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My Australian Story #8
賲賳 讴蹖爻鬲賲 責
These books is the story of one of the membres of the Aboriginal Stolen generation by the name of Mary Talence by describing the pain and suffering she goes through while seperated from her original Aboriginal family and then living in a orphange and then fostered into a white family. It is a story of a generation which has beautifully crafted in the story of Mary Talence by Dr. Anita Heiss.
Prime Minister of Australia - Mr. Kevin Rudd from Labour Party - has apologised to the Stolen generation on the first day of parliment on 2007.
讴鬲丕亘 " 賲賳 讴蹖爻鬲賲 責 " 賳賵卮鬲賴 亍 丿讴鬲乇 丌賳蹖鬲丕 賴蹖爻 讴賴 鬲賵爻胤 卮讴賵賮賴 讴丕賵丕賳蹖 鬲乇噩賲賴 卮丿賴 貨 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賵丕賯毓蹖 夭賳丿诏蹖 丿禺鬲乇 亘趩賴 丕蹖 丕亘賵乇蹖跇蹖賳丕賱 丕爻鬲 讴賴 丿乇 丕孬乇 爻蹖丕爻鬲賴丕卅 睾賱胤 丿賵賱鬲 丕爻鬲乇丕賱蹖丕 丕夭 禺丕賳賵丕丿賴 亍 賵丕賯毓蹖 禺賵丿 噩丿丕 卮丿賴 賵 丕亘鬲丿丕 亘賴 蹖讴 蹖鬲蹖賲 禺丕賳賴 賵 爻倬爻 亘賴 蹖讴 禺丕賳賵丕丿賴 亍 爻賮蹖丿 倬賵爻鬲 爻倬乇丿賴 賲蹖卮賵丿 鬲丕 爻賮蹖丿 倬賵爻鬲 卮賵丿.
丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賲乇卅 鬲丕賱賳爻 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賳爻賱蹖 丕夭 丕亘賵乇蹖跇蹖賳丕賱賴丕卅 丕爻鬲乇丕賱蹖丕 爻鬲 讴賴 丌賳賴丕 乇丕 " 賳爻賱 丿夭丿蹖丿賴 卮丿賴 " 賲蹖賳丕賲丿 賵 賳禺爻鬲 賵夭蹖乇 賮毓賱蹖 丕爻鬲乇丕賱蹖丕 _ 丌賯丕卅 讴賵蹖賳 乇丕丿 丕夭 丨夭亘 讴丕乇诏乇 - 丿乇 爻丕賱 2007 丿乇 乇賵夭 丕賮鬲鬲丕丨蹖賴 亍 賲噩賱爻 乇爻賲丕賻 丕夭 丌賳賴丕 賲毓匕乇鬲 禺賵丕賴蹖 讴乇丿. 讴鬲丕亘 鬲賵爻胤 丕賳鬲卮丕乇丕鬲 賲乇賵丕乇蹖丿 丿乇 丕蹖乇丕賳 趩丕倬 卮丿賴 丕爻鬲 賵 丕夭 胤乇蹖賯 www.iketab.com 賯丕亘賱 禺乇蹖丿 丕爻鬲.
Prime Minister of Australia - Mr. Kevin Rudd from Labour Party - has apologised to the Stolen generation on the first day of parliment on 2007.
讴鬲丕亘 " 賲賳 讴蹖爻鬲賲 責 " 賳賵卮鬲賴 亍 丿讴鬲乇 丌賳蹖鬲丕 賴蹖爻 讴賴 鬲賵爻胤 卮讴賵賮賴 讴丕賵丕賳蹖 鬲乇噩賲賴 卮丿賴 貨 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賵丕賯毓蹖 夭賳丿诏蹖 丿禺鬲乇 亘趩賴 丕蹖 丕亘賵乇蹖跇蹖賳丕賱 丕爻鬲 讴賴 丿乇 丕孬乇 爻蹖丕爻鬲賴丕卅 睾賱胤 丿賵賱鬲 丕爻鬲乇丕賱蹖丕 丕夭 禺丕賳賵丕丿賴 亍 賵丕賯毓蹖 禺賵丿 噩丿丕 卮丿賴 賵 丕亘鬲丿丕 亘賴 蹖讴 蹖鬲蹖賲 禺丕賳賴 賵 爻倬爻 亘賴 蹖讴 禺丕賳賵丕丿賴 亍 爻賮蹖丿 倬賵爻鬲 爻倬乇丿賴 賲蹖卮賵丿 鬲丕 爻賮蹖丿 倬賵爻鬲 卮賵丿.
丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賲乇卅 鬲丕賱賳爻 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賳爻賱蹖 丕夭 丕亘賵乇蹖跇蹖賳丕賱賴丕卅 丕爻鬲乇丕賱蹖丕 爻鬲 讴賴 丌賳賴丕 乇丕 " 賳爻賱 丿夭丿蹖丿賴 卮丿賴 " 賲蹖賳丕賲丿 賵 賳禺爻鬲 賵夭蹖乇 賮毓賱蹖 丕爻鬲乇丕賱蹖丕 _ 丌賯丕卅 讴賵蹖賳 乇丕丿 丕夭 丨夭亘 讴丕乇诏乇 - 丿乇 爻丕賱 2007 丿乇 乇賵夭 丕賮鬲鬲丕丨蹖賴 亍 賲噩賱爻 乇爻賲丕賻 丕夭 丌賳賴丕 賲毓匕乇鬲 禺賵丕賴蹖 讴乇丿. 讴鬲丕亘 鬲賵爻胤 丕賳鬲卮丕乇丕鬲 賲乇賵丕乇蹖丿 丿乇 丕蹖乇丕賳 趩丕倬 卮丿賴 丕爻鬲 賵 丕夭 胤乇蹖賯 www.iketab.com 賯丕亘賱 禺乇蹖丿 丕爻鬲.
178 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
33 people are currently reading
762 people want to read
About the author
Anita Heiss
35听books551听followersProfessor Anita Heiss 鈥� bio
Anita is a proud member of the Wiradjuri nation of central New South Wales, and is one of Australia鈥檚 most prolific and well-known authors, publishing across genres, including non-fiction, historical fiction, commercial fiction and children鈥檚 novels.
Her adult fiction includes Not Meeting Mr Right, Avoiding Mr Right, Manhattan Dreaming, Paris Dreaming and Tiddas. Her most recent books include Barbed Wire and Cherry Blossoms which was longlisted for the Dublin International Literary Prize and was named the University of Canberra鈥檚 2020 Book of the Year.
The anthology Growing Up Aboriginal in Australia which Anita edited, was named the Small Publisher Adult Book of the Year at the 2019 Australian Book Industry Awards.
Anita鈥檚 children鈥檚 literature includes Kicking Goals with Goodesy and Magic, co-written with Adam Goodes and Michael O鈥橪oughlin. She also wrote two kids鈥� novels with students from La Perouse Public School - Yirra and her deadly dog Demon and Demon Guards the School Yard, and more recently, Harry鈥檚 Secret and Matty鈥檚 Comeback.
Anita鈥檚 other published works also include the historical novel Who Am I? The Diary of Mary Talence, Sydney 1937, non-fiction text Dhuuluu-Yala (To Talk Straight) 鈥� Publishing Aboriginal Literature, and The Macquarie PEN Anthology of Aboriginal Literature, which she co-authored with Peter Minter.
In 2004 Anita was listed in The Bulletin magazine鈥檚 鈥淪mart 100鈥�. Her memoir Am I Black Enough for You? was a finalist in the 2012 Human Rights Awards and she was a finalist in the 2013 Australian of the Year Awards (Local Hero).
As an advocate for Indigenous literacy, Anita has worked in remote communities as a role model and encouraging young Indigenous Australians to write their own stories. On an international level she has performed her own work and lectured on Aboriginal literature across the globe at universities and conferences, consulates and embassies in the USA, Canada, the UK, Tahiti, Fiji, New Caledonia, Spain, Japan, Austria, Germany and New Zealand.
Anita is proud to be a Lifetime Ambassador for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation, and an Ambassador of Worawa Aboriginal College, the GO Foundation and the Sydney Swans.
She is on the Board of the State Library of Queensland, CIRCA and the University of QLD Press. In 2019 Anita was appointed a Professor of Communications at the University of QLD and in 2020 is the Artist in Residence at La Boitte Theatre.
