Abuse of Aboriginal Children at Adventist Mission in Mid 20th Century Reported
By AT News Team, December 5, 2014: A public broadcasting service in Australia published a story on Wednesday (December 3) reporting the abuse of children at the Mona Mona Mission some seven or eight decades ago. The mission was located in Far North Queensland on a peninsula that reaches from Australia toward New Guinea. It started in 1913 with the goal of reaching the aboriginal people in the area, according to the Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopedia. The Aborigines are the native peoples of Australia who were present when the first settlers arrived from England.
Mona Mona was one of 14 missions operated by various Christian denominations in collaboration with the government of the State of Queensland. The children of Aborigines were taken from their families at an early age in placed in dormitories at the mission stations where they were educated. These children are now senior citizens, many in their 80s. They recall the loneliness of being separated from their parents, harsh conditions in the dorms and instances of physical and sexual abuse.
Mona Mona Mission was closed in 1962. “A large-scale state government inquiry into the treatment of children in [these] institutions in Queensland, known as the Forde Inquiry, found wide-scale allegations of abuse,” the report published this week by Australia’s Special Broadcasting Service (SBS) states. “This led to thousands of claimants receiving compensation from the state from 2007 to 2010.”
The claimants from the church-run missions were left out of this compensation because the missions were “unlicensed” despite the funding they had from local government. Earlier this year a law firm in the city of Cairns filed a petition on behalf of more than 70 of these senior citizens with the Australian Human Rights Commission which has resulted in compensation, but some of the seniors “believe that the Seventh Day Adventist Church should be held accountable” as well, the SBS reported.
The report states that Judy Enoch is an Adventist who has been lobbying the denomination’s administrators in Australia “to officially recognize what happened at Mona Mona. She says that while the Adventist Church issued a general apology a few years ago to Aboriginal people for any wrongs that had been done in the past, it’s still not enough.”
Enoch is quoted in the report, “There has been no attempt made by the Church to come and hear their stories. The elders are being let down by the Church.” She told the SBS that the senior citizens who were children at the Mona Mona Mission “are now set on pursuing legal action against the Seventh Day Adventist Church for the mistreatment they suffered at the mission.”
The SBS report also quotes a representative from the Seventh-day Adventist denomination in Australia. “We are very concerned about any allegations of misconduct in the past and welcome the opportunity to dialogue with anyone who may have concerns that have not been addressed.”
The SBS report includes stories from several senior citizens in the local aboriginal community near Mona Mona. They tell of being housed in dormitories without sufficient heat and going hungry from lack of food, as well as being locked in for 12 hours a night and jailed for up to three weeks at a time if they ran away to see their families. One man states that he was sexually abused by older aboriginal children at the Mona Mona Mission.
There is nothing unique about the Adventist involvement in this story. The concept that native children should be separated from their families and “civilized” in mission schools was widely practiced throughout the 19th and 20th centuries in many places around the world. It has left a bitter legacy which Christian leaders in several denominations now regret and has led to financial compensation plans in several countries, including the United States and Canada as well as Australia.
Not having seen the documentary I am left to comment on the report as published here.
First let me state that I believe that in the USA, I have seen more coverage of what happened here with our Native American children who were institutionalized. I firmly believe that those who did this made a grave mistake. Taking children away from their families is almost never best for the children, unless there are problems of neglect and abuse within their families.
If there are no other complaints complaints against the Adventist school beyond what is reported here, then they probably got-off better than others that I am aware of. This is only damning with faint praise.
Based upon the content of the story the headline seems to be misleading. The abuse was the government policy of institutionalizing children in the hopes that this would promote assimilation into the Anglo society. The missions aided and abetted this bad policy.
I lived in a dormitory at one of the better boarding academies of its era. In a much colder climate that Northern Australia we had heating problems, I was sometimes hungry, and I witnessed older boys abusing and harassing younger boys in various manners including verbal, emotional, physical and sexual. That is the natural tendency when boys are housed in a dormitory with inadequate supervision. I know others who went to Adventist boarding schools and fared far worse than did I. Some of the children of missionaries who went to boarding school from a very early age had some very bad experiences at the hands of staff and fellow students.
I think the fair way to summarize this news article (which may or may not represent the actual situation) would be that taking small children away from their homes is generally detrimental to their emotional health and well-being. Whether there was more cold and hunger and abuse and inadequate supervision in their dormitories than would have occurred in their homes and villages cannot be determined from this distance in time and place.
I see nothing here that represents any malice or malfeasance on the part of the church. I do see an unfortunate set of actions and consequences that could have been avoided and are now cause for regret. When we attempt to parent other people we set ourselves up for adverse consequences when things do not go well. If we like to take the credit when things do go well then we must also shoulder the blame when things go awry.
If anyone is interested in understanding these types of issues. I’ve placed a few links below.
I have pretty much first hand experience with both the Aboriginal culture and SDA Missions. I spent much of my early years in the Aussie Outback, worked with and among Aboriginal folks, and visited two different Mission Stations in that time.
At a later stage our family purchased an “ex” mission station and we spend several years there. We knew ex staff, and many, many Aboriginal people who had attended the old Mission. Just a couple of stories that come to mind. Girls used to sneak out and go to the main road, just over half a mile through the bush, flag down truckys and earn a bit of money! Boys used to make it their aim to get into the girls dorm. I could tell one story of how one group did this, but I think it would require editing out.
Were there staff who took advantage? No doubt, and there is no justification or excuse for it. They should be held to account. However, in accepting that responsibility, the missions should not be looked back on with shame or regret. They left a generation of Aboriginal people with an education and mostly with a better life than would otherwise have been possible in that era. I know many, many of these people.
