Respecting the courage and resilience of the Stolen Generations

26 May, 2016

Respecting the courage and resilience of the Stolen Generations

26 May 2016

The NSW Aboriginal Land Council (NSWALC) pays its respects to members of the Stolen Generations.

NSWALC Chair Roy Ah-See said Sorry Day was a time to reflect on the shameful practice of race-based child removal and to honour the resilience of Aboriginal men and women whose lives will never be the same.

National Sorry Day was first held on this day in 1998, one year after the release of the "Bringing Them Home" report.

"Bringing Them Home comprehensively documented the abuse and mistreatment of Australia's First Peoples by consecutive Federal and State governments from the 19th century to the 1970s.

"Under this cruel policy, the people we now recognise as the Stolen Generations were abused and mistreated. They lost their childhood, language and culture.

"Their identity was stolen from them, just as they were stolen from their families and communities."

Cr Ah-See said Sorry Day was important to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as an opportunity to recognise the courage and resilience of the Stolen Generations.

"The tens of thousands of members of the Stolen Generations are survivors and the broader Australian society must never forget the pain they have endured and to support them on their long journey of healing."

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Media contact: Andrew Williams 0429 585 291

Acknowledgement

We pay our respects to the Traditional Owners of the lands where we work as well as across the lands we travel through. We also acknowledge our Elders past, present and emerging.

Artwork Credit: Craig Cromelin, from a painting he did titled, "4 favourite fishing holes". It is a snippet of his growing years on the Lachlan River, featuring yabby, turtle, fish and family.

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