Anita鈥檚 website:
Storytime with Aunty Nita:
Anita is a proud member of the Wiradjuri nation of central New South Wales, and is one of Australia鈥檚 most prolific and well-known authors, publishing across genres, including non-fiction, historical fiction, commercial fiction and children鈥檚 novels.
Her adult fiction includes Not Meeting Mr Right, Avoiding Mr Right, Manhattan Dreaming, Paris Dreaming and Tiddas. Her most recent books include Barbed Wire and Cherry Blossoms which was longlisted for the Dublin International Literary Prize and was named the University of Canberra鈥檚 2020 Book of the Year.
The anthology Growing Up Aboriginal in Australia which Anita edited, was named the Small Publisher Adult Book of the Year at the 2019 Australian Book Industry Awards.
Anita鈥檚 children鈥檚 literature includes Kicking Goals with Goodesy and Magic, co-written with Adam Goodes and Michael O鈥橪oughlin. She also wrote two kids鈥� novels with students from La Perouse Public School - Yirra and her deadly dog Demon and Demon Guards the School Yard, and more recently, Harry鈥檚 Secret and Matty鈥檚 Comeback.
Anita鈥檚 other published works also include the historical novel Who Am I? The Diary of Mary Talence, Sydney 1937, non-fiction text Dhuuluu-Yala (To Talk Straight) 鈥� Publishing Aboriginal Literature, and The Macquarie PEN Anthology of Aboriginal Literature, which she co-authored with Peter Minter.
In 2004 Anita was listed in The Bulletin magazine鈥檚 鈥淪mart 100鈥�. Her memoir Am I Black Enough for You? was a finalist in the 2012 Human Rights Awards and she was a finalist in the 2013 Australian of the Year Awards (Local Hero).
As an advocate for Indigenous literacy, Anita has worked in remote communities as a role model and encouraging young Indigenous Australians to write their own stories. On an international level she has performed her own work and lectured on Aboriginal literature across the globe at universities and conferences, consulates and embassies in the USA, Canada, the UK, Tahiti, Fiji, New Caledonia, Spain, Japan, Austria, Germany and New Zealand.
Anita is proud to be a Lifetime Ambassador for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation, and an Ambassador of Worawa Aboriginal College, the GO Foundation and the Sydney Swans.
She is on the Board of the State Library of Queensland, CIRCA and the University of QLD Press. In 2019 Anita was appointed a Professor of Communications at the University of QLD and in 2020 is the Artist in Residence at La Boitte Theatre.
Anita鈥檚 website:
Storytime with Aunty Nita:
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
May 1, 2016
I came across this book because of my yearly aussie author challenge, and what a delight it was. is written with a target audience of young teens and adults, but I soon find myself immersed into Mary's story and through her diary entries her mind.
Mary shares a of different time in our Australian history, coming from the children's home after being adopted into a 'white family', Mary details her days as she comes to terms with learning and understanding a life very different from the Children's home that she has fond memories of.
Throughout her diary entries you read her thoughts, her struggles to understand why people can be so cruel and the importance of knowing who you are and how to figure that out for yourself.
I do recommend this story to anyone who is wanting to look in on a world that isn't of our time but is very essential to understanding where our history has taken us... and a wonderful perspective through a child's eye of what was happening to them, to Australia pre World War 2...
September 11, 2011
The Diary of Mary Talence tells one story from the Stolen Generation, and in the opinion of My Book Corner, is an ideal way in which to teach understanding of this period in Australia's history.
The journal format of any story has immediate appeal to younger readers, they can relate to it, it's on their level and therefore it literally 'talks to them'. I love this one for the same reason I fell in love with literature years ago ... its ability to give insight in to periods in history which have had such an impact on those involved.
Anita Heiss' sensitive portryal of Mary as she recounts how she arrived at Bomaderry, lived there for five years, then moved to live with a white family in Sydney allows readers to gain an insight in to what life was like.
The journal format of any story has immediate appeal to younger readers, they can relate to it, it's on their level and therefore it literally 'talks to them'. I love this one for the same reason I fell in love with literature years ago ... its ability to give insight in to periods in history which have had such an impact on those involved.
Anita Heiss' sensitive portryal of Mary as she recounts how she arrived at Bomaderry, lived there for five years, then moved to live with a white family in Sydney allows readers to gain an insight in to what life was like.
