Friday 12 February marks the 8th Anniversary of the National Apology to the Stolen Generation.
Relationships Australia SA started the day by attending Reconciliation SA’s breakfast along with 1500 other people. The breakfast welcomed Archie Roach who was supported by Ellie Lovegrove and Nancy Bates and including a performance with the Dusty Feet Mob. The collaboration of artists performed the song ‘Took the Children Away’ together which was heart wrenching.
A Beautiful welcome to Kaurna Country was given by Katrina (Karlapina) Power.
Peter Sandeman CEO of Anglicare spoke eloquently about how the apology came too late for many of the Stolen Generation and how some of the elderly and sick may miss the reparation scheme too and asked for them to be prioritised.
The rest of the day was spent at Veale Gardens at the ‘Honouring the Stolen Generations’ event where there was a Welcome to Country by Stevie Goldsmith and a surprise performance by Archie Roach and the Dusty Feet Mob where they repeated the emotion from the morning’s breakfast by performing ‘Took the Children Away’ again.
The Stolen Generation, family and friends came together for a healing day with traditional food, pampering, art, music and storytelling.
To read more about the history of the Stolen Generation – see our post here.
To see photos from the ‘Honouring the Stolen Generation’ event – visit our facebook page here.
