After the Apology - Aletheia Casey

Under parliamentary policies that persisted throughout much of the 20th century, numerous Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children were forcibly taken from their family homes and placed in institutions and foster families by church missionaries and government agencies.

These children have become known as The Stolen Generations.

In February 2008 the former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd formally apologised for the past mistreatment of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations (known as Australia's First Peoples) and for past Governments' wrong doings and the '...profound grief, suffering and loss...' that was caused by the forcible removal of these children.

This body of photographic work explores the historical consequences of the assimilation policy and the more recent effect of the Australian Government's 2008 formal apology.

Published by The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/may/26/after-the-apology-to-the-stolen-generations-a-photo-essay

info

Susan Moylan-Coombs was born in Darwin and taken from her mother at birth. She was removed from the Northern Territory and later adopted out to a family in Sydney

Susan didn't see her mother again until 21 years later.

“Every day I walk a path of recovery from the policy that removed children from their parents.

I was stolen... I still feel the silent pain that is mine and my mothers.'

info

In this image: Yeena, South Coast of New South Wales, Australia.

The forcible removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families throughout the 1900s is arguably one of the worst atrocities of the 20th century in Australia.

These children have become known as The Stolen Generations.

In February 2008 the former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd formally apologised for the past mistreatment of Australia's First Peoples and for past Governments' wrong doings and the '...profound grief, suffering and loss...' that was caused by the forcible removal of these children.

This body of photographic work explores the historical consequences of past Governments' actions and the more recent effect of the Australian Government's 2008 formal apology.

info

In this image: Aunty Grace, New South Wales coastal region.

"I was born in Berry, at that time Aboriginal women were not allowed in the hospital so I was born in a shed out the back."

This series, which is an-depth exploration into the themes of grief, loss and reconciliation pairs together memory landscapes with portraits to create a body of work which gives a post-apology voice to Women of the Stolen Generation.

info

In this image: Berry, New south Wales Coastal region where Grace was born (from pervious image.

info

Eliza, Sydney, New South Wales.

"I continue to walk two worlds. I dream of a day that we, as First Peoples, only need to walk one. This will only happen when this country fully recognises its traumatic history and the impact on First Peoples AND is willing to take real action. The Apology presented the first of these opportunities. "

The forcible removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families throughout the 1900s is arguably one of the worst atrocities of the 20th century in Australia.

These children have become known as The Stolen Generations.

This body of photographic work explores the historical consequences of past Governments' actions and the more recent effect of the Australian Government's 2008 formal apology.

info

In this image: Trish, South Coast, New South Wales.
"The apology didn't change much - The only way to make real change is through education."

The forcible removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families throughout the 1900s is arguably one of the worst atrocities of the 20th century in Australia.

These children have become known as The Stolen Generations.

This body of photographic work explores the historical consequences of past Governments' actions and the more recent effect of the Australian Government's 2008 formal apology.

info

In this image: South coast region, New south Wales where many children were removed, some being sent to the Cootamundra Girls School, to be trained as domestic help, around 400km away.

The forcible removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families throughout the 1900s is arguably one of the worst atrocities of the 20th century in Australia.

These children have become known as The Stolen Generations.

This body of photographic work explores the historical consequences of past Governments' actions and the more recent effect of the Australian Government's 2008 formal apology.

info

In this image:

Lorraine McGee-Sippel

Sydney NSW

'All that is suppressed returns. Memory doesn't forget.
No mother - no more - no time for goodbyes.'

The forcible removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families throughout the 1900s is arguably one of the worst atrocities of the 20th century in Australia.

These children have become known as The Stolen Generations.

This body of photographic work explores the historical consequences of past Governments' actions and the more recent effect of the Australian Government's 2008 formal apology.

info

In this image: Caroline, Freshwater beach, Sydney New South Wales.

"My Mother, Grandmother and older sister were Stolen Generations,
I miss their presence and their whispers of knowledge gently steering me on the right wave.
These gaps in my life still stay with me, cloaked in the grief, moving like the moving tide."

info

In this image:

Jennifer Louise Moylan, 14 years old

''My mum is a member of the Stolen Generations
I remember her being in Canberra for the TV coverage of The Apology.
I didn’t understand why people at school started to say horrible things about me and mum.
It was confusing for me that people were so nasty.

I cried when she got home.''

Landscape from near Darwin, Northern Territory.

The forcible removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families throughout the 1900s is arguably one of the worst atrocities of the 20th century in Australia.

These children have become known as The Stolen Generations.

This body of photographic work explores the historical consequences of past Governments' actions and the more recent effect of the Australian Government's 2008 formal apology.

info

Sue Pinckham, Balmain, Sydney Australia.

"It's such a great shame that the government didn't make this Apology 30 years ago…. We would have had that time to be in control of our own self-determination."

The forcible removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families throughout the 1900s is arguably one of the worst atrocities of the 20th century in Australia.

These children have become known as The Stolen Generations.

This body of photographic work explores the historical consequences of past Governments' actions and the more recent effect of the Australian Government's 2008 formal apology.

info

Jasmine, South Coast of New South Wales: "History has a way of repeating itself… Now I'm afraid that the same thing could happen to my own child."

The forcible removal of Aboriginal children from their families throughout the 1900s is arguably one of the worst atrocities of the 20th century in Australia.

These children have become known as The Stolen Generation.

In February 2008 the former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd formally apologised for the past mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and for past Governments' wrong doings and the '...profound grief, suffering and loss' which was caused by the forcible removal of these children.

This body of photographic work explores the historical consequences of past governments actions and the more recent affect of the Australian Government's formal apology.