*their resilience, sorry!

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OP: I think it was embarrassing for my great grandmother. Imagine already having so many kids your husband has to go work away somewhere else, leaving you to run the farm whilst raising a small tribe of kids, and on one of his trips home (seems to me like he came home long enough to beat her and the children, knock her up, and then leave again) he brings a "half-caste" baby home and tells you to raise it. You're already terrified of his temper, but if you don't do what he says, he'll probably kill you or kick you out onto the street. So you live with the humiliation, and raise that baby as civil as you can (she beat my grandfather every day, but she still fed and clothed him).

I would like to learn more about the Aboriginal culture, but until I get confirmation of a blood tie, I feel like it would be insensitive. I'd feel like I'm patronising ATSI people. I don't want that. I want to be able to reconcile the new information with the heartbeat that raised me before I knew.

^^Good on you babe xx

That's what I meant.
Sorry i should have explained it clearly. It WAS embarrassing at the time. They were treated like animals, so to admit relations with them was shameful. My grandmother died still bearing her parents "shame".

OP: Ah, I see. Sorry that I (and clearly someone else too) misunderstood.
I thought you meant we should be embarrassed by the possible connection.

I think it's lovely to hear such positive things for a change ❤❤❤❤❤

^No you didn't misunderstand, I just didn't articulate my thoughts properly into words. But I'm glad you know what i meant now.
And you know what? I'm proud of my blood. Of my family's struggles.

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