Aborigine children in a Mission School, Queensland

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Aborigine children in a Mission School, Queensland

Aborigine children in a Mission School, Queensland, Australia

Mary Evans Picture Library makes available wonderful images created for people to enjoy over the centuries

Media ID 32381822

© The Keasbury-Gordon Photograph Archive / Mary Evans

Aborigine Mission Queensland

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EDITORS COMMENTS
This evocative image captures a moment in time from the early 1900s, as Aboriginal children attend a Mission School in Queensland, Australia. The photograph, part of The Keasbury-Gordon Photograph Archive Collection from Mary Evans Prints Online, offers a glimpse into the educational institutions established to assimilate Indigenous children into European culture during the Victorian and Edwardian eras. The children, dressed in simple, uniform-like attire, sit attentively on the floor, their eyes fixed on their teacher as she delivers a lesson. The classroom is sparsely furnished, with only a few desks and a simple wooden table. A lantern slide projector rests on a makeshift table at the front of the room, its glass slide casting an ethereal glow on the children's faces. The Mission Schools were a significant part of the assimilation policies implemented by the Australian government during this period. Indigenous children were forcibly removed from their families and communities to attend these institutions, where they were taught European customs, language, and religion. The aim was to 'civilize' them and prepare them for life in white Australian society. Despite the best intentions, these schools were often characterized by harsh living conditions, physical and emotional abuse, and a lack of cultural sensitivity. The children were expected to abandon their traditional ways of life and conform to European norms, leading to a loss of cultural identity and trauma for many Indigenous families. This photograph serves as a poignant reminder of the past, offering a glimpse into the lives of Aboriginal children during a time of great change and upheaval. It is a testament to their resilience and the enduring strength of their culture, which continues to thrive to this day.

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