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SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Children of the Empire
Sunday, 24 May, 2009
Children of the Empire (Living Black SBS)
They saluted the Union Jack and sang God Save the Queen.
Taken from their culture and unrecognised as citizens until 1967, they were the children of the empire: the Aboriginal station children of the 1950s and 60s.
Now a chance discovery of 1950s photographs from South Australia's Point Pearce mission has become the basis of an exhibition at Adelaide's TANDANYA National Aboriginal Cultural Institute.
Watch online: Children of the Empire
As Living Black found, it's not just a trip down memory lane. The pictures are proving a valuable resource in reconnecting families.
"Because most people would come from the stolen generations and say 'I'm looking for my mother or father'. They may be in these photos here", former mission child Uncle Dookie told Living Black.
Tune in to Living Black as SBS South Australian correspondent Karen Ashford meets Aboriginal people reconnecting with their past.
TRANSCRIPT
A chance discovery of photographs of South Australian Aboriginal station children of the 1950s and '60s are on display in Adelaide. It's not only formed a new exhibition at the Tandanya Aboriginal Cultural Institute, It's also reuniting families and friends, as SBS South Australian correspondent Karen Ashford reports. 000 Children of the Empire
VOICEOVER: Uncle Dookie remembers when this old ship's bell ruled at Point Pearce mission.
KEVIN 'UNCLE DOOKIE' O'LOUGHLIN: It rang for church, it rang for school, it rang for work - 8:00 for work, 5:00 for knock-off - and it also rang for the mail.
VOICEOVER: It was while receiving a gong of a different type - an Order of Australia medal - that Uncle Dookie had a chance encounter with the sister of his old teacher.
UNCLE DOOKIE: I said, "By chance, you wouldn't have any photographs "of us kids on the mission all those years ago?" 'Cause I knew time was getting on for all of us, and she said, "Look, I'll have a look." Within one week I had about 50 or 60 slides she sent back, and these are the ones on display today.
VOICEOVER: The photographs reveal a vibrant, close-knit community on the verge of change. They included characters like Uncle Matey, who reputedly lived until he was 106.
UNCLE DOOKIE: Legend has it that he tracked Ned Kelly, and he was a prize-fighter.
VOICEOVER: Just as Uncle Dookie reconnected with his past, this exhibition is helping generations of mission families to trace their roots.
UNCLE DOOKIE: Most people would come from the stolen generations and say, "Look, I'm looking for my mother or father." They may be in these photos here. These faces haven't changed in the generation of great-grandchildren today, so if you're looking at these photos, you're looking at children today with the same thing - so these kids today will find their grandparents or great-grandparents in these photos.
VOICEOVER: Pictures from a time when many families were parted may now help bring them together again.
Source: Living Black SBS
Taken from their culture and unrecognised as citizens until 1967, they were the children of the empire: the Aboriginal station children of the 1950s and 60s.
Now a chance discovery of 1950s photographs from South Australia's Point Pearce mission has become the basis of an exhibition at Adelaide's TANDANYA National Aboriginal Cultural Institute.
Watch online: Children of the Empire
As Living Black found, it's not just a trip down memory lane. The pictures are proving a valuable resource in reconnecting families.
"Because most people would come from the stolen generations and say 'I'm looking for my mother or father'. They may be in these photos here", former mission child Uncle Dookie told Living Black.
Tune in to Living Black as SBS South Australian correspondent Karen Ashford meets Aboriginal people reconnecting with their past.
TRANSCRIPT
A chance discovery of photographs of South Australian Aboriginal station children of the 1950s and '60s are on display in Adelaide. It's not only formed a new exhibition at the Tandanya Aboriginal Cultural Institute, It's also reuniting families and friends, as SBS South Australian correspondent Karen Ashford reports. 000 Children of the Empire
VOICEOVER: Uncle Dookie remembers when this old ship's bell ruled at Point Pearce mission.
KEVIN 'UNCLE DOOKIE' O'LOUGHLIN: It rang for church, it rang for school, it rang for work - 8:00 for work, 5:00 for knock-off - and it also rang for the mail.
VOICEOVER: It was while receiving a gong of a different type - an Order of Australia medal - that Uncle Dookie had a chance encounter with the sister of his old teacher.
UNCLE DOOKIE: I said, "By chance, you wouldn't have any photographs "of us kids on the mission all those years ago?" 'Cause I knew time was getting on for all of us, and she said, "Look, I'll have a look." Within one week I had about 50 or 60 slides she sent back, and these are the ones on display today.
VOICEOVER: The photographs reveal a vibrant, close-knit community on the verge of change. They included characters like Uncle Matey, who reputedly lived until he was 106.
UNCLE DOOKIE: Legend has it that he tracked Ned Kelly, and he was a prize-fighter.
VOICEOVER: Just as Uncle Dookie reconnected with his past, this exhibition is helping generations of mission families to trace their roots.
UNCLE DOOKIE: Most people would come from the stolen generations and say, "Look, I'm looking for my mother or father." They may be in these photos here. These faces haven't changed in the generation of great-grandchildren today, so if you're looking at these photos, you're looking at children today with the same thing - so these kids today will find their grandparents or great-grandparents in these photos.
VOICEOVER: Pictures from a time when many families were parted may now help bring them together again.
Source: Living Black SBS
