Evalene’s stolen generation story connects with new audiences

For Juniper Hayloft customer Evalene Wallbank, writing about her life as part of the stolen generation was an emotional and empowering experience.

Originally from Beyondie Station in Kumarina – a town in WA’s Mid-West between Meekatharra and Newman – Evalene has fond memories of her time around horses as a youngster, but everything changed at age eight in the early 1950s.

As part of the government’s assimilation policies of the day, Evalene and three of her sisters were sent to Sister Kate’s Children’s Cottage Home in Queens Park because she had an “Aboriginal mum and a white father”.

“It was all because we were brown, they were trying to take the colour out of us,” Evalene said.

“I’d have given anything to be home.

“It taught me how to be strong, as I’d always remember my dad saying to stick up for yourself.”

For the next eight years, the four sisters were subjected to a “disgusting, horrible situation” where physical abuse was often part of the everyday.

Her book “The Boundary Rider’s Daughter” features a series of stories about some of the harrowing experiences in this cruel environment and recollections of happy memories like mustering on horseback decades later.

When Evalene left Sister Kate’s in the early 1960s, she went on to work at St Anne’s Nursing Home, married husband Bryan, raised three children, took part in competitive darts and enjoyed caravanning.

But, returning “up north” to live on outback stations in and around Kumarina with family remain some of the best times of her life.

First published in 2017, Evalene’s book continues to gain interest with new audiences including fellow residents at Juniper Hayloft Residential Aged Care Home in Martin.

“It took a few years to write the book – I wrote it myself on an old typewriter; it was whatever came into my mind, and it would just flow through me,” she said.

“Every now and then, a tear would come to my eye.”

At weekly group sessions, Juniper Hayloft Lifestyle Coordinator Janelle Johnson has shared passages from the book with residents, who have then had the incredible opportunity to ask the author more about her life.

Always ready with her contagious smile, the now 81-year-old Evalene continues to keep close ties with her family, has enjoyed making new friends amongst her fellow residents and remains an adored as well as inspirational feature of Juniper Hayloft.

“I can’t believe how this book has resurfaced – I’m quite happy that new people are discovering it, to me it seems like a new book,” Evalene said.

Visit www.hesperianpress.com for more details about availability of Evalene’s “The Boundary Rider’s Daughter” book.