What impact has research into the 'Stolen Generation' had on my personal ideology and
how will that be reflected in my professional career?
INTRODUCTION
As an Australian citizen, its important for me to know about the history in society, which is
why this unit has become life changing for me because it has changed my attitudes, beliefs
and ideas, due to the reflecting on the impact the Indigenous community underwent
through in the stolen generation. Through this unit, it aimed to discuss the importance of
idenity, diversity, representation and resilience among the Aboriginal and Torres strait
Islander community (Kaiya 2021). Thus, it allowed me to understand the different
Indigenous perspective and knowledges about their history which, will help me in my future
career as a psychologist because I can be aware of their social issues they face within society
and be there to support them knowing their experience in Australia. Among this essay,
consequences of colonization provided me with earlier understanding of the welfare of
indigenous individuals, and there are two concepts which impacted on me the most;
Protectionism and Assimilation, which revealed significant information about the impact the
stolen generation brought to the Aboriginal people. Therefore, understanding the core of
Aboriginal history, I am able to respect their beliefs, which will help me engage with their
community, allowing myself to appreciate their diversity.
EXISTING KNOWLEDGE
Previously, I had very little knowledge of the challenges the Indigenous individuals had gone
through, only till now, through this unit it has provided me with in depth knowledge about
their experiences. Through primary school, first fleet, land ownership, colonization and
stolen generation were revealed as a challenging time for Aboriginals as they were treated
unequally. However, the knowing of this history did not continue through high school, it was
only through word of mouth or media that provided the knowledge about Aboriginal
communities. Thus, this had impacted me a lot during this unit because I was unaware and
disappointed because I didn’t know the other side of the Australian history. Therefore,
acknowledging and recognizing the history, will change me mentally because I will uncover
the truths about their past.
CONSEQUENCES OF COLONIZATION
The concept of colonization was introduced to me at the beginning of the course in week 2,
in order to understand the political control Australians had over Indigenous population.
However, my understanding of colonization was very limited, because through primary
school, little information was taught about Indigenous people which made me not
understand the severity brought to the Aboriginal community. Thus, when it came to
Tutorial two and exploring different ideas about this concept with each other, I did not have
any knowledge and this made me feel ashamed because I wasn’t aware of the Australian
history. The definition being provided to me of colonization ‘the action or process of settling
among and establishing control over the Indigenous people of an area’, benefited me
because I now had an idea of the concept. Although, there was a question that arose on me
asking why is it necessary to understand this information still? Colonization brought trade of
goods for the land and people, and in today society it is not seen to be impacting on
Aboriginals in contrast to what it was before. However, this was based on my idea and it
was obvious that I was naive on this concept as I did not have the knowledge about the
Aboriginal community. Though, through the learning of this concept, I now have an
understanding about the impact and long-term effect of colonization. Human rights and
Equal Opportunity commission (2003) reported, Indigenous children had been forcibly
separated from their families and exploited for their labor since the very first day of
European occupation of Australia, and faced violent battles over rights to land, food and
water resources. Hence, through this contact I am able to recognize the tragic experience of
those who suffered upon this time. Furthermore, Schaffer (2002), highlights how the stolen
generation created international media attention due to the revealing of Australia’s
shameful past and its growing reputation for human right violations. As well Schaffer (p.6)
reveals the Human rights and Equal Opportunity commission (2003) report brings
‘legitimacy and acknowledgment to the stories, loss of family, kinship, land and country and
the ongoing effect of loss’, which provides awareness to non-indigenous citizens. Therefore,
through the consequences of colonization, this unit had made me aware of the situation in
which the Indigenous community experienced through.
ROTECTIONISM AND ASSIMILATION
Understanding the concept of Protectionism and Assimilation is important in order to
understand the phases of colonialism, thus, this was introduced in week 6 and 8 tutorials,
which provided awareness among the level of protection the Indigenous community
received in Australia. Protection was proposed through the Aboriginal Protection Act (1869)
in order to control the injustice acts of cruelty, oppression and encroachment on their
property. However, among this act, it gave power to the board to move Aboriginal people
out of towns and control reserves. Thus, this created impact on the Aboriginal Idenity, due
to the force removal from traditional lands and cultural practices in which they loss the
spiritual and physical connection. Among this knowledge, the view I had about Aboriginal
protection had changed significantly, because it revealed to me Aboriginal people do not
receive the same protection Australian individuals receive, which is unfair because the level
of equality should be balanced in society (Australian Government: Australian Law Reform
Commission 2010). Thus, understanding this had made me feel upset because Aboriginal
people should be recognised equally in the eyes of the government. Furthermore, learning
about the concept of Assimilation in society, Aboriginal people were expected to become
equal citizens with the same rights and privileges individuals have in Australia. Through, this
concept it was able to reveal to me how assimilation caused many obstacles for the
Aboriginal community as they had to give up their rights of land, culture practice and
language which created a loss of idenity for them. Also, the stolen generation was the main
feature of the assimilation era which caused many Indigenous families to mourn the
removal of their children as they were being assimilated into white society (Kaiya 2021).