January 13, 2014
鈥榃ho Am I?鈥� is part of the My Story series鈥� published by Scholastic Australia. Set in Sydney, 1937, this is the fictional diary of a young Aboriginal girl who was stolen from her parents under the White Australia government policy. Mary grows up in the Bomaderry Aboriginal Children's Home and is given the diary by the matron when she is ten years old. In its pages, she describes the daily events of her life, as well as her fears and anxieties and confusions. She soon has to leave the home, as she is adopted by a white family who live in St Ives, on the North Shore in Sydney. Here she faces racism in perhaps its most poisonous form 鈥� the daily stares, sniggers, casual insults, and calm assurance that White People Are Best. This part of the book hit home really hard for me - I grew up on the border of St Ives and many of the settings are my childhood stamping ground. I too would certainly have stared at an Aboriginal child in my school playground 鈥� I did not see anyone of Aboriginal blood until I was in my late teens and it certainly was not on the North Shore. I can only hope I would have been kinder than the fictional children in this book. I found 鈥榃ho Am I: The Diary of Mary Talence, Sydney 1937鈥� a really heart-breaking and eye-opening novel which moved me to tears once or twice. A really important book for all school children, whether they live on the North Shore or not.
December 14, 2009
A wonderful read about Aboriginal stolen generation written by Dr. Anita Heiss , translated into Persian by Shokufeh Kavani.
讴鬲丕亘蹖 亘爻蹖丕乇 夭蹖亘丕 丿乇 賲賵乇丿 賳爻賱 丿夭丿蹖丿賴 亍 卮丿賴 亍 丕亘賵乇蹖跇蹖賳丕賱賴丕卅 丕爻鬲乇丕賱蹖丕 賳賵卮鬲賴 亍 丿讴鬲乇 丌賳蹖鬲丕 賴蹖爻 貨 鬲乇噩賲賴 卮丿賴 鬲賵爻胤 卮讴賵賮賴 讴丕賵丕賳蹖 貨 丕賳鬲卮丕乇丕鬲 賲乇賵丕乇蹖丿 - 鬲賴乇丕賳 貨 丕蹖乇丕賳 2008
讴鬲丕亘蹖 亘爻蹖丕乇 夭蹖亘丕 丿乇 賲賵乇丿 賳爻賱 丿夭丿蹖丿賴 亍 卮丿賴 亍 丕亘賵乇蹖跇蹖賳丕賱賴丕卅 丕爻鬲乇丕賱蹖丕 賳賵卮鬲賴 亍 丿讴鬲乇 丌賳蹖鬲丕 賴蹖爻 貨 鬲乇噩賲賴 卮丿賴 鬲賵爻胤 卮讴賵賮賴 讴丕賵丕賳蹖 貨 丕賳鬲卮丕乇丕鬲 賲乇賵丕乇蹖丿 - 鬲賴乇丕賳 貨 丕蹖乇丕賳 2008
January 9, 2021
This is the first book I ever remember reading in primary school and it left such a massive impact that I still remember parts of it vividly to this day.
September 9, 2023
Youth Fiction
Good way of introducing
- the many layers of racism from a young child鈥檚 view
- historical happenings in a format (diary entries) the is appetising
I enjoyed this while also saddened
Good way of introducing
- the many layers of racism from a young child鈥檚 view
- historical happenings in a format (diary entries) the is appetising
I enjoyed this while also saddened
June 13, 2018
Review in English:
I just finished this lovely book and this was both very touching and informative.
Touching because we are reading the diary of a 10 year old native Australian girl, forced to leave her family at 5 to live, first in a mission and then in a white family. A native girl who doesn't understand what is going on and how she's any different than others. Why are people calling her mean names and referring her skin color? Nothing is wrong with her skin, she thinks. And this, written with the simplicity of a child and the naivety of someone who believes in the good in people.
Informative because it's the story of a little girl belonging to the "stolen generation", a period of time we don't know much about and that should be taught at school more, especially in foreign schools (back in France, no one at school or High school ever taught me about this. Why?) The "stolen generation" refers to a period of time in the XX century, when the Australian government decided it would be for the best to steal children from their own family and incorporate them in the white society, considerate as better, via families and adoption. Some others, the ones with the darker skin tone, were sent in households where they would learn how to serve in white households (for girls) or how to help with farming (for boys).