Today, if anyone takes the time here in Oz to understand the state of things, many Aboriginal children are far worse off. There are more in out of home/out of culture care now than at any other time. Alcohol and care issues are profound.
I taught in a prison for a while and got to know some of the inmates, several of whom I knew their families from the mission and previous work. Many of them were ashamed at how a small group of activists exploited the system regarding land rights, racism and such issues.
Ironically, in my teaching I at first tried to put it in a context using illustrations from the bush. Only to find that most had no idea what I was talking about. They were more “citified” than I was!
Anyway, re this news report. Yes, accountability, but based on an honest assessment of the past, not a money grabbing one.
Please note. You will not find my sentiments in the Mainstream Aussie media. I speak from experience and a close understanding of the Aboriginal culture.
http://quadrant.org.au/opinion/bennelong-papers/2013/12/stolen-degeneration/
http://quadrant.org.au/opinion/bennelong-papers/2014/09/squaring-circle-aboriginal-identity/
http://quadrant.org.au/opinion/bennelong-papers/2013/11/traditional-culture-vile-crimes/
Abuse happened to white kids under Australian govt policy as well but we never hear of that. The aboriginal issues are a political football and always have been. I suspect the same goes for the US….journalism has become as much a point scoring game with media outlets controlled or governed by those of a certain political persuasion – hence the beat up headline of this story and the sensationalization of others.
As a Pastor those of us in leadership and regular members are responsible for our actions. I see that those who brought attention to this story; they have done a wonderful job. Besides in 2014 there was a Sexual Abuse lawsuit brought, by a family of an Adventist girl in Burton, Texas; where an Adventist girl was sexually assaulted by an Adventist School Teacher. The principal called the authorities when learning of the assault. the SDA teacher was sentenced to 30 years in prison without parole, and the parents will be suing the Southwest SDA Conference. The bible states what is done in the dark will soon surface to the light, and your sins will find you out. But the new Roman Catholic Adventist, doesn’t seem to see anything wrong with sin; they foolishly attempt to justify it. And cover it up just like a Harlot of Rome The Whore. As a Pastor and Student of Law these people have every right to sue the Australian and General Conference of SDA Corporation in Silversprings , MD. These people need to get them a good attorney and file a class action lawsuit. They should contact the news agency and tell there story to the world. FYI, please do not forget about Operation Whitecoat where SDA Member were used as Human Guinea Pigs in the 1950, 60, 70,etc….
Loose lips sinks ships and you my brother with your inflammatory rhetoric cannot believe that the words of your mouth and the meditations of your heart is acceptable in His sight. For my fellow soldiers who voluntarily participated in Operations White coat during the Vietnam era I laud their valuable contribution to the research mission. I served in Vietnam during this time as a combat medic having freshly graduated from Andrews University as did several Whitecoat Operation soldiers. For your information these soldiers, veterans have for years continued to meet in Frederick MD home of , Fort Detrick which was the center of the US biological weapons program from 1943 to 1969. I find the reference to my fellow soldiers/ veterans as human guinea pigs to be reprehensible. Veterans are to be praised for their sacrifices for our country and the world. Did you have the privilege of serving? I recognize your entitlement to your opinion, but the facts are not yours to gerrymander. Robert L Jones CDR RET
“I find the reference to my fellow soldiers/ veterans as human guinea pigs to be reprehensible. Veterans are to be praised for their sacrifices for our country and the world. Did you have the privilege of serving? I recognize your entitlement to your opinion, but the facts are not yours to gerrymander.”
He is entitled to his opinion but not the facts! I agree, Jones, with the sentiments of your statement. I have gone to one or two of the Reunions because of my interest in their service and my own past service. And they were volunteers. One can agree or disagree with certain aspects of the experimentation but it is well documented that participants were volunteers.
Do they still have a reunion?
Maranatha
Pastor Will,
What and who is a “new Roman Catholic Adventist”?
Yes, all people are entitled to have their story heard, but we should withhold our final judgment on the veracity of the stories until all sides of the events are in. Where abuse has taken place, justice should be upheld and perpetrators held to account, but until that time, we do not know.
One would anticipate that there is more truth to these stories than the stolen generation story. A story which is now pretty clearly seen as fabrication and myth.
Answer: All members of The GCSDA CORPORATION in Silversprings, Md.
Bro. Barrett did the Holy Spirit, tell you to foolishly reply to my post; or was it the works of the flesh? Please let your yeas be yes, and your nays; be no. Pastor Will
Will, if the Spirit that motivates your rudeness and judgmental attitude is the Holy Spirit, then, NO, it was not the Holy Spirit that motivated me.. it was a genuine curiosity as to what you meant.
Thank you for enlightening me.. All the best in your journey, but it is not mine..
Thanks for doing a write up on this ATO. I am a member of the Northern Australia Conference. I am repulsed the church has not even attempted to ‘make good’ to the victims of serious crime at mona mona mission. I am appalled at the cover up involved here which I’m assuming goes straight to the top…the division or union even? It doesn’t surprise me though cos I have not had respect for leadership in this conference for the last 30 years.
I stand in solidarity with the kuranda mob and am extremely grateful to the cairns law team who are helping them seek acknowledgement and justice. It breaks my heart the church were willing participants in the horrors of the Stolen Generation.
//Matthew 25:35-40New Living Translation (NLT)
35 For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36 I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’
37 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? 39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’
40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters,[a] you were doing it to me!’//