Darumbal/Wakka Wakka man, Paul Sandow’s journey to becoming a Link-Up (Qld) Board Director reflects his perseverance and dedication to fostering a sense of belonging for all.

Born and raised under the strict conditions of the Aboriginals Protection Act, Paul’s early life was shaped by the dormitory system in Cherbourg, a place he called home for much of his childhood. His story is one of resilience and survival, and it is this lived experience that allows him to make a significant impact as a Board Director of Link-Up (Qld).

Paul’s early years were far from easy. Separated from his family at birth, he spent his childhood in the dormitory, where the boys he lived with became his brothers. “The dorm was my home and the boys were my family, as far as I knew,” Paul shared. Even though his sister Estelle was living in the girls’ dormitory next door, he didn’t learn she was his sister until the age of eleven. Growing up in such a rigid and isolating environment, Paul was often forced to suppress his connection to his Aboriginal culture and his family. He recalls the cold mornings and harsh punishments vividly: “We had to get up and work at 5am every morning, even in the middle of winter, walking around on the frost with only shorts and a little shirt. I still remember the feeling of the freezing cold wind hitting us. I was five or six years old.”

LEFT: Paul Sandow as a young boy at Cherbourg. RIGHT: Paul Sandow (far left) with other children at Cherbourg.

While his time at the dormitory denied him a connection with his family, it was also the place where Paul felt a sense of belonging, although a fractured one. When he eventually left Cherbourg and reunited with his mother, he found it difficult to connect.

“I still thought of the dormitory boys as my family, so I was a bit confused about how to connect with my mother.”

This disconnection is a reality many Stolen Generations survivors like Paul face, as the government policies and practices of the time tore apart families and prevented them from forming meaningful relationships.

As Paul grew older, he struggled with the sense of displacement. Never truly feeling at home anywhere, he moved around frequently, constantly searching for a place to belong. “I was always on the move,” Paul explained. “People always say about me, ‘he’s never home.’ I wasn’t stable.” As a young man, his attempts to visit the only place he ever felt a sense of connection were met with resistance. “When I tried to go back and visit Cherbourg when I was about 17, the policeman said, ‘Hey Pauly, what are you doing here? You’re an outsider now.’” It was a moment that highlighted the deep-seated sense of loss and exclusion that many Stolen Generations survivors experienced. “He said, ‘If you’re not on a bus out of here by 5 o’clock, we’ll lock you up’. That’s where I was born and raised, you know, but I wasn’t welcome back.”

Despite the challenges, Paul continued to forge his own path and has slowly reclaimed his sense of self. He has settled in Brisbane, where he is a proud father and grandfather, and remains in close contact with his sisters Estelle, Melita and Pauline.

Link-Up (Qld) Board Director Paul Sandow with his granddaughters, Aiyana and Kaliede Sandow-Lister.

Today, as a Board Director, Paul’s lived experience gives him a unique perspective on the work Link-Up (Qld) does in reuniting Stolen Generations survivors and their descendants with family, country, and culture. “I like Link-Up (Qld) because the staff here walk alongside their clients throughout the whole process of reconnecting. They help lots of Stolen Generations people all over Queensland and make sure everyone feels supported,” he says. For Paul, Link-Up (Qld) offers more than just services – it provides a sense of community and belonging that many survivors, including him and his sisters missed growing up. Paul takes pride in his role on the board, as it allows him to give back to a community that means so much to him. His involvement with Link-Up (Qld) is not just about governance – it’s about ensuring no one else feels the disconnection he once experienced.

“The Link-Up (Qld) community of clients, staff, and friends has become the family I never had.”

Published 10 December 2024.