A.O. Neville or in some cases, was refered to as “Mr Neville the Devil” failed in his efforts to eventually breed out the Aboriginal through assimilation and then misconcengation He then shifted focus to educating the Aborigine and finally moving focus onto equipping Aborigines with menial skills such as domesic duties and stock/grounds work. Nevilles' belief in that the Aborigine could only be educated to the European grade 3 level only accentuated his ignorance in that they could only be taught remedial lessons and menial tasks, no attempts were made to develop a curriciulum or lessons like the Loves’, where the sociocultural theory to teaching was considered and used to teach the Aboriginal children. Today, a knowledge of ‘Gardners Mutiple Intelligences' allows teachers to plan learning experiences that benefit how the child learns, instead of enforcing a curriculum that does not work for individual learners.
Nevilles' thinking that “by separating the children at Mogumber and putting the little ones, or the school children out into the compound, keeping them away from the camps, they would gradually realise there was a better life than a camp life” Even though the contact between the adults at the camp and the children within the compounds of the mission were minimal, Sr Eileen Heath believed that the Aboriginal would not entirely lose their culture as they were great story tellers and passed on their traditions and lores through their telling of stories. (Personal communication, 17 Oct 1997) But what of the half caste, quarter caste and the quadroons, who could not participate in the traditional Aboriginal customs as they were not recognised or classed as Aboriginal, and yet still not considered a European, and not have the same privileges and rights as the European. What he achieved here instead, was a sense of not belonging to either culture and a new form of race that did not seem to fit anywhere in the Australian Society. Although there are accounts from half caste, quarter caste and the quadroon Aboriginal to suggest that they were appreciative of being able to read and write, but still there is a yearning to feel a sense of belonging to certain people and making a connection to family and country. Would the circumstances of this be reversed, if the contact between the parents and the children allowed for traditional customs to be maintained and practised?
The forcible removal of children created a distrust of the government and missionaries by Aborignal people. Even those Aborigines who wanted their children educated developed the mistrust, as they were told that their children would be returned to them after they had been educated, this did not eventuate and the children in some cases were told that their parents had died or did not want them. Furthermore, parents who accompanied their children to the mission or reserve were still not able to have contact with the children as they had invisioned.This made the Aboriginal people wary of the promises made by the government in regards to their children and their education. In todays society, the dependance on welfare payments to educate Aborignal children almost seems like the Government has to bribe the Aboriginal into educating their children, with further restrictions being put in place, such as the voucher system. This involves the Government distributing funds to Aboriginal parents on the proviso that their children attend school regularly, if attendance is not regular, then the Government can cut funding to the family. This forces the Aborigine to do something because they are told to and not because they see the benefit of education. Education is knowledge and power, more Aboriginal people need to realise this.
Life within the missions and reserves was hard and conditions were harsh. The Aboriginal childen could not experience the love of family from the missionaries and managers, opting to make the other children at the mission their family, or some of the older children could still remember the kinship relationships of some the inhabitants from the same language areas.The negative effect on Aboriginals’ parenting skills have developed from negative childhood experiences are evident in todays society. Discipline of little childen in Aboriginal culture was not part of their traditions, but in todays society it is nothing for an Aboriginal parent to hit a child to discipline them, eventuating from the discipline forced upon the Aborigines at the start of the nineteenth century. What could have been the outcome if a residential college style of instituition were used instead of the dormitory and compound style? Where parents could live with their children and be immersed in the European culture as well.
A. O. Neville’s attempts to breed out the Aboriginal has only resulted in a race of people who do not know where they belong or their place in Australia, the Stolen Generation. A reliance by some of the Aboriginal people on welfare payments and handouts, as Aboriginals had always had their lives restricted and regulated from the time of settlement.
References:
Attwood, B. et al. (1994). Excerpts taken from ... A Life Together A Life Apart: A History Of Relations Between Europeans And Aborigines. Melbourne: Melbourne University Press.
Choo, C. (2001). Homes for Wayward Girls in Mission Girls: Aboriginal Women on Catholic Missions in the Kimberley, Western Australia. 1900 – 1950. Perth: UWA Press
Green, N. (1996). The Mission as a Total Institution Forrest River Mission under Ernest Gribble in B. J. Dalton (ed) University Lectures on North Queensland History No. 5 , James Cook University: Townsville, Qld.
Maushart, S., (2003). Sort Of A Place Like Home: Remembering the Moore River Native Settlement, Fremantle Arts Centre Press:Fremantle, WA.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)