Australian
Screen

an NFSA website

Message Stick – Child Artists of Carrolup (2003)

play May contain names, images or voices of deceased Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
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Sins of the father education content clip 2

This clip chosen to be G

Clip description

Archival photographs show the children of Carrolup during the mission days. Dr John Stanton, Director of the Berndt Museum of Anthropology, gives a background to the Carrolup mission. Mervyn Hill, former Carrolup inmate, offers a personal recount of his days on the Carrolup mission.

Curator’s notes

by Romaine Moreton

Solemn church organ notes preface a moving introduction to the Carrolup mission that gives a social-political explanation for the removal of what were termed 'half-caste’ children in the eyes of white society, in the hopes of concealing the sins of their white male kin. The archival photographs of the children allow us to imagine their confusion in being removed from their families and placed in institutional care without any explanation. Local artist Mervyn Hill’s story of being taken is particularly poignant.