Tucker, Grosvenor Books, 1983.
  • The Lost Children, Coral Edwards and Peter Read (Eds), Doubleday, Moorebank 1989. 13 Australians taken from their Aboriginal families tell of their struggle to find their natural parents.
  • Inside Black Australia, Kevin Gilbert (ed), Penguin 1988. For example,

A Letter to My Mother by Eva Johnson; Mary’s Plea by Daisy Utemorrah; Torn Apart by Pam Tjanara Williams and Kidnappers by Iris Clayton.

  • The Stolen Generation: 1883 - 1969, Peter Read, a small publication of the NSW Department of Aboriginal Affairs, Sydney phone (02) 9290 8700.
  • This Whispering in Our Hearts, Henry Reynolds, Allen and Unwin, 1998.
  • Healing the Land - A Closer Look at the Needs of the Australian Reconciliation Movement, Judi Monticone, P O Box 668 Mitchell ACT 2911 or the web on e.m.judimont@dynamite.com.au for $29.95. 1,300 different massacre scenes – invasion to 1982.
SONG
  • My Brown Skin Baby, Bobby Randell. One of the songs on ‘Burraay – Dreaming Them Home’ (available from Helen Moran, Tel 02 6249 1277)
  • They Took the Children Away, Archie Roach - from the album "Charcoal Lane" distributed through Mushroom Records @ $ 19.95.
  • Sorry, Goanna - CD Single, Big Heart Productions, contact Helene Jedwab ph/fax (03) 5562 4030, @ 5.00 plus $ 2.50 postage.
  • Sorry Song, Kerry Fletcher and the Coexistence Singers, available here.
  • Many other songs, especially by Indigenous artists, would be suitable to use.

VIDEO

  • Bringing Them Home, a video summary of aspects of the Report. A 32 minute production available through ABC Shops. An excellent resource for persons over 12 years of age.
  • Lousy Little Sixpence, a 52 minute video which provides archival footage and great detail concerning the removal of Indigenous children from their families. Available from libraries, resource centres and Ronin Films, Canberra. Suitable for persons over 10 years of age. Its A Long Road Back, a 12 minute video produced by AIATSIS, Canberra concerning Margaret Tucker’s story.
  • Who Killed Malcolm Smith, a 50 minute video, Film Australia, phone (02) 9413 8634.
  • Just a Short Story, an animated true story about the separation of an Aboriginal Family who lived on Menindee Mission in 1947. Available from Aboriginal Nations, ph 02 9319 6688 or fax 02 9699 1716 for $45.
  • Taking the Children, Western Australia’s Stolen Generations available from BPS Video Services, ph 08 9457 1617 or fax 08 9457 1998 at no charge (except postage & handling).

VISIT

  • Arrange a visit to a site of significance in your local region. The site may be related to the ‘Stolen Generations’ or may be an important place to remember and reflect upon Indigenous Australia - the sorrows and the victories.
  • The Aboriginal Tent Embassy in Canberra situated between the Southern end of Lake Burley Griffin and Old Parliament House. Many ‘Stolen Generations’ issues can be talked through there.