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Portrait of Anthony Martin Fernando by Raj Nagi
A portrait of an unknown Indigenous Australian activist, Anthony Martin Fernando, who took Aboriginal protest to London in the 1920s. Standing outside London's Australia House in his skeleton-decorated coat, his cry was: 'This is what the Australian government has done to my people'. As there are no known photographs of Fernando, the artist did not include the whole face in this imagined portrait. -
Conistion Massacre
In the 1920s and 1930s the indigenous people started organisations to show their concern to the wider community. This then resulted in the Coniston Masscare which was the last known indigenous massacre that took place.
People involved: Lingiari, Wave Hill station manager, Lingiari’s workmates, Prime Minister Gough Whitlam
Themes: Human rights, courage, determination
Message: Indigenous people tried hard to be treated equally and to have their traditional land back. -
The Day Of Mourning And Protest
On 26 January 1938, while most Australians celebrated, a group of Aboriginal activists held an Aboriginal-only protest in Sydney to mark the 150th Anniversary of British colonisation of Australia. They appealed for equality and protested against the 'callous treatment of our people by the white men'.
People involved: indigenous families and children, Australian government, church.
Theme: speciation, discrimination, simulation, separation, sadness -
The Exemption Certificate
From the 1940s, in most parts of Australia, the state governments issued thousands of these certificates. The granting of a certificate gave its Indigenous recipient citizenship rights that they otherwise did not possess, yet which were enjoyed by the non-Indigenous majority of Australian society. They included 'privileges' such as being allowed to vote, attend school, go into hotels, and be exempted from the restrictions of state protection laws. -
The Australian Aborigines League Banner
This banner was hand-made in the late 1940s or early 1950s to promote the Australian Aborigines League (AAL), a significant Melbourne-based Aboriginal protest organisation, by Bill Onus, a leading Aboriginal activist of the time.
People involved: indigenous and western Australians, Australian Aborigine League, Indigenous rights campaigns.
Themes: hope, passion for change
Message: Banners were tool for communicating. -
Mary Bennett and Indigenous people rights
The book in the picture is written by Mary Bennett was non-indigenous woman who was also an activist for Indigenous right.People involved: Mary Bennett, Indigenous peoples’ rights organisations, women organisations, people of AustraliaTheme: Identity and belonging, hope, passion, human rights.Message: Anyone can support indigenous peoples’ rights if they are passionate about it. -
The Hook And Tucker Box
This wharfies' hook was used by Joe in the 1950s and 1960s on the wharves at Cairns. For an Aboriginal waterside worker such as McGinness, the hook symbolises his acceptance as a worker of equal status.
People involved: Joe McGinnes, the workers at McGinnes work site, McGinne's manager.
Theme: harmony, hope, equality
The message is that although he is a indigenous Australian, he was treated equally with other workers. It showed different colored skin does not matter. -
Albert Namatjira
The man in the picture is Albert Namatjira who is a famous Indigenous Artist and this photo was taken while he was siging autographs in early 1950s. He was famous for the conflict he had with Australian government about his Australian citizenship. The event showed the inhumanity of Australian law and discrimination against Indegenous people.
People involved: Albert Namatjira, Australian Government.
Theme: Segregation, human right and identity. -
Indigenous Institutions (Missions)
This picture is part of a house in an institution where Indigenous people were encouraged to live. Many Indigenous people lived in the institutions for much of the 20th century. In institutions, indigenous people were discouraged or forbidden to have cultural activities together.
People involved: Indigenous people, Australian Government, Churches.
Themes: Speciation, indigenous peoples' rights, descrimination, speciation -
Doug Nicholls
At the time of the investigation into the state of people living in the Warburton Ranges, Doug Nicholls was founding pastor at the Fitzroy Church of Christ Aborigines' Mission. He was well known and loved by Aboriginal people living in Melbourne. As a result of his sporting successes, especially as a winger for Fitzroy in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
People involved: Sir Douglas Ralph
Themes: hope
Message: Douglas becoming a Governor showed equal rights in Australia. -
John Moriarty's dressing gown
This dressing gown belongs to John Moriarty from his time spent at St. Francis' house in Adelaide, South Australia, He is an Indigenous person whom lived in a mission. he received this coat when he was young (around about 1963) and kept it ever since then. He quoted that he always kept the things that were given to him when he donated the coat to the Australian National Museum.People involved: John Moriarty, the person who gave it to him.
Theme: Passion -
The Petition To The Fedral Government
The petition in the picture was presented to the Federal parliament protesting against mining prospect from the indigenous people of Yirrkala in 1963.
People involved: Federal parliament, Yirrkala people (indigenous group).
Themes: disagreement, respectful object, abolishment.
Message: Development of indigenous people’s objection. -
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NOEL PEARSON PART 1
Picture of Noel PearsonNoel Pearson was born on 25th June 1965, He is an Aboriginal Australian lawyer, academic, land rights activist and founder of the Cape York Institute for Policy and Leadership. He is known as an advocate for indigenous peoples’ land rights. He is also famous for founding the Cape York Institute for Policy and Leadership and being an influential activist for the Australian Aboriginal Community. -
Spur
A cattleman Sabu Sing and his workers walked off their work at Wave Hill station in the Northern Territory in August 1966 for equal wage with White workers and also to save heir traditional land .
Theme: segregation, simulation, human right, identity, survival, hope.
Message: injustice must be redressed. -
Faith Bandler's White Gloves
Faith Bandler was a well known Indigenous Activist who incouraged Australian citizens to vote for Indigenous people during 1967 Australian referndum. She wore a pair of white gloves when she appeared in public to respect the white female Australian citizens.
People involved: Faith Bandler, citizens (both White and Aboriginal).
Themes: Equlaity and Independance, Respect, Harmony, identity and hope.
Message: If we all respect each other, we can develop the country harmoniously. -
The Campaign
In 1967, after ten years of campaigning, a referendum was held to change the Australian Constitution. Two negative references to Aboriginal Australians were removed, giving the Commonwealth the power to legislate for them as a group. This change was seen by many as recognition of Aboriginal people as full Australian citizens. -
Seats Of Segregation
The seats are from Bownraille Threatre, in Bowraville,New South Wales. In this cinema it had two different types of seats. One cushioned and at the backrow where only white poeple were allowed to sit on and another was wodden and down at the front. These seats showed segregation.
People involved: employee and employer of Bowraville Threatre and the customers.
Theme: segregation and identity,
Messeage: Discrimination also occured at the entertainment areas. -
The Tuckerbox
The tuckerbox was used by McGinness in trips around northern Queensland and the Northern Territory in the 1960s and 1970s. Joe gave his wharfies' hook to his close friend and neighbour when he was cleaning up his shed, while Joe's granddaughter offered him the tuckerbox after Joe passed away, recognising it held special memories for him.
Message: Something even simple as a box can hold so many special memories and has a meaning behind it. -
Period: to
NOEL PEARSON PART 2
Picture of Noel PearsonNoel Pearson is a well-known and respected indigenous activist who has done a great deal for the rights if Indigenous Australians. He was involved in the establishment of many indigenous organisations on the Cape York Peninsula. All of the organisations Pearson has been involved in have been designed to help the indigenous people of Cape York. He is also a well-known Australian commentator on political and indigenous affairs.
