Intergenerational Trauma and Stolen Generation: Exploring Colonial Legacies in Kim Scott's Benang: From the Heart and Tony Birch's The White Girl

This paper examines the representation of intergenerational trauma and the impact of stolen generations in Kim Scott’s Benang: From the Heart (1999) and Tony Birch’s The White Girl (2019), two significant works of Australian Indigenous literature. Both novels critically examine the long-lasting effects of colonial assimilation policies that aimed to erase Aboriginal identity, focusing on the psychological and cultural scars carried across generations. In Benang: From the Heart, Scott presents Harley Scat’s journey of self-discovery as he uncovers the brutal legacy of eugenics and forced assimilation, revealing how state-sanctioned efforts to" breed out the colour" inflicted deep domestic and cultural trauma. In contrast, Tony Birch’s The White Girl centres on Odette Brown’s determination to protect her granddaughter, Sissy, from government authorities during the 1960s, emphasizing the everyday resistance of Indigenous women against systemic oppression. Through fragmented narratives, archival materials, and intimate storytelling, both authors highlight the personal and collective struggles of Aboriginal families affected by forced removals. This paper argues that Scott and Birch not only document the enduring pain of the Stolen Generations but also emphasize the resilience of Indigenous communities in reclaiming identity, history, and agency in the face of ongoing colonial legacies.