Apology to the Stolen Generations

On 12 February, 2008, in the words of one facebooker "a brave man walked into Federal Parliament. Two hours later, a great man walked out." I couldn't help wondering what Mikko would have made of that day. Part of him would have been proud, I think, that his adopted country was finally redressing old wrongs, although he would also be adamant that Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's apology to the stolen generations was long overdue: after all Mikko signed this petition in 1999, and for nearly a decade kept this photo of Nicky Winmar "lifitng his jumper and pointing to his tummy" on his wall. Australians have a lot to learn from other countries' treatment of indigenous people: including Finland's respect for the traditional ways of life of the Saami people (in English, we know them as Laplanders). Nevertheless, I was proud to be an Australian that day, and I think the Finn would have been proud too.