Essay on Stolen Generations: The Rabbit Proof Fence

At least 100,000 children were forcibly removed from their families during the Stolen Generation and that one in three children were taken. The Stolen Generation occurred between 1910s and the 1970s, when the Australian Government took Aboriginal children from their families and forced them into church reserves. It is vital that the principals implement texts about the First Nations Australians in our whole school curriculum, as it teaches children of today the trauma and true horror of events that occurred in the past. The three texts ‘The Rabbit Proof Fence’ film, the ‘Change The Game’ rap song, and the ‘Crossing Cultures’ poster are able to portray these events. Subsequently, these texts are able to effectively illustrate the impact of the Stolen Generation and why it is crucial that we incorporate these texts into our whole school curriculum.

The film, ‘Rabbit Proof Fence’ directed by Philip Noyce in 2002, is a powerful text that must be integrated into our school. The importance of this film is to provide a cinematic experience for the audience to understand the impacts the Stolen Generation has had on First Nations Australians. The heart-breaking scene when the three girls - Molly, Daisy, and Gracie - were being stolen from their families evokes an upsetting feeling in the audience. Through this distressing cinematography, the audience is able to get an understanding of the trauma and depression behind the Stolen Generation. Clearly, it is imperative that our school implements a greater variety of First Nations Australians’ texts.

While the Rabbit Proof Fence uses cinematography to portray the Stolen Generation, the ‘Crossing Cultures’ poster crated by Education Queensland, illustrating the 1950s to 1960s, uses apparent visual representation. As portrayed in the corner of the poster, it shows an Aboriginal girl being forcibly taken from her family. This poster uses contrast to compare the past life of Aboriginals and how they are being forced into white society. With the use of contrast, the audience is able to identify the assimilation that is occurring. Evidently, this text is able to effectively illustrate the awful impacts the Stolen Generation and assimilation has had on First Nations Australians. If this text is integrated into our school, children are able to get a better understanding of the long-lasting effects assimilation and the Stolen Generation has had.

How can children of today learn about the impacts the Stolen Generation has had on First Nations Australians? Evidently, this can be illustrated through the intricate rap song, ‘Change the Game’ created by the Collie Crew in 2011. Unlike the film or poster, the ‘Change the Game’ rap song uses audio depiction to portray the impacts of the Stolen Generation. The lyrics, “Stolen from your family…taken away to school…” as well as “Mobs rounded up forced into reserves” and finally “Almost taken but is comin’ back”, allow us to recall past events of the Stolen Generation. However, the allusion used in these lyrics help portray the trauma and negative impacts the Stolen Generation has had on First Nations Australians. Subsequently, we must learn about this text.

It is undoubtedly clear that we must implement First Nations Australians texts into our whole school curriculum. With a wider variety of knowledge gathered from learning these texts, students of Albany Creek State High School are able to get a better understanding of the Stolen Generation and the negative impacts it has had on First Nations Australians. The film, poster and rap song covered today are some of many examples of significant First Nations Australians’ texts. By teaching the next generation of these atrocities, it will help promote reconciliation of the First Nations Australians and their fascinating culture. Consequently, it is undeniable that First Nations Australians’ texts are to be covered so that everyone can acknowledge the trauma and depression that they have been through.