This book was a first for me I must admit. Both because I had never read anything written about native Australians but also because I had never read a little girl's biography, whether she may have existed or not. So this was both a very interesting and new read and a very touching story.
Avis en Fran莽ais:
Comme je l'ai dit dans mon commentaire ci-dessus, je viens juste de terminer ce livre que j'ai trouv茅 脿 la fois tr猫s touchant et tr猫s informatif.
Touchant car il s'agit i莽i de lire le journal d'une petite fille de 10 ans, enlev茅e 脿 sa famille puis plac茅e, tout d'abord dans un foyer, une mission puis ensuite dans une maison de blancs. Cette petite fille, tout d'abord Amy puis renomm茅e Mary pour que jamais sa m猫re ne l'a retrouve, ne comprends pas ce qui se passe autour d'elle, elle d茅couvre comme n'importe quel enfant 脿 l'芒ge de 10 ans ce qui l'entoure et n'arrive pas 脿 comprendre pourquoi les gens la pensent diff茅rente des autres. Pourquoi est-ce que les gens l'insultent et font r茅f茅rence 脿 sa couleur de peau? Et tout 莽a, 茅crit avec la simplicit茅 et la naivet茅 d'une petite fille qui tente de voir le bien dans chaque personne et refuse de se laisser marcher dessus et de se faire oublier pour qui elle est r茅ellement.
Mais c'est un livre aussi 锚xtremement informatif puisqu'il parle de la "g茅n茅ration vol茅e", terme qui fait r茅f茅rence 脿 une p茅riode, au XX si猫cle, o霉 le gouvernement Australien a pris la d茅cision d'enlever des milliers enfants natifs et de les incorporer 脿 la soci茅t茅 blanche, pour "leur donner une chance". Ceux 脿 la peau la plus claire 茅taient envoy茅s vivre avec des familles blanches et ne recevaient jamais de nouvelles de leur vraie famille, ils devaient d茅sormais se comporter comme de "vrais" blancs. Ceux 脿 la peau la plus sombre 茅taient envoy茅s dans des foyers o霉 les filles devaient apprendre 脿 servir les blancs en tant que domestiques et o霉 les garcons se formaient 脿 l'art de l'agriculture.
Ce livre 茅tait donc une premi猫re pour moi: c'茅tait la premi猫re que je lisais un livre parlant d'aborig猫nes et surtout de leur Histoire. Ce qui est malheureux c'est de se rendre compte que j'ai d茅couvert la "g茅n茅ration vol茅e" dans ce livre car personne, ni 脿 l'茅cole ni dans la vie de tous les jours, ne m'en avait parl茅 auaparavant.
En bref, j'ai trouv茅 ce roman vraiment int茅ressant et touchant par sa justesse quant aux in茅galit茅s et injustices que subissaient (et subissent toujours) ces personnes, en rien inf茅rieur aux blancs.
I just finished this lovely book and this was both very touching and informative.
Touching because we are reading the diary of a 10 year old native Australian girl, forced to leave her family at 5 to live, first in a mission and then in a white family. A native girl who doesn't understand what is going on and how she's any different than others. Why are people calling her mean names and referring her skin color? Nothing is wrong with her skin, she thinks. And this, written with the simplicity of a child and the naivety of someone who believes in the good in people.
Informative because it's the story of a little girl belonging to the "stolen generation", a period of time we don't know much about and that should be taught at school more, especially in foreign schools (back in France, no one at school or High school ever taught me about this. Why?) The "stolen generation" refers to a period of time in the XX century, when the Australian government decided it would be for the best to steal children from their own family and incorporate them in the white society, considerate as better, via families and adoption. Some others, the ones with the darker skin tone, were sent in households where they would learn how to serve in white households (for girls) or how to help with farming (for boys).
This book was a first for me I must admit. Both because I had never read anything written about native Australians but also because I had never read a little girl's biography, whether she may have existed or not. So this was both a very interesting and new read and a very touching story.
Avis en Fran莽ais:
Comme je l'ai dit dans mon commentaire ci-dessus, je viens juste de terminer ce livre que j'ai trouv茅 脿 la fois tr猫s touchant et tr猫s informatif.
