The Voices of the Stolen Generations: A Study of Indigenous Identity and Displacement

Abstract

This paper analyses Indigenous identity and cultural displacement in Stolen by Jane Harrison. The play presents the experiences of five Aboriginal children who were forcibly removed from their families under the Australian government’s assimilation policies. These policies, associated with the Stolen Generations, aimed at separating Indigenous children from their cultural roots in order to absorb them into white society. Such removal resulted in the loss of family bonds, language, cultural practices and connection to ancestral land. Through its non-linear structure and multiple stories, the play reveals how cultural displacement leads to identity confusion, emotional trauma and a lasting sense of not belonging. The idea of “home” runs throughout the play and reflects the characters’ deep longing to return to their families, land and connection. Each character’s life reflects a different response to displacement, showing that the effects of colonial policies are both personal and collective. This paper argues that Stolen not only exposes the historical realities of Indigenous suffering but also emphasizes the importance of reconnecting identity through memory and storytelling.