In the fourth episode of the second series of Stuff the British Stole, which airs on ABC Australia on Monday, 8 July 2024, at 8.00 pm, Marc Fennell embarks on a journey from London to the mountain of kunanyi and the grand halls of Government House, as he unravels a heart-wrenching story of injustice and cultural theft.
The story centres around a battered black doll that was sent from Britain to the First Nations people of lutruwita/Tasmania in 2022. This doll holds a profound connection to the past and represents a devastating chapter in the history of colonial Australia.
During the early 1820s to the mid-1830s, violent conflicts erupted between settlers and the Indigenous people of what is now known as Tasmania. Following this tumultuous period, Sir John Franklin was appointed Lieutenant Governor of Van Diemen’s Land, the former colonial name of Tasmania, serving a four-year term beginning in 1837. It was during this time that Franklin and his wife, Lady Jane, made a request that would change the course of an Indigenous child’s life forever.
Mathinna, the daughter of a chieftain, was not an orphan. Nonetheless, she was taken from her family and placed in the care of the Franklins for four years. However, just months before Franklin’s term as Governor was set to end, the couple abruptly abandoned Mathinna, leaving her at an orphan asylum in Hobart while they returned to England, taking her doll with them.
The tale of Mathinna and her doll is a really poignant reminder of the forced removal of Indigenous children, a tragic legacy of colonisation. It speaks to the deep bond between a child and her cherished toy and the profound sense of loss when they are separated. The doll becomes a symbol of innocence lost, displacement, and the theft of cultural identity.
To fully understand the impact of this story, Fennell travels to the UK to explore the Franklin family’s motivations. Why did they request an Indigenous child, and what led them to ultimately abandon Mathinna? By exploring these questions, we gain a deeper understanding of the family that took her in and the broader context of colonial attitudes and practices.
Stuff the British Stole, Series 2, Episode 4, airs on ABC Australia on Monday 8 July 2024 at 8.00 pm. You can also stream all episodes on ABC iview.
