First Australians

First Nations art on a purple background

Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property

We have developed an Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) Protocol to guide people on how to access and use ICIP in our collections.

First Australians

A promotional graphic featuring a collage of three diverse women, each in a different portrait style, alongside the text 'She Shapes History at the National Library of Australia.' The women are presented in black and white or muted tones, suggesting a focus on historical or influential figures. The overall design is modern and impactful, with the text prominently displayed on a pale pink background.

Why didn’t anyone tell me Australian history was interesting?

In this opening talk, Sita Sargeant was joined by Santilla Chingaipe, Jacinta Mackay, and Harini Rangarajan: three women who between them show what becomes possible when you go looking for the version of Australia that never made it into the textbooks.

Learning activity for adults

A promotional graphic featuring three black-and-white portraits of women alongside the text 'She Shapes History at the National Library of Australia' on a pink background.

Well-behaved women rarely make history.

This digital module will introduce you to stories from Australian history that centre women who behaved badly, or were seen that way.

Cover of 'Wangka Wakanutja: The story of the Papunya Literature Production Centre' by Vivien Johnson, Charlotte Phillipus and Samantha Disbray

Wangka Wakaṉutja: The Story of the Papunya Literature Production Centre

Vivien Johnson, Charlotte Phillipus and Samantha Disbray
This landmark publication documents the full story behind the extraordinary literary movement at Papunya.

Book

Red text reading 'Wangka Wakanutja' on a yellow background

Wangka Wakanutja – The Papunya Readers

Module
This Digital Classroom module invites students and teachers to explore the Papunya readers. Aligned with the Australian Curriculum: HASS, English and The Arts and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures cross-curriculum priority, this resource encourages students to learn about Country, language, storytelling and the purposes stories serve.

Digital Classroom

A black and white photo of a man playing a guitar on a boat

Frank Hurley, A diver entertains while on his way to the fishing grounds, 1910, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-157724827

Torres Strait Islands collection research guide

Highlights collection items in our catalogue from the 5 major island clusters in the Torres Straits Region.

First Australians

Research guide

A black and white photo showing how two half shells and the round pieces cut out of them

Frank Hurley, [Cut shell] showing the method of cutting shells commercially, 1921, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-149364077

Torres Strait Islander conservation

Module

Engaging students with a rich selection of sources and challenges them to draw their own conclusions about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ approaches to custodial responsibility and environmental management in different regions of Australia.

Digital Classroom

First Australians

A campaign poster for the 1967 Australian referendum, featuring a close-up photograph of a young Aboriginal child with a serious expression. The text on the poster reads: 'YES for Aborigines. Write YES for Aborigines in the lower square. May 27th. Authorized by Faith Bandler, 13 Kens Road, Frenchs Forest.'

Faith Bandler and Jerry Rind, Yes for Aborigines : write yes for Aborigines in the lower square May 27th, 1967, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-136875607

The 1967 Referendum

Module

This resource is aligned with the Australian Curriculum: History for Year 10 students. It engages students with a rich selection of sources and challenges them to draw their own conclusions about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ struggle for civil rights in Australia.

Digital Classroom

First Australians

Strangers on Country

David Hartley and Kirsty Murray. Illustrated by Dub Leffler

Book

First Australians

NLA Publishing book

Detail of the cover of 'Bringing them home : the "Stolen children" report' which features in image of a parent and child playing at sunrise

Australian Human Rights Commission, Bringing them home : the "Stolen children" report (1997) (detail), nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn6230268

Stolen Generations resources

If you are researching members of your family who were removed from their families under past Australian Government practices, you can find information documenting the experiences of Stolen Generations in our collection.

Research guide