Bronwyn (2016) stated ‘Aboriginals who resisted assimilation were faced with discrimination
and viewed as an Aboriginal by self-image’. So, among this, Cressida, Lawrence, Ray, Scott,
and Bill (2013, p.1 64) reveal ‘knowledge is put to work through certain technologies,
historical context and specific institutions’, which highlights how from this unit and engaging
with my peers and my tutors it has provided me with immense information about how their
idenity was challenged among the era of the stolen generation. Therefore, both these
concepts have changed my attitude and beliefs because I can now be aware of the control,
the Australian society had upon an Aboriginal idenity.
DEVELOPED KNOWLEDGE UPON MY IDELOGY
Understanding the Aboriginal history, throughout this unit has provided me with immense
knowledge, compared to the existing knowledge I had before. Thus, this is very important
for myself and my career because as this past is very complex, it allows me to become
aware of the feelings and behaviours the Indigenous people indured through. The content
provided are not just facts, it’s the way of knowing about the Indigenous nation, which
allows me to respect and rightfully recognise the first nations on this land, in which have
been told by the visitors of this country. Additionally, I have become more sensitive to this
topic, because I have felt the pain and put myself in their situation, which made me feel
connected to their history of their land and kinship. Thus, this is important for my carer as a
psychologist because illustrated by Pat, Debra, Darren and Heather (2014) you must be
aware of one’s history when identifying their emotions, which is why having knowledge of
the impact of the trauma of those children who were forcible removed, I will able to support
and encourage them to overcome their generational suffering. Therefore, this unit has
influenced me significantly because I am aware of the true stories in the Indigenous History.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, learning about the consequences of colonisation and the concepts of
Protectionism and Assimilation, it has brought me in depth knowledge about the impacts of
stolen generation. However, among my career I would like to organise more support groups
for Aboriginal individuals as them seems to be discrimination among their race in which they
are being rejected from support groups (Pat, Debra, Darren, and Heather 2014). Thus, this is
important because we all need to share a voice and helping one another reflects upon our
values and ethics as an individual. Therefore, this unit has been a positive influence on me
as I have been able to reflect upon the challenges the Aboriginal community have been
through in the stolen generation, which is significant in Australian history.
REFERENCE LIST
Human rights and Equal Opportunity commission 2003, Bringing them home learning about
the National Inquiry into the separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from
their Families, viewed 27th September 2021,
https://bth.humanrights.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/bringing_them_home_repor
t.pdf
Australian Government: Australian Law Reform Commission 2010, Changing policies
towards Aboriginal people, viewed 27th September 2021,
https://www.alrc.gov.au/publication/recognition-of-aboriginal-customary-laws-alrc-report31/3-aboriginal-societies-the-experience-of-contact/changing-policies-towards-aboriginalpeople/
Bronwyn, B 2016, The Politics of Idenity: who counts as Aboriginal today?, AIATSIS,
Canberra.
Cressida, F, Lawrence, B, Ray, L, Scott, G, & Bill, F 2013, ‘Discourse, deficit and
identity:Aboriginality, the race paradigm and the language of representation in
contemporary Australia’, Media international Australia incorporating Culture & policy,
vol.149, no.149, pp.163-164, viewed 27th September 2021, Academic Search Complete
database, 10.1177/1329878X1314900117
Pat, D, Debra, R, Darren, G, Heather, G 2014, ‘Working Together:Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Mental Health and Well-being Principles and Practice, Kulunga Research Network ,
Melbourne.
Karen, M & Booran, M 2003, ‘Ways of knowing, being and doing: A theoretical framework
and methods for indigenous and indigenist re-search’, Journal of Australian studies, vol.27,
no.76, pp.209-211, viewed 29th September 2021, Academic Search Complete database,
10.1080/14443050309387838
Schaffer, K 2002, ‘Stolen Generation Narratives in Local and Global Contexts’, American
Association of Australian Literary Studies, vol. 16, no.1, pp. 5-6