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First Australians

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An illustration of black pen on green paper of a snake wrapped around a boom box. This is pictured beside an exhibition sign in a gallery.

(L) Kulata Dennis Nelson and Papunya Literature Production Centre, Pijkatj anta rikulta [The snake and the recorder], 1990, nla.obj-3286603500; (R) Wangka Wakanutja exhibition signage at the entrance to the Library's gallery

Reconciliation Day: Wangka Wakanutja exhibition tours

The National Library is proud to participate in Reconciliation Day. Our expert curators ran a free guided tour of our major exhibition Wangka Wakanutja.

Event
A cosy living room. A small table surrounded by four chairs takes up much of the image. There are a few other seats in the image, and artwork and sculpture adorning the walls and shelves lining the walls.

Duldig Studio sitting room. Image courtesy of the Duldig Studio Museum + Sculpture Garden ©2026.

Community Heritage Grants: New Applicants Q&A forum

This was an opportunity to learn more about the Community Heritage Grants program and ask specific questions about your proposal.

Event
Page from 'maamangku mgurriningi palumpa yuntalpaku', line art depicting a group of three watching community

Sabrina Ferguson Nakamarra, Dennis Nelson and Papunya Literature Production Centre, Maamangku ngurriningi palumpa yuntalpaku, 1987, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-3285693260

Family, care, and responsibility

Topic
Family, kinship, care, responsibility

Digital Classroom
A black snake, with red and yellow snake emerging from the darkness a white and yellow glow surrounding it

Charlotte Phillipus Nupurrula, Thomas Stevens Tjapangati and Papunya Literature Production Centre, Yara waṉampitjarra, 1984, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-3286350047

Reading the Papunya Readers – themes and purposes

Topic
What stories do, and why they exist.

Digital Classroom
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
Rebecca Bateman, holding the NLA Publication, Wangka Wakanutja, in the National Library of Australia

Rebecca Bateman, and NLA Publication, Wangka Wakanutja.

Learn with the Curators of Wangka Wakaṉutja

We learnt from experts who have brought the Wangka Wakanutja exhibition to life.

Event
Yellow poster with the black and white image of a group of children on pavement outside a building with the sign 'Murawina' on it, picture is captioned 'Aboriginal pre-school, Sydney, NSW', above the image the poster is titled 'Just this? - or Justice' in large font, underneath the image at the bottom of the poster says 'National Aborigines Week 7-13 July 1975', in the bottom right hand corner in tiny font is signed 'National Aborigines Day Observance Committee'

Designed by an unknown artist, Just This? — Or Justice: National Aborigines Week, 1975, https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/catalog/3044575

50 years of NAIDOC

Breakfasts, bold voices, and a groundbreaking poster: step inside the first-ever NAIDOC Week in 1975 and meet the community of women who transformed a local children’s program into a national call for justice.

Blog
Red text reading 'Wangka Wakanutja' on a yellow background
Wangka Wakaṉutja: The Story of the Papunya Literature Production Centre

Explore the decades-long, remarkable efforts of the Papunya community to record language and culture and keep it alive. 

Exhibition
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
Four framed pictures hanging on a wall that has an image of an island on it.
Mabo v Queensland (No. 2): 30th Anniversary

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Mabo decision, the Library invited Gail Mabo, Eddie’s daughter, to select material for display to mark this landmark moment in Australian legal history.

Exhibition
First Australians
Cover of children's book 'Ayaiga: Neighbour and Hero'
Ayaiga: Neighbour and Hero

Thomas Higgs with Colin Hall and illustrated by Wally Wilfred

Book
Detail of the cover of book 'In defence of country : life stories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander servicemen & women' which features a painting of a First Nations serviceman

Noah Riseman & ANU Press, In defence of country : life stories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander servicemen & women (detail), 2016, nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn6930656

First Nations military service resources

Our resources can help you find out about your family member’s service history.

Research guide

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