Stolen Generations Memorial at Reconciliation Place, Canberra

The Canberra Stolen Generations Memorial is located within Reconciliation Place, an area of land near the edge of Lake Burley Griffin and in the direct line between the Australian Parliament House and the Australian War Memorial. The Aboriginal Tent Embassy is also on this line, but you could easily visit Reconciliation Place without seeing the Tent Embassy, as it is placed further down the hill.

The centre of Reconciliation Place is a wide grassed area, around which runs a path. To the left and right of the central area the path, is punctuated by 'slivers' that tell the story of various aspects of Aboriginal history post-colonisation – some celebrating achievements, others acknowledging injustice or struggle. There are also red rocks engraved with inspirational quotes and with images copied from ancient rock paintings.

The story of the Stolen Generations is told by two 'slivers', the first of these is made stainless steele and slumped glass, and was part of the original Reconciliation Place design developed by the project team led by architect Simon Kringas which won the National Capital Authority competition.

One side of this sliver is printed with the image of a young boy, and  and has the word for 'child' written in some Aboriginal languages. The other side has a number of small reproductions of mid-twentieth century news clippings about Aboriginal children, and embedded in a recess (covered by perspex) is a coolamon – a traditional carrying plate used by some Aboriginal communities which represents the absent children. Audio of a lullaby is activated when visitors walk near the sliver.

The second 'sliver' was created because members of the Stolen Generations, their families and supporters, did not feel the original design adequately explained or acknowledged the pain and sense of loss caused by the policies of removal. Th design was developed after extensive consultations with Aboriginal communities, members of the Stolen Generations, and people who were involved in child care practices during that time.

This sliver is made of granite and caste iron, and is much more earthy in look and feel, referencing the role of Aboriginal peoples as traditional custodians of the land.

On one side, holes are drilled in the shape of Australia, big enough for people to leave notes in if they wish. Engraved into the metal surface are quotes which tell the stories of the stolen generations in their own words, along with some quotes from some of their non-Aboriginal care givers. On the other side, water runs down the concrete surface in small rivulets into a pool at the bottom.

At one end of the sliver, a metal plaque is embedded into the granite. It gives a history of the policy of child removal, including this paragraph:

This place honours the people who have suffered under the policies and practices. It also honours those people, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, whose genuine care softened the impact of what are
now recognised as cruel and misguided policies.

Reconciliation Place was conceived and built in the early 2000s, during the years of the Howard Government. Some people see it as a response to the 'Sorry' movement which demanded a Government apology in response to the 1996 Bringing Them Home Report into the forced separation of Aboriginal children from their families. Then Prime Minister John Howard refused to apologise, and although Reconciliation Place was built some people felt it didn't have the meaning it should have, because other acts of reconciliation were missing.

The Aboriginal Tent Embassy is located just to the north of Reconciliation Place; it is a much more overtly political statement about Aboriginal sovereignty in Australia.

Questions:

Is the process of talking and listening that takes place before a memorial is developed as important as the memorial itself?