Rabbit-Proof Fence: The True Story of One of the Greatest Escapes of All TimeFollowing an Australian government edict in 1931, black aboriginal children and children of mixed marriages were gathered up and taken to settlements to be institutionally assimilated. In Rabbit-Proof Fence, award-wining author Doris Pilkington traces the story of her mother, Molly, one of three young girls uprooted from their community in Southwestern Australia and taken to the Moore River Native Settlement. There, Molly and her relatives Gracie and Daisy were forbidden to speak their native language, forced to abandon their heritage, and taught to be culturally white. After regular stays in solitary confinement, the three girls planned and executed a daring escape from the grim camp. |
From inside the book
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Page 19
... Mardu people of the Western Desert and whites oc- curred when some white construction workers dug up a sacred site and removed sacred objects . This action led to hostility between the two groups . The Mardu men attacked and speared two ...
... Mardu people of the Western Desert and whites oc- curred when some white construction workers dug up a sacred site and removed sacred objects . This action led to hostility between the two groups . The Mardu men attacked and speared two ...
Page 20
... Mardu men watched the well sinkers as they worked at their daily tasks . One morning at dawn , they were pleased to see the construction workers rolling up their tents and other belongings and loading them on pack horses and camels ...
... Mardu men watched the well sinkers as they worked at their daily tasks . One morning at dawn , they were pleased to see the construction workers rolling up their tents and other belongings and loading them on pack horses and camels ...
Page 39
... Mardu children insulted her and said hurtful things about her . Some told her that because she was neither Mardu or wudgebulla she was like a mon- grel dog . She reacted in the only way she knew . She grabbed handfuls of sand or stones ...
... Mardu children insulted her and said hurtful things about her . Some told her that because she was neither Mardu or wudgebulla she was like a mon- grel dog . She reacted in the only way she knew . She grabbed handfuls of sand or stones ...
Contents
The First Military Post | 1 |
The Swan River Colony | 8 |
The Decline of Aboriginal Society | 13 |
Copyright | |
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Common terms and phrases
A.O. Neville alright asked aunt banksia began boss breakfast Bukala Burakin bush bush tucker camp Campbell Chief Protector cold Constable Riggs Creek Daisy and Gracie damper depot desert Dgudu dormitory fire Fremantle Geraldton Gracie and Daisy gunna Gwen half-caste girls home to Jigalong Jigalong kangaroo kilometres Kundilla Lake Nabberu land looked Marble Bar marbu Mardu Martha Martha Jones Maude Meedo Meekatharra Mimi-Ali Mogumber Molly and Daisy Molly and Gracie Moore River Native morning mother mulga trees Murra Munda night Nullagine numbers Nyungar paperbark Perth police Polly Port Hedland Protector of Aborigines rabbit rabbit-proof fence rain realised returned river gums River Native Settlement Rosie Ruppi safe sand settled shelter shrubs sleep soon spears station stood thick three girls told tracker waited Walgun walked wanted warm watched Western Australia whispered Wiluna women young younger sisters