Caring for Country 2020 Finalists

Gemma Mills

Ballimore Public School

2016, Primary School, Writing

My story relates to Reconciliation because it is a journey. The Stolen Generations ‘Always was and Always will be’ part of Australia’s history. I started o thinking
of the most important events in our timeline. The Aboriginal men who went to war, the Stolen Generations and the “2008 Apology”. Then I put myself in the character’s shoes and thought what would I do? How would I feel?

Liam Andrew George Golden

Point Clare Public School

2016, Primary School, Writing

My poem tries to highlight the awareness of a little boy who witnesses firsthand the violence against Indigenous Australians and the removal of their children from their parents. Even though this little boy does not realise that what he is witnessing, is “the Stolen Generations” playing out in front of him, these events haunt him into adulthood.
While as a young boy, he was traumatised by the horror he saw. In writing this poem,
I have also tried to show how the boy grows up and becomes an adult, the memories then turn to horror in the reality of what he actually witnessed. Although the now grown man, knows that he cannot change the events of the past, he believes that we all need to be made aware of the true events of the past. There needs to be understanding of the wrongs in order not just to ensure that we never forget them, but that we learn from them in order to ensure that they NEVER happen again. It is essential for this to occur in order for us to be able to reconcile.

Aarya Phansalkar

Blaxcell Street Public School

2016, Primary School, Writing

My poem, The Stolen, relates to reconciliation as it is about the life of Aboriginal people during the period of the Stolen Generations. It refers to the horrid times of torture and thievery, explaining the emotions of Aboriginal people as they experienced many horrible times. My poem relates back to the theme ‘Always Was, Always Will Be’ as it describes years when Aboriginal children were taken unjustly from their birth parents. They always were and always will be a part of their Aboriginal families, culture, heritage and land.
When I was writing this poem, I attempted to imagine myself in the shoes of an Aboriginal person watching her people being stolen and taken to British camps to learn their foreign culture. I tried to think about how it would feel if I were taken away from my family and this influenced my writing as I added melancholy words and phrases. This poem has greatly impacted my thinking about the Stolen Generations and Aboriginal people in general.

Sarah McCaskie

West Wyalong High School

2016, High School, Writing

I wrote from the perspective of someone unhappy with celebrating Australia Day as she and her husband are part of the Stolen Generations. My story relates to ‘Always was, Always will be’ because it shows how people celebrated 200 years of white settlement in Australia when nobody celebrated Indigenous settlement. I wanted to write about someone a part of the Stolen Generations, so I imagined being taken away from my family and then people celebrating it.

Freya Roberts

Hornsby Girls High School

2016, High School, Writing

My story, Family of Foreigners, relates to reconciliation as my story acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the traditional owners of this land. It conveys this message through statements for example ‘I belonged right here’ and ‘always be our lands and our home’. This story relates to the theme as it recognises the fact that Australia has always been their land and their home, no matter what circumstances. I created the character because she had an interesting and relevant perspective and I could describe strong emotions.
Sarah Whitfield

Sarah Whitfield

Winmalee High School

2016, Artwork, High School

Karina Fiddling

Karina Fiddling

Winmalee High School

2016, Artwork, High School

Bethany Price

Bethany Price

Nepean Creative and Performing Arts High School

2016, Artwork, High School

Sophia Masters

Sophia Masters

Reddam House

2016, Artwork, High School

Jade Simpson

Jade Simpson

Taree Christian College

2016, Artwork, High School

Teachers Click Here

Many of these resources and activities have been developed in consultation with NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) to ensure that the program meets NSW curriculum outcomes for Stages 3, 4 & 5.