From Hidden to Heard: Reclaiming Tribal Aboriginal Identity in My Place by Sally
Morgan
Ms. Shally Susan
Assistant Professor
Department of English
Prince Shri Venkateshwara College of Arts and Science
Gowrivakkam
Abstract:
The act of concealing one’s identity out of fear of shame and discrimination is a common
response among marginalized communities. For Indigenous Australians, this intentional
suppression of their cultural identity often served as a protective measure against racial hostility
in a predominantly white society. However, in the realm of social science research, such
concealment poses a significant obstacle to achieving an objective understanding of social
realities. This paper explores the process through which members of the Aboriginal community
initially mask their identity and gradually progress toward reclaiming it with pride. Through an
analysis of Sally Morgan’s My Place, the study examines this transformation and its impact on
the broader perception of Australian Aboriginal identity.
Key words: Indigenous Community, Fear of Humiliation, Conscious Masking, Intentional
Concealment
Colonialism and globalization have led to the widespread loss of land, culture, and
identity for many Indigenous populations. Native communities in regions such as Canada, the
United States, Africa, and Australia were forcibly removed from their ancestral lands and
displaced. In countries like Canada and Australia, Indigenous peoples were segregated within
their own nations, while in Africa, many were entirely uprooted and relocated to foreign lands.
This process of “othering” subjected them to systemic discrimination, humiliation, and
oppression, often compelling them to conceal their true identities. This paper explores how the
Aboriginal people of Australia, driven by fear of shame and exclusion, deliberately suppressed
their cultural identity, and how, over time, they progressed toward reclaiming it.
Through an analysis of Sally Morgan’s autobiographical work My Place, the paper
examines this journey of identity, res Australia is a land abundant in natural resources.
According to various sources, the Indigenous people of Australia, known as Aboriginals, have
inhabited the continent for approximately 45,000 to 50,000 years prior to European colonization,
living as distinct groups across the region (Berndt and Tonkinson). Although Australia may
appear barren to outsiders, Aboriginal communities possess a rich and vibrant culture, passed
down orally through generations. They have their own languages, dietary customs, and are often
believed to possess spiritual and healing abilities.
However, the history of Aboriginal Australians has largely been silenced or
misrepresented. Aboriginal people were historically dehumanized, making their survival
increasingly difficult. One of the most tragic chapters in their history is the forced removal of
Aboriginal children from their families a practice now referred to as the "Stolen Generations"
which left lasting psychological trauma on the community.
Sally Morgan is a prominent Australian Aboriginal author, artist, and educator, best
known for her autobiographical work My Place, published in 1987. Born in 1951 in Perth,
Western Australia, Morgan grew up unaware of her Aboriginal heritage due to the deliberate
concealment of her family’s identity—a result of the social stigma and discrimination faced by
Aboriginal people. Through her writing, particularly My Place, she explores themes of identity,
displacement, and cultural reclamation. The book chronicles her personal journey of self-
discovery, as well as the stories of her mother and grandmother, shedding light on the collective
trauma experienced by the Aboriginal community, especially during the era of the Stolen
Generations. Morgan’s work has played a significant role in reshaping the narrative of
Aboriginal identity in Australian literature and continues to inspire conversations about truth,
belonging, and reconciliation.
Sally Morgan, in her autobiography My Place in 1987 showcased her entire skill. Born in
1951 in Perth, Western Australia, Morgan recounts her personal journey in the narrative, tracing
her growth from childhood to adulthood as she gradually uncovers the hidden truth of her
Aboriginal heritage. Sally lives in Perth with her mother Gladys, her grandmother Daisy
(affectionately known as Nan), and her siblings. Despite being surrounded by other Australians,
Sally often feels a deep sense of difference. This feeling of “otherness” becomes more
pronounced when her schoolmates question her nationality, prompting a personal quest to
understand her family’s true identity. Her search is met with resistance, as her family’s history is
intentionally kept hidden by her mother and grandmother. Nonetheless, Sally remains
determined to uncover the truth, embarking on a journey of self-discovery and cultural
reclamation, and affirmation by an Australian Aboriginal voice.
