Apologizing to Australia's 'Stolen Generations'

An apology will mean a monumental weight has been lifted from people's shoulders.’ (Sudye Jackson, Aboriginal Australian)

Conflicts can create profound grief, loss and suffering. To escape from this suffering might prove to be difficult for most people. Therefore, apologies must be used to help alleviate the suffering. Apologies are important as they can help you from your grief, loss, suffering and perhaps even hate that resulted from a conflict

Apologies can be hard to say. Many reasons include pride, or thinking that you are not in the wrong. This is proven by former Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, who refused to apologize to the Aboriginal Australians. He was also supported with his stand by many Australians, further proving my point that apologies are hard to say as many people did not want to admit their wrongs and saying a sincere apology. He also pushed his point by stating: ‘Modern Australians shouldn’t be required to accept guilt and blame for past actions.’

However, on Wednesday, February 13th, 2008, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd finally made a public apology to the Aborigines. In his speech, he consistently used the words ‘sorry’ and ‘we apologize’. The idea of repeating these words over and over again gave a feeling that Rudd was trying to give a sincere apology. He acknowledged the pain and suffering of the Aborigines and also mentioned them as ‘fellow Australians’. This shows that Rudd thinks that the Aborigines are equal to them which was not so during the stolen generation. Rudd went so far as to saying ‘a proud people and a proud culture’ and acknowledging them as ‘one of the oldest continuing cultures in the world’. All these connoted that Kevin Rudd was trying to be as sincere with his apology as possible.

Even though many Australians agreed with Howard’s thinking, Rudd’s speech was not wholeheartedly unsupported. A bit more than 50% of Australians decided that the apology was needed and was as sincere and warm as they felt it should be.There were many positive results from the Aborigines after Rudd’s speech. Many felt that although the formal apology couldn’t fully wash away the conflict, they helped wash a little of it away. (‘The apology will help to heal the scars but it will never heal my pain and hurt.’ —Mary Farrell-Hooker, member of the Stolen Generations). However, some members and their descendents of the Stolen Generations felt that an apology could not suffice their pain. (The word 'sorry' doesn't come near what [my father] went through. They can apologize in a thousand different ways without saying sorry. Actions speak louder than words. —Norman Stewart, son of a Stolen Generations member). However, all in all, most felt that the apology was needed. (In my heart I feel there is a real need for [the apology]... For my family, it allows some kind of healing and forgiveness to take place where there is less anger and bitterness in the hearts of people. —Cathy Freeman, Aboriginal Australian).

Perhaps this bitterness also comes from the fact that the Stolen Generation was entirely legal. In 1869, ‘An Act for the Protection and Assimilation of the Aboriginal Native of Victoria’ was drawn. Although the title said the ‘protection’ of the Aboriginal Australians, the paper mainly consists of the ability to control their residence, employment, marriages, social life and other aspects of daily life. A further act was drawn that allowed the removal of Aboriginal people of mixed descent to mix with white society. Thankfully though, Kevin Rudd mentioned in his apology, ‘We apologize for the laws and policies of successive parliaments and governments that have inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss on these our fellow Australians.’

The Aboriginal painting: Assimilation, shows exactly how the Aborigines were feeling at that time: that their culture and their identity was slowly being destroyed. Although apologies cannot regain their lost identities, it will most defiantly help them relieve the hurt that they had kept inside for over a lifetime.

(Painting: Assimilation - Mandy Nickolson)
(Quotes: http://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/politics/stolen-generations-sorry-apology.html)