Throughout the early 1900s, stemming from a lack of understanding and respect for traditional Aboriginal culture, the Australian public was eager to believe that Aboriginal children were disadvantaged and at risk in their own communities. In the belief that they would receive a better education, a more loving family, and a more civilized upbringing, were adopted by white families or sent to government institutions.
The reality of the scenario was that Aboriginal children were being removed from their homes in order to be introduced to ‘Anglo values’ and with a view for them to be employed by colonial settlers, and to stop their traditional culture, language and identity being passed onto them. The children who were targeted for removal by the authorities had one parent that was 'white' and one that was Aboriginal. At the time these children were called by the derogatory term of 'half-caste'. The main objective behind the removal of these children was one of racial assimilation. The Aboriginal Protection Boards at the time believed that by separating the mixed race children from their original families, traditional communities,spiritual lands and culture, the integration into 'white' Australian society would be more effective. The mixed descent Aboriginal population in time would merge with the non-Indigenous population, essentially getting 'rid' of all Aboriginals in a cultural melting pot. The children who were removed and then placed in institutions or with foster families often received a very low standard of education, indeed most of the time no education at all, especially when compared with the standard of education available to white Australian children. It was common in remote areas such as Western Australia, that the male children were placed in dormitories, trained as farm laborers and by the age of 14 were sent out to work. Aboriginal girls were sent to similar homes established by the Board to be trained for domestic service. |