[Dialogue] Fw: Memo - National apology
Wayne Nelson
wnelson at ica-associates.ca
Wed Feb 13 10:05:09 EST 2008
Auntie Mamie King from Murrin Bridge was one of those who was taken from her
family as a young woman. She was born "on the land" before the reserves were
in place and went through that whole terrifying process. She was taken to
'school' in Cootamundra and was trained to be a domestic worker. After many
years, she made her way back to her family and community. She was one of the
last living Nygampa speakers and played an instrumental role in helping
younger generations appreciate their language and heritage. She passed in
the early 90's. We've met several others who did not or were not able to
reconnect.
This is a seriously major step for a federal government.
Wayne
"Robyn & John Hutchinson" wrote:
>
> Colleagues,
> Thought you may like to see the NSW Department of Education response to the
> applogy to the Stolen Generations, which will take place on Feb 13th in
> Canberra. The Reconciliation Australia attachment is a particularly useful
> document. For our colleagues outside Australia, you will know this is a
> landmark event for us down under.
> Best wishes, Robyn
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: Director-General, DET
> Sent: Fri 8/02/2008 10:54 AM
> To: @All DET Staff
> Subject: Memo - National apology
>
>
>
> Dear Colleagues,
>
> The Commonwealth Government will formally say sorry to the stolen
> generations when the Parliament resumes in Canberra next week.
>
> The Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, will deliver the apology on Wednesday 13
> February 2008 at around 10:00 am, as the first item of business for the new
> Parliament.
>
> The day before, at the official opening of the Parliament, the Ngunnawal
> People will perform a welcome to country ceremony - the first time this has
> happened in the national Parliament.
>
> Both are historic events for Aboriginal people and for all Australians.
>
> The apology will acknowledge the profound wrong done to Aboriginal children,
> families and communities by governments removing children on the basis of
> race.
>
> Think about those policies for a minute. Here's historian Inga Clendinnan's
> description:
>
> "....with no legal process at all, in clear violation of the common-law
> rights of children and of parents ... with no inquiry into their actual
> physical and emotional care, on the authority of a public servant's
> signature on a form, and with no appeal, children were grabbed, transported
> and set down again, sometimes with white foster families, more often in
> institutions, in conditions of acute loneliness and emotional and often
> physical deprivation, and immured for years until they were released to
> serve the white world as cheap labour."
>
> I firmly believe the apology is an essential step towards a closer
> relationship between Australians.
>
> Strong friendships are based on truth, recognition and respect, and
> sustained by forgiveness.
>
> I urge all NSW public schools and TAFE Institutes and other colleagues to
> take the opportunity of the national apology to reflect on the past, to
> celebrate how Australia's first peoples have survived policies that
> destroyed family, kinship and identity, and to look to the future with
> resolve and optimism.
>
> We can all participate in these significant events in the life of our
> country by:
>
> * Giving students the chance to view the live telecasts on Tuesday 12 and/or
> Wednesday 13.
> * Informing the broader school and TAFE community by newsletter and websites
> of the significance of the two days.
> * Rearranging school assemblies to fall on either the Tuesday or the
> Wednesday to recognise the events, and inviting local Aboriginal Elders,
> parents and community members to participate as guest speakers and conduct
> welcome to country or acknowledgement of country with the students.
> * Flying the Aboriginal flag.
> * Asking TAFE Student Associations if they would like to participate by
> organising an event to acknowledge this occasion.
> * Discussing with students the significance of the events, providing
> background information, and finding ways to engage in practical actions of
> reconciliation. Useful web links are:
>
>
> http://www.reconcile.org.au/ <http://www.reconcile.org.au/>
>
> http://www.nsdc.org.au/index.php <http://www.nsdc.org.au/index.php>
>
> http://www.nsdc.org.au/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&catego
> ry_id=7&Itemid=5
> <http://www.nsdc.org.au/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&categ
> ory_id=7&Itemid=5>
>
> http://www.nsdc.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=59&Itemid=36
>
<http://www.nsdc.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=59&Itemid=36>
>
>
>
> Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission website:
>
> http://www.humanrights.gov.au/education/index.html
> <http://www.humanrights.gov.au/education/index.html>
>
> * Bringing them home Education Module
> <http://www.humanrights.gov.au/education/bth/index.html> (11 December 2007)
> * Us Taken-Away Kids <http://www.humanrights.gov.au/bth/taken/index.html>
> (11 December 2007)
> * Professional Development <http://www.humanrights.gov.au/education/pd.html>
>
> Attached are some questions and answers prepared by Reconciliation Australia
> that you may find useful to help explain the background to the apology.
>
> I have asked our Centre for Learning Innovation to produce a teaching
> resource to recognise the significance of this event.
>
> Some resources will be available on TaLe (www.tale.edu.au
> <http://www.tale.edu.au/> ) from 14 February 2008. You will also be able to
> view video and audio files of the first welcome to country for the Federal
> Parliament and official apology delivered by the Prime Minister on the
> Department's intranet, internet and on TaLe.
>
> With my best regards,
>
>
> Michael Coutts-Trotter
> DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING
> MANAGING DIRECTOR OF TAFE NSW
> 8 February 2008
>
> <<Reconciliation Australia.pdf>>
>
>
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Wayne Nelson - ICA Associates Inc
416-691-2316 - http://ica-associates.ca
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