Alice's Daughter

Lost Mission Child

Author: Rhonda Collard-Spratt and Ms Jacki Ferro

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Summary

Description

In 1954, aged three, Rhonda Collard-Spratt was taken from her Aboriginal family and placed on Carnarvon Native Mission, Western Australia. Growing up in the white world of chores and aprons, religious teachings, and cruel beatings, Rhonda drew strength and healing from her mission brothers and sisters, her art, music, and poetry, and her unbreakable bond with the Dreaming.

Alice's Daughter is the story of Rhonda's search for culture and family as she faces violence, racism, foster families, and her father's death in custody; one of the first deaths investigated as part of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody.

Written in Rhonda's distinctive voice, Alice's Daughter is fearless, compelling and intimate reading. Coupled with her vibrant and powerful paintings and poetry, Rhonda's is a journey of sadness, humour, resilience, and ultimately survival.

About the Author

Rhonda Collard-Spratt is a Yamatji and Noongar visual artist, dancer, singer-songwriter, art teacher, and poet from Carnarvon, Western Australia. She has a Bachelor of Contemporary Indigenous Art from Griffith University. As an Elder, Rhonda conducts Aboriginal cultural workshops, and has worked in prisons with young women around suicide prevention and helping them reconnect with their Aboriginality. As a representative of the Stolen Generations, Rhonda officiates at National Sorry Day events. Jacki Ferro has managed many cross-cultural and artistic community projects that support social justice and community education. Jacki has a degree in business communication (Queensland University of Technology), and post-graduate qualifications in both social planning (University of Queensland); and writing, editing, and publishing (UQ).

More on this Book

'My story is not about blame. It's about sharing history that belongs to all of Australia. I needed a push, but I am happy to finally give little Rhonda a voice, so that my words will live on after I leave this world.' In 1954, aged three, Rhonda Collard-Spratt was taken from her Aboriginal family and placed on Carnarvon Native Mission, Western Australia. Growing up in the white world of chores and aprons, religious teachings, and cruel beatings, Rhonda drew strength and healing from her mission brothers and sisters, her art, music, and poetry, and her unbreakable bond with the Dreaming. Alice's Daughter is the story of Rhonda's search for culture and family as she faces violence, racism, foster families, and her father's death in custody; one of the first deaths investigated as part of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. Written in Rhonda's distinctive voice, Alice's Daughter is fearless, compelling and intimate reading. Coupled with her vibrant and powerful paintings and poetry, Rhonda's is a journey of sadness, humour, resilience, and ultimately survival.