Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence: The Stolen Generation Story

Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence: A True Story

Australian author Doris Pilkington’s 1996 nonfiction work, Follow the Rabbit-Proof Fence, chronicles the harrowing experiences of a native Australian family during the era of the Stolen Generation. This period was defined by the early 20th-century government practice of forcibly removing mixed-race children from their families and placing them in state-run compounds.

The Journey of Three Young Girls

The narrative centers on three young girls:

• Molly (Pilkington’s mother)
• Daisy (Molly’s sister)
• Gracie (their cousin)

After being abducted from their families, the girls escaped from a government settlement in 1931. They embarked on a perilous 1,000-mile journey home, navigating by following the rabbit-proof fence that spanned Western Australia from north to south. Pilkington utilizes a third-person perspective, drawing upon extensive research and personal interviews with her mother and Daisy to reconstruct these events.

Historical Context of Western Australia

The book opens with the history of the first English arrivals in Western Australia and their complex interactions with the Aboriginal population. This history was marked by unrest, including raids and the kidnapping of women by white settlers. Pilkington also documents periods of relative peace and the profound isolation experienced by the early English arrivals.

The Swan River Colony

In 1829, settlers led by Captain Fremantle sought to rename the territory. Due to significant language barriers, true consent from Aboriginal leaders was likely never achieved; nevertheless, one million square miles were designated as the Swan River Colony. Within a year, the settlers consolidated power, restricting where Aboriginal people could live and work to enforce English cultural dominance.

The Eradication of Aboriginal Culture

As European expansion intensified, violent conflicts erupted, eventually leading to the systematic eradication of the traditional Aboriginal way of life. By the 1900s, Aboriginal people were increasingly forced into state-run camps. While their skills in horsemanship and cattle herding were utilized, these camps were designed to suppress Aboriginal culture and mandate European customs, such as the wearing of Western clothing.