It was an opportunity to gather with community and remember the Apology to the Stolen Generation ten years on.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
This morning (Tuesday) friends and family stood together at the Muurrbay Aboriginal Language and Cultural Co-Operative at Bellwood to light a candle and hold a minute’s silence in memory of those that suffered the trauma of being taken from their homes as children, often never to see their families again.
Muurrbay linguist and director Gary Williams said it was important to keep the apology and the events it represented fresh in our minds.
“It is important to remember this and show solidarity with those who were affected … every little bit of support helps,” Gary said.
The morning tea began with Gary welcoming everyone in Gumbaynggirr:
It continued with more words of welcome from director Pauline Hooler, sporting a T-shirt with the powerful logo, ‘Heal our past, build our future’.
Muurrbay team member Ruth Link thanked the Healing Foundation for their role in making the event possible and shared her own connection with the day, which was that her grandmother was a member of the Stolen Generation.
“It is important to share good times like this as well as all those memories,” Ruth said.
Dallas Walker then performed his song, Darruyauirray (Coming Better Together), specially written for the day in both English and Gumbaynggirr :
“Let’s walk together, heal the past and build a future,
Look towards tomorrow and the realities we have to face …
Memories fade, does the pain go away? Memories of the past
The hurt still remains.”
NATIONAL SORRY DAY:
The 1997 Bringing Them Home report recommended the Prime Minister apologise to the Stolen Generation.
On 13 February 2008, then Prime Minister Kevin Rudd moved a motion of Apology to the Indigenous Australians of the "Stolen Generation" – following is an excerpt ...
“That today we honour the Indigenous peoples of this land, the oldest continuing cultures in human history.
We reflect on their past mistreatment. We reflect in particular on the mistreatment of those who were Stolen Generations - this blemished chapter in our nation's history.
The time has now come for the nation to turn a new page in Australia's history by righting the wrongs of the past and so moving forward with confidence to the future.
We apologise for the laws and policies of successive Parliaments and governments that have inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss on these our fellow Australians.
We apologise especially for the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families, their communities and their country.
For the pain, suffering and hurt of these Stolen Generations, their descendants and for their families left behind, we say sorry.
To the mothers and the fathers, the brothers and the sisters, for the breaking up of families and communities, we say sorry.
And for the indignity and degradation thus inflicted on a proud people and a proud culture, we say sorry ...”