This year’s National Sorry Day event took place on Thursday 26 May at the Stolen Generation Memorial and Healing Garden, Stebonheath Park, Andrews Farm with festivities and a community lunch taking place afterwards at the John McVeity Centre.
283 members of the community attended the events, including 82 children as well as the 20 teachers & principals; officials from the local government including 5 local elected members; 40 staff from RASA and supporting agencies.
The event featured special guests:
Josh Warrior
Nathan May
Simi Vuata
Princess Elsa ‘Chloe Kotsano’
Brutha ‘n’ I
MC David Rathman
Welcome to Country by the Taikurtinna Dance Group
Special Guest Speakers Chrissy Doolan & Chrisy Evans from The Circle of Hope Inc.
What is National Sorry Day?
The Bringing Them Home Report about the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families recommended that a National Sorry Day be held each year on May 26 ‘to commemorate the history of forcible removals and its effects’.
National Sorry Day is a day to remember the removal of Aboriginal children from their families. A chance for all Australians to recognise the pain thousands of Aboriginal people went through. The children affected are known now as the Stolen Generations.
National Sorry Day Events
In response to former Prime Minister John Howards refusal to apologize a popular movement evolved to celebrate Sorry Day in the absence of a formal political recognition from the government. In the Adelaide metropolitan areas National Sorry day has been held in the Adelaide CBD for many years.
In 2015, Relationships Australia SA partnered with the Stolen Generation Alliance and Circle of Hope Inc. and began the first northern based event for National Sorry Day.
2016 saw a larger partnership for the event with Relationships Australia SA collaborating with Anglicare, Centacare, Kaurna Plains Children’s Centre, Circle of Hope Inc and Playford City Council to deliver a larger event in response to the community feedback and need.
To view photos from this year’s Sorry Day, click here.
