Reflective Essay on Stolen Generation

Running Head: STOLEN GENERATION
Stolen Generation
Students Name
University Affiliation
Date

STOLEN GENERATION 2
Reflective essay on Stolen Generation using Gibbs Cycle
Description
Between the period of 1910 and 1970, many aboriginal children were compellingly
removed from their respective families due to numerous policies placed by the government. The
generations of children who suffered these regressive policies were later referred to as the stolen
generation (O’Donnell, Taplin, Marriott, Lima & Stanley, 2019). The removal of children by
the state left a host of the numerous scars, losses, and trauma not only to the children but also to
the families and relatives (Frew& White, 2015). The assimilation policy proposed that the
indigenous individuals were allowed to ‘phase or die out via the natural elimination process or
they were integrated into the white population. All children who were forcefully taken away
from their families were trained to discard their culture, heritage and instead adopt the white
culture (Rosalie and Mathew, 2017). However, assimilation policies failed in its original aim of
enhancing the lives of the aboriginal population by absorbing them into the white population.
The major reason why the policy failed was due to the refusal of the white population to accept
indigenous population as their equals regardless of the efforts they put to live and behave like the
white people (Kurian, 2016; Pannell, 2018). The concept of stolen generation has really
generated the feeling of empathy.
Feeling
During the whole semester, my learning experience has been very vital towards my
awareness of the aboriginal population. At the start of the semester when we were given the
various unit outline, we were handed the course outline in which one of the units which we were
to undertake in the semester was about the concept of stolen generation in Australia. I never had

STOLEN GENERATION 3
any idea of the concept of the stolen generation in Australia. I thought that the concept of stolen
generation was about a generation; for instance, the current generation was ‘stealing’ resources
meant for the future generation. However, after attending the class about the stolen generation,
my perspective of the stolen generation has been impacted throughout this semester. The unit has
greatly enhanced my awareness towards the aboriginal population of Australia as well as the
immoral and unethical policies which were put in place the government. My feelings and
response to the concept of stolen generation were completely different from what I had earlier
thought it was. My emotions have greatly triggered throughout the semester. I was touched by
the horrible measures and policies which were put by the government on the indigenous children.
Being taken away from your family is not only inhuman but also was an infringement of the
rights of the children under the Universal Declaration on Human Rights.
Critical evaluation
To learn how the children were forcefully removed from their families and how it
happened for a very long time made me sad (Pannell, 2018). For instance, the way my teacher
narrated how some families were forcefully removed and taken to children Home in Melbourne
was so cruel and unjust. The policy of assimilation was bad since it left many victims in
psychological trauma. Most of the children were sexually, physically and psychologically abused
while living in the protection of the white community and their adoptive families (Harrison,
Burke & Clarke, 2018). The efforts by the state to make indigenous children adopt another
culture and reject their culture made them feel ashamed of their own culture. Medical reports
suggest that most of the victims suffered from depression, post-traumatic stress, anxiety and
suicide especially among the stolen generation. My response to the concept of stolen generation
was based on limited consideration which I only learnt in class and through various