KAYA

YAARN

SORRY DAY 2009

SORRY DAY 2009

An exert from Mrs Lisa Dann's speech at the College Assembly on May 26

Good Morning Everyone:

A couple of years ago I invited my mum to Kolbe and I shared her story of being part of the stolen generation. This year I have invited her back again. My mum was one of nine children. She was the seventh child and she was taken away from her family at the age of 9, with her younger sister 7 and brother 6.

My mum and her two younger siblings where put into a Mission. During my mum's time away at the Mission, her mum was killed in a car accident. One thing that I can not get over about my mum's time in being in the Mission, is how we read Max's Mail in PC today is how my mum was told that her mum had passed away. This year has been sad for my mum as her youngest brother has passed away suddenly this year and her younger sister passed away in 1995.

I know Sorry Day and Reconciliation isn't an easy issue to understand. But this year I have a new friend, Chris Motu. Chris was invited to a Just Leadership day at John XXIII by his mate Cameron and I was able to share something personal with Chris.

I would like to say we should be proud to be able to share our school with people from different race, colour and beliefs.

I just want to end with something Nelson Mandela Said: 'Prejudice is learned therefore it can be unlearned. No one is born hating another person because of colour of his skin, or background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love. For love comes more naturally to the human heart.'

Thank you
Lisa