Stolen+Generation+by+Bec+and+Ellena

=Still Suffering The Consequences=

By Bec and Ellena :)
Sadly, the year of 1869 - although lots of people may have had a relaxing and brilliant year, it was not the same for aboriginals. For them, this year was full of fear and horror and is known to us as the start of the stolen generation. You're probably thinking that that was all the way back then and that we have changed and it doesn't matter anymore, but you're wrong.

Children as young as babies were taken from there homes and put in foster houses. They were taught the white mans way yet they felt strange, living like a white man yet feeling like an aboriginal. At the age of 18 they were released into the society - feeling weird and like a part of them was lost.

White man believed that in breaking the circle of life they would hopefully end the aboriginal culture and get rid of "the aboriginal problem". In the 20th century white Australians thought Aboriginal people would die out. In three Generations, they thought, Aboriginal genes would have been 'bred out' when Aboriginal people had children with white people. Adult aboriginal people resisted efforts to be taken out of towns by simply coming back. Sadly, children could be controlled much easier. This is what is called the Stolen Generation. Many people today are still searching for lost family.

People from the Stolen Generations often suffer from or show
 * **Loneliness**.
 * **Low self esteem** and feelings of worthlessness.
 * **Loss of Identity**
 * **Mistrusting everyone**
 * **Difficulties to find their religious beliefs**
 * **Internal guilt**
 * **Anguish for searching for their lost identity**

After all this people are still hurt inside from all this devastation and wouldn't you be too? They are healing slowly although Mr Rudd said sorry, they are still suffering deeply inside. But what else is Australia doing? People think that that is enough, we have said sorry so that is it. We need to do more. But no matter how much we do, we can't help the horrible scarres that have been affecting them ever since we misinterpreted them.