News – December 2010

Removing children

Young people of mixed descent felt the sting of the Aborigines Protection Board controls and their absorption policy the most. Indeed, people called them ´Destruction Boards´ for they broke up families in a racist policy which operated dependant on the colours of one´s skin. The fragmentation of families increased after the passage of amending legislation in 1915, which increased the powers of the Aboriginal Protection Board. The Board could now, without parental consent or court approval, take Aboriginal children of mixed descent as young as a few weeks old, and place them in foster or training homes. This was the logic of the 1886 Victorian Aboriginal Act which encoded the Protection Board´s aim of the ´absorption of the whole race into the general community´.

(´Aboriginal Australians´, Richard Broome)

Metamorphosoz is a company that looks at the history of the ´Stolen Generations´ and uses their story as an analogy for life to show how to overcome adversities and come out in victory. It is aimed at young people – not only indigenous young people but they play the major role in it as there is still a lot of hurt and undermined confidence. But young people of all cultures have similar problems – and to not single out one ethnic group supports the unity we aim for in a reconciled future for Australia.

Therefor we aim to start the ´Metamorphosoz Fellowship Program´. Our dance show will lead into a Fellowship Program for young indigenous and non-indigenous dancers who will be invited to join for one year to receive additional training, teaching and mentoring on various levels, including experiencing different cultures all over the world. More information and details will be available soon.

Enjoy your Christmas holidays – and we hope to hear from you again next year.