Touchant car il s'agit i莽i de lire le journal d'une petite fille de 10 ans, enlev茅e 脿 sa famille puis plac茅e, tout d'abord dans un foyer, une mission puis ensuite dans une maison de blancs. Cette petite fille, tout d'abord Amy puis renomm茅e Mary pour que jamais sa m猫re ne l'a retrouve, ne comprends pas ce qui se passe autour d'elle, elle d茅couvre comme n'importe quel enfant 脿 l'芒ge de 10 ans ce qui l'entoure et n'arrive pas 脿 comprendre pourquoi les gens la pensent diff茅rente des autres. Pourquoi est-ce que les gens l'insultent et font r茅f茅rence 脿 sa couleur de peau? Et tout 莽a, 茅crit avec la simplicit茅 et la naivet茅 d'une petite fille qui tente de voir le bien dans chaque personne et refuse de se laisser marcher dessus et de se faire oublier pour qui elle est r茅ellement.
Mais c'est un livre aussi 锚xtremement informatif puisqu'il parle de la "g茅n茅ration vol茅e", terme qui fait r茅f茅rence 脿 une p茅riode, au XX si猫cle, o霉 le gouvernement Australien a pris la d茅cision d'enlever des milliers enfants natifs et de les incorporer 脿 la soci茅t茅 blanche, pour "leur donner une chance". Ceux 脿 la peau la plus claire 茅taient envoy茅s vivre avec des familles blanches et ne recevaient jamais de nouvelles de leur vraie famille, ils devaient d茅sormais se comporter comme de "vrais" blancs. Ceux 脿 la peau la plus sombre 茅taient envoy茅s dans des foyers o霉 les filles devaient apprendre 脿 servir les blancs en tant que domestiques et o霉 les garcons se formaient 脿 l'art de l'agriculture.
Ce livre 茅tait donc une premi猫re pour moi: c'茅tait la premi猫re que je lisais un livre parlant d'aborig猫nes et surtout de leur Histoire. Ce qui est malheureux c'est de se rendre compte que j'ai d茅couvert la "g茅n茅ration vol茅e" dans ce livre car personne, ni 脿 l'茅cole ni dans la vie de tous les jours, ne m'en avait parl茅 auaparavant.
En bref, j'ai trouv茅 ce roman vraiment int茅ressant et touchant par sa justesse quant aux in茅galit茅s et injustices que subissaient (et subissent toujours) ces personnes, en rien inf茅rieur aux blancs.
February 1, 2009
Note: here begin my reviews for 50books_poc. I will be trying to write slightly fuller reviews for these books. We'll see how I go...
"Who Am I?: The Diary of Mary Talance" is part of the "My Story" series of historical fiction for late primary/early high school readers. Books in the series are written by a wide range of authors. "Who Am I?" is written by , a Wiradjuri woman from south-west NSW.
Mary Talance was once called Amy Charles, but at the age of five she was removed from her parents and placed in an Aboriginal Children's Home.
In 1937, at age ten, she is fostered by a white Catholic family in Sydney. She is told by her foster parents, her teachers, and the matron of the Children's Home that she has to forget that she is Aboriginal: she is "fair-skinned enough" to grow up white. This is a story from the Stolen Generations.
I don't know why I chose to start 50books_poc with this particular book. Possibly because I figured it would be a rare quick read (and it was: 2 1/4 hours from start to finish), and it was one where I have no definitional issues to deal with. Because it's YA lit, written with a specific educational intent, I can't be very surprised that it's didactic at times: it's written after all for an audience that are a good fifteen years younger than me.
I found it particularly interesting that Mary is adopted/fostered (the legalities are never made clear) by a Catholic family, given that in the 1930s there was still discrimination against Catholics (which is a passing point in the book). Mary is luckier than a lot of indigenous children, in that her foster family do care for her: she and her foster sister eventually find commonalities, and she even, by the end of the book, has started to occasionally refer to her foster parents as Ma and Pa, without adding their surname after it.
Although little of what Mary goes through at school or in her various homes was particularly new to me, the stupidity of her teacher and the ingrained-ness of the attitudes got to me, even though intellectually, I recognise them. I love Mary's moments of amateur theology, and I'm glad that most of the Australian church has (although not quickly enough) caught up to her thinking.
