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
Hi there Tubby
What a great story. The sad thing is that stories much like yours actually did happen.
I can remember when I was at Primary school that we used to learn about a home for aboriginal children on the way to Blackwood. I have since learned that many of those children had been taken from their parents and placed in that home. People thought that because it was a Christian home it was a good place for the children, but that wasn’t the case. That makes me sad because things like this give Christianity a bad reputation. That place has been bulldozed some years ago and there is a plaque on the ground that it was built on. I am not sure what the plaque says, but perhaps when you are with us sometime, we could drive and check it out.
Love Gran………….keep up the good writing Tubby !!!
Caleb,
I love how much your writing skills have grown this past year. This is an amazing letter! I also love how much you have been teaching me through what you have been learning. Thanks for sharing so much with me.
Lots of love,
Mum
xoxo
Great letter, Caleb.
It touches on such a sad subject. Unfortunately the same sorts of things happened here in Canada too. The government has apologized but the First Nations people still suffer greatly from this horrendous practice. I don’t know how they will ever get over these injustices.
As always, I so enjoy reading your posts. Can’t wait for the next one.
love Grandma