Kia Mistilis

*photography: >>photo essays: Stolen Generations of Uluru

These figurative sculptures depict childhood experiences recalled by members of the stolen generations* from Uluru, central Australia. Their stories were collected by Mutitjulu elder Bob Randall from his own personal experience and that of his peers, and interpreted by sculptor Hazel MacKinnon. Each sculpture was photographed on location where the story originally occurred, spanning 500 km from Uluru to Alice Springs.  

*The term 'stolen generations' refers to Aboriginal Australian children who were forcibly removed from their families under national government policy. It is estimated that between 1910 and 1970, over 50 000 chidren were thus removed and placed in church or government institutions. They were often raised hundreds of kilometres from their tribal homelands, without further contact with their extended families and indigenous culture, including their tribal languages and lands. This project was a collaboration between Bob Randall, Hazel MacKinnon and Kia Mistilis, aimed at promoting better community understanding of our shared history. 

  • Uluru. Stolen Genrations. Aboriginal Austraia. oral history.
  •   Aboriginal Austraia oral history. Stolen Genrations. Uluru.
  •   Aboriginal Austraia Ooral history. Stolen Genrations. Uluru.
  • Australia, Aboriginal oral history, stoln generations, uluru
  • Australia, Aboriginal oral history, stoln generations, uluru
  • Australia, Uluru. Aboriginal oral history. Stolen generations.
  • Australia, Uluru. Aboriginal oral history. Stolen generations
  • Australia, Aborigina oral history. Stolen generations, Uluru.
  • Australia. Aboriginal oral history. Stolen Generations. Uluru.
  • Australia. Aboriginal oral history. Stolen generations. Uluru.
  • Australia. Aboriginal oral history. Stolen generations. Uluru.
  • Many Aboriginal girls stolen from their families were raised as domestic servants in the homesteads of the white landholders. Taken from their families as babies, they began working as small children. They did not attend school and labored in colonial homes without pay. Even as adults they had no freedom of movement, economic independence or control over their lives.
  • Aboriginal children ~ domestic servants Many Aboriginal girls stolen from their families were raised as domestic servants in the homesteads of the white landholders. Taken from their families as babies, they began working as small children. They did not attend school and labored in colonial homes without pay. Even as adults they had no freedom of movement, economic independence or control over their lives.
  • Aboriginal children ~ domestic servants Many Aboriginal girls stolen from their families were raised as domestic servants in the homesteads of the white landholders. Taken from their families as babies, they began working as small children. They did not attend school and labored in colonial homes without pay. Even as adults they had no freedom of movement, economic independence or control over their lives.
  • The Waiting Mothers The mothers whose children were stolen by the church and the colonial government are gathered together, always waiting for their children return. United in their overwhelming grief and distress they also keep a bright flame hope alive deep inside, that one day they will be reunited with their children again.
  • Australia. Aborigial oral history. Stolen generations. Uluru.
  • Australia. Aboriginal oral history. Stolen generations. Uluru.
  • Australia. Aboriginal oral history. Stolen generations. Uluru.
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