Coota Girls Aboriginal Corporation has produced a short film, titled Walking Our Songlines, for truth telling and education, and to inspire Stolen Generations Survivors, their families, and communities.
The film will be launched on Gadigal Country, Sydney on Thursday 29 April 2021.
This important new educational resource features four Coota Girls' descendants sharing their stories of connection and culture, and how this is critically important to their healing from the impacts of forced removals on the families and communities of the Stolen Generations.
Walking Our Songlines captures the history of forced removals and institutionalisation of former residents of the Cootamundra Domestic Training Home for Aboriginal Girls Home (1912-1969).
The short film promotes a greater awareness of Stolen Generations history and its impacts on subsequent generations, known as intergenerational trauma.
It brings greater awareness of Aboriginal culture so that all communities, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal, understand the importance of kin, country, culture, and spirit in healing.
The stories of four Coota Girls' descendants explores their lived experience and how they have maintained connections – despite the impacts of forced removal and intergenerational trauma – and inspires hope as they share their culture with future generations, other Stolen Generations families, and the wider community.
"It's our time to be healed and the only people who can do that is us"
Cherie Johnson – Coota Girl descendant
Connection to culture, country and spirit are vitally important for identity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and Stolen Generations families. These connections are at the very heart of Aboriginal culture that has survived and thrived for more than 60,000 years.
Film launch: 11am 29May 2021
