how to trace family history- aboriginal heritage

[michelle_j_r]

i'm stuck in Births, Deaths, and Marriages limbo! Apparently the kids' paternal grandfather's birth mother was of aboriginal decent. But he was adopted and raised by a family member. i have a few scattered details but nothing concrete. All i can find in the BDM site is reference to his later marriage under the name he took as a teenager. I can't find any reference to his birth name. Plus no one seems to know the name of his birth parents. We are still asking around for more info but his older children have passed away and the younger children don't know anything about it except he was adopted. Full stop.

i'm not sure where else to look as i don't seem to have enough information to type in to any web search. Some one must know something as apparently a lot of family members from his birth parents attended his funeral and he maintained some form of contact although i don't think a family connection was openly acnowledged (this is going back 40-50 years ago).

Has anyone traced their family history? Perhaps with a focus on tracing aboriginal heritage? I'm tempted to put it in the "too hard" basket but if i don't research it now that knowledge might be forever lost and it feels like it's too important to the kids to give up on... frustrating!!

[GreenGully]

You could try http://www.linkupnsw.org.au/

[jodiemiller]

So he was of the 'stolen generation'? Not sure what records might exist, I know there are a distinct *lack* of records in may regions but even your state library might be able to provide contextual records that would give you more clues about where to look next.

There is the Koorie Family History Service: http://www.koorieheritagetrust.com/public_programs/koorie_family_history_service

Worth a try?

[wems]

paper trails are so hard to follow because most of the time there are none or not enough to help :(

Have you thought about contacting/talking to some of his local elders......they know so MUCH.......and even if they don't have the information you are seeking they will probably know someone for you to talk too :)

Good Luck Chelle

[michelle_j_r]

Thanks for the links. Have not had a huge amount of luck in my quick look through but I'll come back for a better search when I don't have the kids.

I'm not sure he'd be classed as stolen generation. I've always taken that to mean forcibly removed. I'm not sure in this case what happened. He was raised by a family member of his birth parents (white family members though) but I don't know why.

At this point I think I'm going to just phone their local land council and see what info they are allowed to give me and what info they need from me. That side of the family are from further inland so I don't have a contact point like I would have if it were local.

Not sure how coherent this is! Darcy wants food NOW so I'm distracted! Lol'

[GreenGully]

Your local linkup should be able to offer some services to help if you approach them.

[jodiemiller]

He was raised by a family member of his birth parents (white family members though) but I don't know why.

There should be come kind of record of his adoption then, even if he wasn't formally adopted, there would be some evidence that he went to school and where, who his guardians were, and perhaps govt records will have other info too.

A formal adoption should show record of the mother's name, possibly even the father's name. That's where I would start.

I have an uncle who was born to my nanna before she married my pop. He was adopted out to another family member. It was common in those days (I'm guessing the depression years for your relative, too?) and it was via those records that he was able to eventually track down my nanna (who had changed her name). There might also be a hospital record of the birth (or there might not if born on country). Worth a search?

[mummabare]

linkup is your best bet. His father wasn't aboriginal? I would be grilling that side of the family for information. If you know what area they come from check some of the missions ( you may need to contact various religious organisation or groups for information....I had to). Also don't be surprised if you don't get any names, my understanding is that nsw was colonised heavily and brutally, records were not kept often. I have my great great grandmothers tribal name which I occassionally use, she is referred to in most documents by the name local police called her, Bella.

My advice is to ask family and friends first and foremost, its amazing what you learn when you ask the right questions at the right time. Best of luck xx

[michelle_j_r]

His father wasn't aboriginal?
whose father are you refering to?
i know the area that Tim's grandfather was raised in (Warialda) and i phoned the nearest land council but there is nothing actually in Warialda itself so no point of contact to hope to get in touch with an elder that might know the family name. I'm waiting on info from a cousin that thinks she has details that might help. Once i see what she knows Tim is going to try to get a copy of the adoption certificate. The only surviving family are the youngest sisters that were told nothing more than he was adopted so it's hard to figure out who knows what. Especially seeing as it's not my family but Tim's and i don't know the history. And the grandfather died when Tim was a kid.... anyway, looking into it. But it's probably going to have to wait until Tim gets back from the Territory.

[mummabare]

I meant the paternal grandfather's birth father....the one who had children with the aboriginal woman. Its jigsaw puzzle putting family histories back together. Good luck with it xx

[michelle_j_r]

i don't even know if it was the birth mother or father that was aboriginal! only that someone was but neither parent was involved directly in raising him. i wish the other sisters had questioned the older sister more when she first mentioned it and before she died.

[jodiemiller]

There will be records, Chelle. Maybe not the ones you're looking for, but ones that contribute to the jigsaw puzzle. Some people are really clever at tracing that stuff, is there a local genealogy society or something in your area? Maybe you should write to one of those genealogy shows and see if your number comes up. :2lol