“…(when) half-caste children are found living in camps full of full-blooded natives, they should, if possible, be removed to better care so that they have a better opportunity for education… if a half-caste child remained with a bush tribe, he will grow up to have neither the full satisfaction in life which the tribal native has, nor the advance to any upper status. The policy is applied with care and discretion, and a full recognition on the part of the administration that the mother has the same affections as every woman…” Mr Paul Hasluck, Minister of Territories, 1950.
- “The Taking”: Read the words to these songs by Archie Roach “ Took the Children Away” and “My Mother’s Heartbeat”
- Why did the Government and Missionaries think they were doing the children a good turn?
- Carefully read the table Changing attitudes of the white majority to Aborigines 1788 to 1980s. Which policy of the white majority do these Stolen Generation stories reflect? Justify your answer in a class debate: ‘The Stolen Generation - Assimilation or Extermination?’
- Watch the film Rabbit Proof Fence - the movie released in 2002, highlighted
the reality of this policy on children and families.
- Write a newspaper article about one of the girls from the movie - Molly, Gracie or Daisy.
- Write a journal response for one of these children. What do you think they were feeling? How do you think it affected their relationships later on in life? How would you feel to walk in their footsteps?
- Write an informal letter to one of these children to let them know how you feel.
This material has been produced by UNITEC Institute of Technology
under contract to the Ministry of Education.
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