Children systemically stolen from families in broad daylight by government officials and religious zealots who’d determined that they could ‘breed’ the savagery out. Read that as they’d found a ready source of slavery.
Moved onto mission compounds trained to the churches standards, no language or customs allowed. Siblings harshly parted, no access to family, country or tradition. They suffered at every possible level, too many buried nearby.
Their tormentors felt justified so their cries were ignored. Some hung themselves, others rubbed themselves raw trying to make their skin white while everyone ignored their plight. Others subjected to sadistic paedophile rings, I dress their stories patterned and purple as night.
The general public either ignorant or blind meant those to blame were never held to account. As these proud people try to reclaim their own lives and traditions, desperately searching for relatives and tribal connections.
d’Verse, 144 word prose using the line “I dress in their stories patterned and purple as night.” by Kimberly Blaeser, Lisa from Tao talk
Rabbit Proof Fence is an Australian story of the Stolen Generations … every country seems to have their shame! The photo is from this movie, these young ladies are gifted actresses.
in today’s news, they are still suffering!
Verification that they are still being stolen … as of 9/12/21
aroused 
[…] of the ‘stolen generation’ – when churches and government forcibly removed children from their families – raised by […]
LikeLike
Such sadness in reading the plight of our native people, whether in Australia or America. When one changes the location, we find the same playbook being used over and over.
LikeLiked by 1 person
white entitled people … ;(
LikeLiked by 1 person
Heartbreaking truth.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The culprits always get away with it. Makes me sick!
LikeLiked by 1 person
exactly … fortunately I believe in karma!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, the miserable guilt one feels when one knows the truth.
LikeLiked by 1 person
ah guilt is a waste of energy, shame would be the more appropriate word
LikeLiked by 1 person
I… I… what…?
❤
David
LikeLiked by 2 people
yes two children adopted into white families, scrubbed the flesh off their arms, trying to find the ‘white’ skin … 9 and 11 yo 😦
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ohhh my dear..this made me so mad…how on earth could someone do that…ahhh no words kate….😔😔😔
LikeLike
no the children did it to themselves … how confused is that!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s more than understandable to me. One of my sisters would beg my mom to buy a particular brand of bar soap she saw on TV because it promised to take all the dirt off. That’s what she thought her brown skin was – dirt. We were all conditioned to believe the optimum shade is white – with a healthy tan that is sure to fade in the fall. Even now.
Another post of great understanding, Kate. Hiy hiy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I never cease to be appalled by what humans do to each other … and in the name of ‘religion’!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s amazing how so many can turn a blind eye to abuse and injustice!
LikeLiked by 1 person
with the combined power of government and church, few are willing to challenge … a bit like the authoritarian rule our govts are using during this pandemic 😦
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m not Catholic but am a Christian…this is NOT how Jesus taught his followers to treat others! A terrible abuse of children under the guise of religion which makes it all more horrific.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Heartbreaking and powerful post, Kate and yes I completely agree with you. All this outrage is still going on all over the world. The poor have no say and there are few activist who do so much for them. Nice post thanks for sharing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
As you point out, every nation has its crimes against humanity and many are on-going, and many of these so-called educative programmes were run by religious institutions. It has taken massive group actions to get the Vatican to acknowledge there might have been a teeny problem with pedophilia, and the Magdalen Laundries coming to light has been one of the reasons the Irish have left the Church in droves and are not going back. Let’s get our priorities right.
LikeLiked by 1 person
How sad 😢. I didn’t know much about this. I thought this was true during colonial times. Things are better now.
LikeLiked by 1 person
not really, and those stolen as children as now seeking to reclaim their heritage as adults, such a tragic loss reverberates through generations …
LikeLiked by 1 person
Beautifully and powerfully retold, Kate. And how this applies to so many nations the world over too. The least we can do is bear witness to their stories. A great write.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well said–the story of many countries throughout time.
I saw Rabbit Proof Fences many years ago–when my children were young.
LikeLiked by 1 person
A tragedy on so many levels, Kate. Well said.
LikeLiked by 1 person
you captured their suffering and this injustice with such moving lines, Kate. beautiful.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is where mankind has so much it needs to be ashamed about….
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for writing about Kate. This is powerful but heart breaking at the same time.
LikeLiked by 1 person
not so different from how the Dalits are treated!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Powerful, important write, SweetKate! Thank you! We must never forget and we must continue to fight for the rights of everyone who needs us to fight!
The tears are flowing. So heartbreaking (and maddening) that this has happened all over the world, and is still going on in many places. 😦
I had a much older friend (he has since died) who was Seminole. What you have described here happened to him when he was just a little boy. His story is heartbreaking.
(((HUGS))) ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s so heart breaking Kate.. Racism against certain communities is the main business for politics and so called power.
LikeLiked by 1 person
True
LikeLiked by 1 person
Your story tells all too well the atrocities we enact on our fellow human beings. We, who think we are so smart, are really very ignorant in our thinking! Well done Kate.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Heart-wrenching truth, Kate! If I say what I feel about the wrongdoers and what should be done to them, I will not be any better than them. But justice should prevail.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Here in the US the First Nations were systemically stripped of their lands and then forced onto reservations. From there the children were taken and “educated” some educated to death. It was horrible and yes, the ripple effects is still seen even today nearly 100 years after the practice was halted… As for bringing individuals to justice – they have all long ago died and are being judged by their creator.
LikeLike
ours is still happening to some degree … they have the highest rates in prison, psych units, foster care, etc … sadly those two institutions are struggling to change their attitude!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Such a tragic event in history. Great hard hitting poem.
Misguided zealots ruining lives of others.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This suffering passes through many generations. It’s time we acknowledged it and tried to return some dignity to those wronged. (K)
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is such brutal and sad truth of our humanity.
LikeLike
racism combined with religion and government is the most terrible thing in our human history. 💔
thank you for the link, I did not know about that. But similar environmental racism happens a lot here all over the USA…
LikeLiked by 1 person
I completely agree with all the comments Kate .. and …we must not forget …
LikeLiked by 1 person
wow super powerful poem Ivor, your absolute best, a masterpiece … do pray many more read it and that you’ve published it far and wide!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It’s a story almost too heartbreaking for words, but we can’t let these crimes go unknown and unpunished. I have seen Rabbit Proof Fence, an excellent film.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Heartbreakingly told, Kate. Btw, your link returns “page not found” on Mr. Linky.
Pax,
Dora
LikeLiked by 1 person
Kate, your scathing indictment of the guilty parties is fully justified and I wonder how we can reach those wrongdoers and get some restorative justice for the untold numbers of those harmed in campaigns to exterminate cultures 😦 Those still suffering from the practices that were imposed upon them need blankets of healing support wrapped around them.
LikeLiked by 1 person
the churches here are crumbling under their gross hypocrisy [karma], more are finding their own spirituality outside the bigoted confines of those large institutions!
LikeLiked by 1 person
VERY WELL-SAID, Kate.
LikeLiked by 1 person