Reconciliation and Social Justice Library
Reconciliation and Social Justice Library
Going home is fundamental to healing the effects of separation. Going home means finding out who you are as an Aboriginal: where you come from, who your people are, where your belonging place is, what your identity is. Going home is fundamental to the healing processes of those who were taken away as well as those who were left behind -- Link Up (NSW).
The Inquiry found people have many reasons why they need to trace their families. Reunion is important at the very least for discovering information about health and inherited illnesses and for developing intimate relationships.
A complex emotional journey with an uncertain outcome
The Inquiry was told many separated children will never go home. The pathways have been lost; parents and families have died. Language barriers can inhibit reunions. People whose Aboriginality was denigrated in childhood may not want to admit to it. Those who do go home experience a variety of emotions including anxiety and fear.
I've seen the old lady four times in my life. She's 86 years old. We were sitting on the bench [the first time]. I said, `I'm your son'. `Oh', she said, and her eyes just sparkled. Then a second later she said, 'You're not my son'. Well mate, the blinking pain. Didn't recognise me. The last time she saw me I was three years old.
I went to Link Up who found my family had all died except one sister. I was lucky enough to spend two weeks with her before she died. She told me how my family fretted and cried when I was taken away. They also never gave up hope of seeing me again.
The Inquiry was told some reunions are unsupported, with inadequate preparation or counselling for either party. Some witnesses spoke of rejection by the community.
I've received a lot of hostility from other Aboriginal people. They're my own relatives and they really hurt me because ... they have a go at me and say that I don't even know my own relatives, and that I should; that I've got nothing in common with them. The damage is all done and I can't seem to get close to any of them.
Some witnesses returned to families still grieving their loss and awaiting their return.
It was this kind of instant recognition. I looked like her, you know? It was really nice. She just kind of ran up to me and threw her arms around me and gave me a hug and that was really nice. And then suddenly there was all these brothers coming out of the woodwork. I didn't know I had any siblings. And uncles and aunts and cousins. Suddenly everyone was coming around to meet me.
When I was 20 years old I was reunited with my mother for the first time shortly before she died. I suppose I had a natural curiosity to meet and know her. I had an urge to see my mother and when I met her she said, `I knew you'd come'. I didn't know at this stage I was Aboriginal. My mother was the first Tasmanian Aboriginal person I had met. A few of my natural siblings were with her. I still haven't met some of my natural siblings.
The Inquiry found that an unknown number of Indigenous children were taken overseas by foster or adoptive families. For them, locating family and re-establishing links are particularly difficult, if not impossible. The importance of doing so is likely to be as great for them as for people living in Australia.
[RSJ Home]
[HREOC Index]
[Global AustLII Search]
[RSJ Database Search]
[Table of Contents]