Below is a letter that we wrote as part of a school project as we learned about the Lost Generation of Australian Aborigines …

The Protector of Aborigines
The Aboriginal Protection Board
George Street,‭ ‬Sydney,‭ ‬NSW

Dear Sir,

When I was ‬8‭ ‬years old,‭ ‬I was taken to a mission.‭ ‬I obviously didn’t won’t to go because I’ve heard what the can do to you.‭ ‬I went only because they said that if I didn’t go that they’d kill my family and myself.

At the mission I was‭ “‬looked‭” ‬after by‭ ‬2‭ ‬maids.‭ ‬They then changed my name that used to be Tubby but changed to Caleb.‭ ‬The maids also worked me very hard.‭ ‬I had to make meals,‭ ‬polish the floor,‭ ‬feed the animals,‭ ‬and clean the house.‭ ‬It was so hard and tiring.

I was then moved to another place to be put to work.‭ ‬This time it was a farm.‭ ‬Now I had to pull weeds and harvest crops instead of doing house jobs.‭ ‬The farmer only sat back and relaxed while watching me work.‭ ‬If I wasn’t doing a good enough job though,‭ ‬he would come and whip me‭ ‬15‭ ‬times.‭ ‬I also had really bad food and had to sleep on the hard cold floor in the barn.‭ ‬I now just wanted to go back to the way it used to be.‭ ‬Relaxed,‭ ‬composed,‭ ‬and effortless sort of life.‭ ‬Not the way that I was living right now.

The farmer then took me to this school type thing and said that I needed to learn English and the culture,‭ ‬Christianity.‭ ‬They taught me horribly though.‭ ‬Whenever I got a question or word wrong,‭ ‬they would whip me at least‭ ‬5‭ ‬times.‭ ‬It was atrocious! ‬I couldn’t wait until I got home.‭ ‬Unfortunately I don’t now when that would be.

10‎ ‏years later I was free‭! ‬Free‭! ‬Free‭! ‬It was a glorious day to be free and get to see my family again.

I hope you can just stop taking kids away from their families so they can live a dandy and contented life.‭ ‬If there still is any children still in the missions,‭ ‬please let them be free.‭ ‬Please don’t do any thing like this again.

From Tubby‭ (‬Caleb‭)

Photo via Denisbin