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The Past Experience of Aboriginal Children in Australia

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Submitted By kyawthethan
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Q1- ‘Indigenous children have experienced life-long pain and trauma as a result of past government actions’. Do you agree with this statement? Discuss in relation to Aboriginal Australians or Native Americans.

The traumatised actions experienced during the stolen generation period made the aboriginal children suffer much pain throughout their lifetime. They were separated from their families without consent and sent to various institutions such as children’s missions, community missions, government settlements and hotels in order to cut off Aboriginality. Apart from restriction of speaking their language, carrying on their tradition and seeking their knowledge, they were physically and emotionally abused. Hunger also made their life much harder. So, in order to survive, they had to search for food and eat other peoples’ leftover foods ( Simon 2014). For many years, they have been suffered from loneliness, dislocation, stress and grief. Consequently, psychological harm and mental illness came into their lives which made them harder to survive. Even when they came out of the constitutions, they experienced the loss of their identity, culture, community and family (Read 2006). Thus, many aborigines became alcoholisms which is one of the ways to relieve their pain and trauma. The bitter memories and pains made by the government are still in the hearts of aborigines today.

Reference * Korff, J 2015, ‘A guide to Australian’s stolen generations’. Available from: <http://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/politics/a-guide-to-australias-stolen-generations#axzz3ZDdqIlO2>. [ 7 May 2015] * Read, P (eds) 2006, The Stolen Generation, Sunny Hills, New South Wales. Available from: Department of Aboriginal Affairs. [7 May 2015].

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