The emergence of feminist theorists has emphasized the importance of developing
knowledge rooted in the lived experiences of women and other marginalized groups. This
approach is widely recognized as feminist standpoint theory, a concept introduced by American
feminist philosopher Sandra Harding. Kristina Rolin, a notable scholar in this field, argues in her
article “Standpoint Theory as a Methodology for the Study of Power Relations” that various
factors, such as shame, fear, and intimidation, hinder the ability to achieve objective outcomes in
social science research. This paper explores how such fear and shame led many Australian
Aboriginals to suppress their identities.
In Sally Morgan’s My Place, these themes are vividly illustrated. Sally, often kept in the
dark by her family elders, feels a deep sense of anxiety about her past and identity. Her persistent
questioning and desire to uncover the truth create discomfort among her mother and
grandmother. Sally's first awareness of her difference emerges during her school years. She
begins to realize her behavior and lifestyle contrast sharply with those of her peers for instance,
her classmates are surprised to learn that she shares a bed with her siblings, a result of the
Aboriginal community’s socio-economic hardships. These living conditions reflect the broader
social inequalities Aboriginals face in Australian society, where economic and social
marginalization’s are deeply interconnected. Her confusion deepens when classmates ask her
which country she comes from. Until that moment, Sally believed she and her family were no
different from the other Australian children. However, when asked about her parents’ nationality,
she is struck with uncertainty. Upon questioning her mother, she is told they are Indian—a
response that satisfies her at the time, as she is still a child and unaware of the complex structural
hierarchies and racial dynamics within Australian society.
Sally’s true identity is completely concealed from her and her siblings. Although she
senses that her mother and grandmother live differently from those around them, she is unable to
uncover the reason. Their approach to illness, their frugality, and their general way of life set
them apart, and they go to great lengths to keep their lifestyle hidden from outsiders.
At one point, Sally forms a natural bond with a dark-skinned girl she meets, feeling an
immediate and unconscious closeness. This connection subtly suggests that Sally possesses an
inherent sense of her Aboriginal identity, which draws her more easily to her own people than to
white Australians. When the girl mentions she is leaving, Sally is confused and instinctively asks
where she is going, revealing her emotional attachment and underlying need for connection.
It was only then that Sally Morgan became aware of the difference in her grandmother’s
skin color. Her realization of being Aboriginal came when her sister Jill revealed the truth by
saying, “We’re Boongs.” Sally immediately noticed the discomfort on Jill’s face as she used the
word, recognizing the deep social stigma associated with Aboriginal identity—a prejudice Sally
had already witnessed at school. This moment marked a turning point in Sally’s life; at the age of
fifteen, she resolved to uncover her true identity. While Sally was willing to embrace their
Aboriginal heritage, Jill struggled to accept it due to the negative societal perceptions
surrounding Aboriginal Australians.
The fear of discrimination and shame led Nan to isolate herself from others. Sally
Morgan later noticed that her grandmother would disappear whenever Sally invited friends over
to their home. When she asked her mother Gladys about this strange behavior of her
grandmother Nan, Gladys replied that it is because of her aging. But one day when Sally took her
friend into the kitchen, Nan was furious and after Sally’s friend left home, Nan told her You’re
not to keep bringing” people inside, Sally. You got no shame. We don’t want them to see how
we live. This is due to her fear and shame about her family’s condition. This social stigma has
forced the Aboriginals to conceal their identity from others, though they lived among the others
and exclude themselves from others.
The two of them Gladys and Nan were scared of the government and the people in
authority. Nan warns Sally to be aware of the people in authority.
Ooh, … You don’t know what the government’s like, you’re too young. You’ll find out
one day what they can do to people. You never trust anybody who works for the
government, you dunno what they say about you behind your back. You mark my words,
Sally. (96)
Whenever Sally tried to make things clear, both Sally’s mother and grandmother
disapproved the idea and dropped it. They were not ready to disclose the truth but then and there
in the narrative, the predicament of the Australian Aboriginals was stated by Nan and Gladys.
