National Sorry Day

Tomorrow is National Sorry Day in Australia. It is a day for Australians to mark their respect for the suffering of the stolen generations. Many Aboriginal children were forcibly removed from their homes under government legislation over the last century. The impact of the removal of the children from their homes and families is immeasurable. Tomorrow also marks 10 years since the Bringing Them Home report. This comprehensive report details the experiences of 535 Aboriginal people who were removed from their family's (some from the hospitals in which they were born). The report makes for difficult reading ..."Grief and loss are the predominant themes of this report. Tenacity and survival are also acknowledged. It is no ordinary report. Much of its subject matter is so personal and intimate that ordinarily it would not be discussed. These matters have only been discussed with the Inquiry with great difficulty and much personal distress. The suffering and the courage of those who have told their stories inspire sensitivity and respect.". The parts of the report that I have read have filled me with a mixture of feelings that are difficult to explain. It is a combination of horror, shame, and sadness. That young children could be treated in this manner is appalling. The report makes 48 recommendations, the best recommendation that I can think of is that all non-Aboriginal Australians regard their indigenous counterparts as their equals.

Tomorrow also marks 7 years since the Sorry Day walk of Corroboree 2000. On that day I felt so proud to be Australian. Approximately 250,000 people walked over the harbour bridge in Sydney. Many thousands more marched in cities and towns across Australia. The Aboriginal flag flew proudly over our parched land. Everyone who marched did so because of events in the past for which they were not responsible but for which they were very sorry happened. After the march many people in Sydney stayed in the city to enjoy the day. As people enjoyed the atmosphere a plane flew overhead and began writing in the sky. Being cynical sydneysiders, we scowled at a company that would take advantage of the large gathering. When the first two letters were drawn, an S followed by and O, we thought Sony was responsible. But then came the R, followed by another R and then a Y. There was a collective gasp in the crowd. I felt my heart soar... perhaps there was hope for the future.