Justice still not done. Time will not allow the survivors or their families to ever forget.
National Sorry Day commemorates the anniversary of the 1997 Bringing Them Home report. The landmark report detailed the harrowing experiences of the Stolen Generations and made recommendations on how those injustices could be rectified.
It’s been 29 years since the report was tabled, but analysis by the Healing Foundation suggests just five of its 83 recommendations have been clearly implemented.
“There have been decades of reports, research and inquiries, but too little action,” said Kungarakan man Steve Larkin, the chair of the foundation.
“With only one year until the 30-year anniversary of Bringing them home, there is no excuse left for inactivity.” (NITV)
This story’s right, this story’s true
I would not tell lies to you
Like the promises, they did not keep
And how they fenced us in like sheep
Said to us, “Come, take our hand”
Set us up on mission land
Taught us to read, to write and pray
Then they took the children away
Took the children away
The children away
Snatched from their mother’s breast
Said, “This is for the best, “ took them away
The welfare and the policeman
Said, “You’ve got to understand
We’ll give to them what you can’t give
Teach them how to really live”
“Teach them how to live, “ they said
Humiliated them instead
Taught them that and taught them this
And others taught them prejudice
You took the children away
The children away
Breaking their mother’s heart
Tearing us all apart, took them away
One dark day on Framingham
Came and didn’t give a damn
My mother cried, “Go get their dad”
He came running, fighting mad
Mother’s tears were falling down
And Dad shaped up and stood his ground
He said, “You touch my kids and you fight me”
And they took us from our family
Took us away
They took us away
Snatched from our mother’s breast
Said, “This is for the best, “ took them away
Told us what to do and say
Taught us all the white man’s ways
Then they split us up again
And gave us gifts to ease the pain
Sent us off to foster homes
As we grew up, we felt alone
‘Cause we were acting white
Yet feeling black
One sweet day all the children came back
The children came back
The children came back
Back where their hearts grow strong
Back where they all belong
The children came back
Said the children came back
The children came back
Back where they understand
Back to their mother’s land
The children came back
Back to their mother
Back to their father
Back to their sister
Back to their brother
Back to their people
Back to their land
All the children came back
The children came back
The children came back
Yes I came back
Songwriters: Archibald William Roach
Always was….Always will be…Aboriginal Land.