Mary's conclusions at the end - "I'm not gunna let people tell me no more that I have to be a white person, cos that's not being true. I reckon I'll even tell Ma B cos if she really does love me like a daughter then she has to love who I am. Right? And I'm Aboriginal and I'm proud."
Poor Mary - I suspect her life would have been a little more difficult than her January 27th optimism will allow.
"Who Am I?: The Diary of Mary Talance" is part of the "My Story" series of historical fiction for late primary/early high school readers. Books in the series are written by a wide range of authors. "Who Am I?" is written by , a Wiradjuri woman from south-west NSW.
Mary Talance was once called Amy Charles, but at the age of five she was removed from her parents and placed in an Aboriginal Children's Home.
In 1937, at age ten, she is fostered by a white Catholic family in Sydney. She is told by her foster parents, her teachers, and the matron of the Children's Home that she has to forget that she is Aboriginal: she is "fair-skinned enough" to grow up white. This is a story from the Stolen Generations.
I don't know why I chose to start 50books_poc with this particular book. Possibly because I figured it would be a rare quick read (and it was: 2 1/4 hours from start to finish), and it was one where I have no definitional issues to deal with. Because it's YA lit, written with a specific educational intent, I can't be very surprised that it's didactic at times: it's written after all for an audience that are a good fifteen years younger than me.
I found it particularly interesting that Mary is adopted/fostered (the legalities are never made clear) by a Catholic family, given that in the 1930s there was still discrimination against Catholics (which is a passing point in the book). Mary is luckier than a lot of indigenous children, in that her foster family do care for her: she and her foster sister eventually find commonalities, and she even, by the end of the book, has started to occasionally refer to her foster parents as Ma and Pa, without adding their surname after it.
Although little of what Mary goes through at school or in her various homes was particularly new to me, the stupidity of her teacher and the ingrained-ness of the attitudes got to me, even though intellectually, I recognise them. I love Mary's moments of amateur theology, and I'm glad that most of the Australian church has (although not quickly enough) caught up to her thinking.
Mary's conclusions at the end - "I'm not gunna let people tell me no more that I have to be a white person, cos that's not being true. I reckon I'll even tell Ma B cos if she really does love me like a daughter then she has to love who I am. Right? And I'm Aboriginal and I'm proud."
Poor Mary - I suspect her life would have been a little more difficult than her January 27th optimism will allow.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 13, 2021
In this powerful, insightful story, we go through an entire year of Mary Talence's life as an Aboriginal child. The setting is in 1937-1938, Sydney Australia, when the government had thought that the only way Aboriginal children would have a good life was to take them away from their families to be raised in white families or orphanages. It was that point in time when the government had full control of Aboriginal peoples' lives, including where they stayed, where they could travel, even what language they spoke. It was also that point in history where there was A LOT of racism. Ergh.
Throughout this entire book ten-year old Mary Talence describes the daily events of her life as well as her fears, insecurities and confusions. There was something just so incredibly authentic about the writing that made me feel so connected to Mary and feel what she feels. Now, Mary Talence is fictional, but everything that happened to her is real. So very real. And I just hate to read about everything that is happening to her. So much loss, injustice and pain for someone as young and innocent as her. I felt the need to give Mary a thousand hugs all the time.
"Everyone I like seems to go away, or gets taken away, or I get sent away. Is it me?"
"For the first time ever I really wished I was white like everyone else around me."
Throughout this entire book ten-year old Mary Talence describes the daily events of her life as well as her fears, insecurities and confusions. There was something just so incredibly authentic about the writing that made me feel so connected to Mary and feel what she feels. Now, Mary Talence is fictional, but everything that happened to her is real. So very real. And I just hate to read about everything that is happening to her. So much loss, injustice and pain for someone as young and innocent as her. I felt the need to give Mary a thousand hugs all the time.
"Everyone I like seems to go away, or gets taken away, or I get sent away. Is it me?"
"For the first time ever I really wished I was white like everyone else around me."
