As we pass through the north of WA we are cognizant of its bloody and tragic past. Steph will post more on this topic but for Sorry Day I wanted to share with you a piece of writing I found in the old Roebourne jail; one of the destinations for many northern Aboriginal men in the late 1800s.
Image from the old Roebourne jail museum
The excerpt is from 100 Years of the culture of womanhood in the Pilbara by Llyrus Weightman, written as a small community project.
'How can we write Aboriginal women's herstory unless we are Aboriginal women? We can't, we can only look at it from when European records began, that is, written documented history. We can only read about these historic events and imagine how we would feel or react. For our Aboriginal sisters we can only imagine the pain, frustrations and helplessness felt as herstory unfolded for them.
Firstly their land was invaded by a race of people who had no understanding of kinship or family and tribal roles and responsibilities.
They were enslaved and turned into domestic servants, a race of people who did not find building a house or structure to give shelter necessary, when they could simply move with the season.
Made to shepherd a strange animal that destroyed their water holes and beloved land. They were coerced and raped and began to produce children of mixed race. They were 'Black birded', kidnapped from their families and forced to work in the pearling industry. How would we feel to be home in our community and have men ride up and steal our family, never to be seen again? To see our men marched away in chains of iron, a most horrid metal that was also alien to their beloved land. The invaders then said we would take care of the people and herd them onto reserves, again not understanding the tribal law. Then the government decides to take all the children of mixed blood away and civilise them. They did this by teaching them the white mans way and taking away their heritage.
History tells us this was a grave injustice to these women. We can no longer depend on the oral tradition of women passing herstory on, we must record and document this herstory. We must not forget and never allow this history to repeat itself in such a destructive and irreconcilable manner.
Let the next millennium never have to say they are sorry for.'