29/05/2020
A touching tribute for Sorry Day
Acknowledging our Stolen Generations
A MAJESTIC mosaic has been unveiled in Mildura as a moving gesture to acknowledge past and present members of the Stolen Generations.
Revealed for the first time earlier this week on National Sorry Day (May 26), the mosaic is an impressive result of two years of work by Mallee District Aboriginal Services (MDAS) clients and staff members.
“This mosaic is dedicated to the past and present members of the Stolen Generations,” explained MDAS Bringing Them Home case worker Angela Yates.
The mosaic has been under development since the idea for the project emerged at a community event held in Mildura in 2018 to mark the 10th anniversary of former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s apology to the Stolen Generations. Since then, members of the MDAS Bringing Them Home and the Koori Women’s Diversion programs have steadily worked on it.
But a last minute push was required to get the mosaic complete and installed for its unveiling, with Angela and her colleague Justine Bowden working on it intensively in recent weeks.
“We’ve been grouting, sanding, putting tiles in the right place – it was a really, really big job but we are so pleased it is up now,” Angela said.
“It took a lot of time and effort but we were so determined to get it completed.”
The mosaic has been installed at the MDAS Social and Emotional Wellbeing Hub on Orange Avenue, where it will be seen by many of those who have worked on it.
“Through the Bringing Them Home program we work very closely with our Elders and Stolen Generations, so we thought National Sorry Day would be the perfect time to reveal the mosaic,” Angela said.
While current COVID-19 restrictions limit visitors to the site, Angela and Justine are looking forward to Elders seeing the artwork.
“When the Elders come back, we will be able to show it to them and dedicate it to the Stolen Generations to acknowledge what has happened in the past,” Angela said.
“We are really proud of it and can’t stop looking at it!”
Pictured: Justine Bowden and Angela Yates with the mosaic