Stolen Generations survivor Eileen Cummings to speak at National Sorry Day event
A Stolen Generations survivor will mark National Sorry Day by educating young Territorians on the sordid history of the NT. Read what else is on.
Northern Territory
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This National Sorry Day holds special significance for Stolen Generations survivor Eileen Cummings.
The 15th anniversary of Kevin Rudd’s historic speech will also mark the first year since families of deceased Stolen Generations members received compensation.
Dr Cummings, who was taken to Croker Island as a child, said the last two years had been “very busy”.
“Sorry day was something that I was happy that Kevin Rudd did it but for a long time nothing happened,” she said.
“When you get an apology you expect you’ll get some issue that can be solved.”
In August 2021 Ms Cummings wept with joy when a payment for the children forcibly removed from their families was announced.
“We’ve been discussing and negotiating for 30-odd years and finally they’ve given us that,” she said.
“The apology was the first step then we had to keep on going and going.”
Just last week Ms Cummings said another major step was taken when she received official acknowledgment for what her mother went through.
“I felt that our mothers weren’t acknowledged and nobody really did anything for our mothers that we were taken from,” she said.
Ms Cummings will join a panel of other Indigenous Territorians to speak about the importance of Sorry Day and her experience as a member of the Stolen Generations at the Museum and National Gallery of the NT.
“I still want people to really understand the history of Stolen Generations people in the NT,” she said.
The MAGNT is working in partnership with the NT Stolen Generations Aboriginal Corporation and Friends of Kahlin to host the National Sorry Day panel event on Friday.
The seven First Nations panellists include Dr Cummings and Uncle Halpin Hart, both Croker Island survivors and Charlie King, whose mother was placed at Kahlin Compound.
The event runs from 10.30am to midday and is free to attend, though bookings are recommended.
A barbecue lunch with Gold Coast Suns will also be held at Raintree Park in Darwin from 12pm.
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