Both Gladys and Nan were scared of the government and the people in authority. Nan warns
Sally to be aware of the people in authority.
In the next part of the narrative, Sally’s mother, Gladys, shares her story. In 1931, at just
three years old, she was taken to the Parkerville Children’s Home, which then became her
permanent residence. Like many others, she was forcibly and systematically separated from her
parents, a traumatic experience that left the children fearful and insecure. In her account, Gladys
recalls feeling a sense of comfort and protection whenever she heard Aboriginal music.
This underscores the deep-rooted connection Aboriginal people share with their
community, land, music, wildlife, and the natural world—a powerful sense of belonging that
persisted despite forced separation and displacement. Later in life, after marrying Bill, Gladys
was never fully accepted by her in-laws because of her Aboriginal heritage. She lived in constant
fear of being identified as Aboriginal while navigating life among white Australians. In the past,
both she and Nan internalized the belief that being white meant superiority, power, and freedom
—while black people were viewed as subservient. This ingrained social hierarchy led Gladys to
feel ashamed of her identity, often wishing she had been born white. However, following a visit
to their ancestral land, both Sally and her mother—though they had not grown up there—
developed a renewed and meaningful sense of place.
Gladys told that due to the hardships they encountered, they concealed the struggles from
their children and wanted to bring them as part of White culture, which allowed them to be free
from racial disparity. But she changed her attitude in the final part of her story by saying “I hope
my children will feel proud of the spiritual background from which they’ve sprung. If we all
keep saying we’re proud to be Aboriginal, then maybe other Australians will see that we are a
people to be proud of…. All I want my children to do is to pass their Aboriginal heritage on”
(Morgan 306).
After their visit to the Aboriginal community, Nan's behavior began to shift subtly, as
seen in her reaction—listening to their conversations with a mix of wonder and disbelief.
Eventually, she agreed to share parts of her hidden past with her granddaughter. During a
hospital stay where Sally’s sister Helen worked, Nan experienced mistreatment at the hands of
white doctors, a clear indication that Aboriginal people continued to face discrimination and
dehumanization.
In recounting her life, Nan confessed how difficult it was to live as a Black person among
whites, who often treated Aboriginals as less than human. Through the words of both Gladys and
Nan, it becomes clear that, although Aboriginal people were given physical space to exist, they
were never granted true respect or equality. What Nan longed for was equal treatment for
Aboriginals—on par with that of white Australians. Her decision to reveal her past and
contribute to Sally’s effort in documenting their family history marked an important act of
reclaiming her identity.
Next in this novel many children have escaped from the place and moved to many places.
Arthur also has escaped from the Stations, and wandered to many places. Whenever they sought
help from people, they were told to go to the Camps themselves because it is their „place‟. But
the half- breed Aboriginal children never wanted to be assimilated, and they escaped and tried to
live independently. Thus Arthur later settles in life after many struggles. The place of one‟s own
was important those days as it is related to ones identity. When one was unaware of his place, he
was unaware of his parentage and identity. When Arthur got engaged, he was worried about his
parentage as he did not know his father, and he resolved this issue by telling that he was the son
of Corunna from Corunna Downs Station. Hence, with colonialism, Aboriginals have lost their
lands, culture, people, language and their identity too. When Arthur was good with the farm and
land, a white man wanted to buy that. He later confiscated his land and horses. At the end of his
story, Arthur stated:
the trouble is that colonialism is not yet over. We still have White Australia policy
against the Aborigines. Aah, it’s always been the same. They say there’s been no
difference between black and white… that’s a lie. I tell you, the black man has nothing,
the government’s been robin‟ him blind for years. (Morgan 212)
By the end of the narrative, both Sally’s mother and grandmother embrace their
Aboriginal identity and take pride in their heritage. They transition from a life of concealment
and fear to one of acceptance and self-recognition. This transformation marks a powerful
reclaiming of their Aboriginal identity. Thus, the paper illustrates how the characters in the
chosen narrative move from suppression to affirmation, ultimately reclaiming their sense of self
as Aboriginal people.
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