ABSTRACT
My introduction to racial and cultural difference came when, as a child, I listened to adult conversations about removing Aboriginal children from their families that were perceived as incapable of childrearing. The philosophy was to place them in institutions where they could be socialized into the white culture. I was aware of the words and that something did not feel right, but my young age did not allow me to put meaning to these words. In my child’s mind, the question these conversations raised was whether this could also be my fate, especially since my home did not feel stable due to constant parental con ict. This is a terrifying thought that causes anxiety and dread for a vulnerable child. For those who were taken, the terror was, and for many still is, unspeakable.
