Knitting, I have, as usual, many projects going (no, this is not all of them!)
The blue beanie is finished and the cream wool is waiting to be made into a second one. The pattern is a free one on Ravelry - Waiting For Winter - designed by the lovely Astrid. It is a great pattern. I would definitely give it a go!
The yellow/blue/green yarn is another pair of legwarmers. Yes, that sounds terribly 80s Flashdance but hey, I like them. I am VERY hard on socks and it was so sad to put in all the work only to have them wear out at the heel or toe. Finally I decided you cannot see that part anyway, so I only knit the part you can see over my boots! And they don't wear out! And extra bonus, they are quicker to knit. So I just knit any gorgeous sock pattern - colourwork, lace, whatever - using only the leg portion and bob's your uncle!
My dear friend just lent me this book, Archie Roach's memoir Tell Me Why, so I have only read the first few pages and had to put it down already. I know it will be emotional reading. I read the prologue and then chapter 1 begins with the lyrics to Archie Roach's first song, Took The Children Away.
Archie Roach is an Indigenous Australian. He is a stolen child and his first song, which is about this experience, came out in 1990. Took The Children Away won an International Human Rights Achievement Award.
Watch the video of Archie Roach singing Took The Children Away here and read the lyrics here. Truly harrowing. As a mother myself now (I wasn't when the song first came out), I think it really hits hard. I cannot imagine the experience of those poor mothers who had their beloved children taken from them simply because of their race. It is estimated that at least 100,000 children were forcibly removed from their homes between 1910-1970.
The most important thing that Kevin Rudd did as prime minister was to issue a formal apology to our Indigenous people, particularly to the Stolen Generations.
We just had National Sorry Day, or the National Day of Healing, on May 26, the day after George Floyd was tragically killed.
When will this world change?
Hi Jayne! Emotional reading like that is hard, but good. Sorry Day is a good idea.
ReplyDeletexo
It certainly is emotional. Inconceivable that they truly thought they were doing the right thing by these children.
DeleteYou are one very clever (and practical!!!) gal to knit yourself leg warmers and not the whole sock. I admire such thinking in a person.
ReplyDeleteI am not familiar at all with the story of indigenous children being taken from their mothers. The very thought of it pulls hard at my heartstrings.
It does feel a bit like cheating! But it works better for me and saves on yarn and mending!
DeleteIt is a tragic part of Australia's history - so many children growing up with no real roots, not knowing where they really came from.
Your knitting is beautiful and I love your idea of just making a legwarmer.
ReplyDeleteI am going to have to read more to learn about the stolen children. I can't imagine. I love the idea of the sorry day.
The George Floyd killing is so wrong. It's another thing I can't wrap my head around.
So many terrible things have been done, in the past and now, just on the basis of race. It is hard to believe. I watched George Floyd's service last night - very powerful. Two good books about the stolen children are Rabbit-Proof Fence and Under The Wintamarra Tree both by Doris Pilkington. These are based on her own experiences as a child stolen from her family and brought up in a government institution so she could learn to be 'white'. How they thought this was better is beyond me.
DeleteOh my goodness. You are on to something there. I may convert to legwarmers. It is upsetting when the heels go on socks I knit. Your book sounds really interesting. Not a subject I know much about, but 100,000 is a big number. As a mother, I can't bear to think how they must have felt. Unimaginable. One to add to my book list.
ReplyDeleteAnd they are quicker to knit! It really is unimaginable to think that the authorities literally came to their houses and took their children with no notice and no recourse.
DeleteI love your legwarmers....what a great idea! I may have to give that a go. The beanie is cute. I'll have to look up the pattern.
ReplyDeleteI am in the same boat as some of the other commenters. I was not aware of the part of Australia's history. It sounds somewhat similar to what happened in America's history with Native American children. It is my understanding (and it's a very surface understanding at that) the children were made to go to special schools and not allowed any of their tribal customs, dress, language etc. It's awful to think of being stripped of your heritage like that.
The beanie is a great pattern - very easy too!
ReplyDeleteIn Australia, the children either remained in government institutions where they were taught to be 'white' and that their way of living was primitive so they needed to progress. Or they were fostered out, often to white families who were perfectly loving and thought they were doing the right thing by these children, helping them to rise above their primitive upbringing. So tragic.
Leg warmers are brilliant, and so practical, especially with boots. I use them for my girls too, since I can knit them flat and seam (I avoid dpns like the plague).
ReplyDeleteThat book--wow. So heartbreaking! I started to watch a movie on the topic a few years ago (the one with Kenneth Brannagh, Rabbit something) and I could not finish it, it just killed me. It's a tough thing to reckon with, these histories of ours.
I have a ridiculous love affair with DPNs. Not sure why. I think it is probably because it seemed like such magic when I first learned to use them! Leg warmers are the best - I want to have so many colours.
DeleteThat movie (Rabbit-Proof Fence - yes, Australia did try to build a massive fence to keep out rabbits!) is so sad. I cannot imagine it.