Aunty Florence Onus has shared her experience as a Stolen Generation survivor and message of healing with Forbes on Sorry Day.

Aunty Florence is a Birrigubba, Bidjara and Jagalingu woman from North and Central Qld, an educator with more than 20 years experience who chaired the Inaugural Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Healing Foundation and the Stolen Generations Reference Committee and has given input into policies such as the National Health Plan roadmap to Closing the Gap.

On Monday 26 May, she shared her story with Forbes, addressing Red Bend Catholic College and Forbes High School as well as spending time at our Wiradjuri Dreaming Centre and with community members.

Barry Merritt, who organised Aunty Florence’s visit, said it was a privilege to meet and host her.

“She’s an amazing woman and it’s a very positive way for us to move forward and heal together as a country,” he said.

Aunty Florence was the fourth generation to be removed from her family and Mr Merritt said hearing her experiences helped the community realise this was not distant history, but affected people today.

“We’re in the game of education and for us to truly move forward as a nation we need to face these truths and move together and heal,” he said.

“Aunty Florence was very positive on that. She walked us through her footsteps and the trauma that she went through but also gave us solutions on how we do move forward and heal.”

Red Bend’s assembly was an incredibly special occasion, with local elders invited to the College for the event as well.

“The children came home” was played, before the community sang “We are one” in both Wiradjuri and English in a very moving conclusion.

“We are Australian, it brings us all together as one, it was a very special day,” Mr Merritt said.