April 22, 2018
Part of the My Australian Story series of historical biographies and designed for older primary and early secondary students, this story was compelling reading. Mary Talence, who used to be called Amy Charles,is stolen from her loving Aboriginal family and taken to a Home where her sense of identity is systematically taken from her. The children鈥檚 names were changed so that any inquiry about an 鈥� Amy Charles鈥� would be met with a 鈥� there is no child here with that name.鈥� Anita Heiss uses the clever idea of Mary writing in her diary each night which makes the reader feel close to the main character. She also weaves true historical facts into the narrative so the reader learns so much about the sad history of 鈥� The Stolen Generation鈥�. Between 15000 and 20000 aboriginal children were taken from their parents in NSW alone.
March 31, 2011
This book is a tragic book of a girl called Mary Talence. She is A aborignie. She was taken away from her parents when she was only five with her cousins and sisters.The white people took her to a children's orphanage in Bomaderry. There she met Matron Rose, who was one of the sisters. She had a friend called Marj who was taken away from the orphanage by the Protection Board. Just after this Mary was taken away from the orphange and was given to a fammily, called the Burkes. Ther she went to school with her sister Sophie and her brother Sam. She always got left out and always got spat on her face because she was black. She was called names like "boong" by a boy called Johnny Jones. She wrote letters to Matron Rose every month and asked her about her real family.
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November 12, 2012This entire series is a wonderful way to learn history or teach it to adolescents. I find today's generations seem to recall more when they learn through other people (pop songs, celebrity gossip, etc.), so what better way to teach history than through someone else's perspective? Yes, "authentic" diaries would be "better", but would the language really hold the modern student's attention? Did the diary writer know what WOULD be important in the context of history? Probably not.
September 28, 2017
This is a terrific introduction to the Stolen Generation for middle and upper primary students. The story is told from the perspective of a young Aboriginal girl who has been forcibly removed from her family to live in an orphanage and then adopted out to a white family. The students who have read this have really enjoyed it and expressed an interest to learn more about this aspect of Australian history.
July 26, 2009
this book is a diary of a girl that was involved in the stolen generation. it is full of her thoughts about the times she spends in homes ect and all the memories that she has from when she lived back at home. i got this book from the school library if you want to read it. i highly recommend it. i read it all in 1 day!
April 14, 2016
When I read this book at 11 or 12, it was the first I had heard of the stolen generation. It wasn't spoken of in school at the time, though it is now. Later I learned the issue was far darker than this novel had revealed, but I feel that it's an appropriate introduction for children; easy to relate to, and not too dark for young readers.
July 24, 2011
I think this is a really important book for young adults to read. It offers an unbiased account of the stolen generation. Rather than showing anger is shows bewilderment and the true sense of how little information or choice Aboriginal Australians were given during this time.
December 26, 2017
To celebrate NAIDOC week, I鈥檓 sharing one of my favourite books from my childhood.
April 11, 2015
I thought this book was amazing and interesting and sad. I think this book was one of the best books I have ever read. My favourite character in that book is of course Mary. I like the authors idea of making a book about what is life like when you were an aboriginal.
February 14, 2016
I found this book extremely worth reading and well written. I love historical novels for children in any case and this one ought to be more widely read in Australia. It's suitable for primary to middle school readers
March 11, 2019
I think this book was really interesting and the way the author wrote the ending was quite clever. I would definitely recommend the book to someone who likes historical stories that are funny and cute. :)
January 25, 2010
This is a wonderful read about the Aboriginal Stolen Generation as its persian translation has just been published in Iran by Morvarid publishrs. Translated by Shokufeh Kavani.
January 26, 2010
About the Australian Stolen Generation, a must read.
February 20, 2011
Page 11, Don't know much about it yet.
March 3, 2011
Sad!!!!!
June 19, 2013
WHO AM I
Themes: I think that racism is one of the themes because it plays a big part in the book.Mary is badly bullied though out the book for being a different and not looking like every one else
Themes: I think that racism is one of the themes because it plays a big part in the book.Mary is badly bullied though out the book for being a different and not looking like every one else
September 30, 2015
I love these kinds of books. The messages in this one is sad and makes you think of racism and what we did to the Aborigines. Its a must read.
October 4, 2018
Should be required reading for Australian politicians. Historical writing that is complex and explores trauma in a way you couldn't do with facts alone. Beautiful and important.
July 26, 2009
very good book
September 5, 2010
This is a moving little book through the eyes of a 10 year old member of the stolen generation.
March 4, 2011
I thought it was sad and makes you think about what you have and how lucky you are
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