'Killing me inside': Stolen Generations survivor recounts forced removal trauma

Bronwyn Smith, a Wakka Wakka woman and survivor of the Stolen Generations, has shared her deeply personal story of being forcibly removed from her family at the age of nine. Standing in her primary school principal's office, surrounded by authorities, she was instructed to go to the Aboriginal girls' dormitory in Cherbourg, Queensland, and not return home. This event marked the beginning of years of pain and trauma that continue to impact her life.

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I didn't have any voice or advocacy about what was happening and why it was happening. I was a child of nine … frightened and intimidated.

Smith's experience reflects the broader impact of discriminatory government policies that, between 1910 and 1970, led to the removal of an estimated one-third of Indigenous children from their families across Australia. In Queensland, such removals were legally sanctioned as early as 1865 under the Industrial and Reformatory Schools Act, which defined "any child born to an Aboriginal or half-caste mother" as "neglected" and subject to removal to reformatories.

Life within the Cherbourg Aboriginal Girls' Dormitory was regimented and harsh. The government-controlled settlement segregated children from their families, imposing strict routines. Smith describes the profound and lasting trauma, stating, "I'm so broken as a result of it, in the way that I live my life... All those relationships are impacted." She emphasizes the difficulty in speaking about her experiences, even after 50 years, but asserts her right to share her truth.

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I'm so broken as a result of it, in the way that I live my life, the way that I am a partner, a mother, grandmother, the way I am with my siblings and my nieces and nephews. All those relationships are impacted.

Her testimony is part of the historical record of the "Bringing Them Home" inquiry, which investigated the devastating consequences of these assimilationist policies. Despite the passage of time and changes in legislation, the emotional and psychological scars remain for many survivors. Smith's courage in sharing her story aims to bring understanding and acknowledge the deep wounds inflicted by these past government actions.

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Sometimes people get upset by what I say, but I give no apologies, because it's my truth.