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25.01.2022 The State Library of Western Australia via Storylines https://storylines.slwa.wa.gov.au/ presents a collection of images documenting the contributions of Aboriginal peoples to the Western Australian pastoral industry. From the establishment of Western Australia’s pastoral industry many pastoralists relied heavily on an Aboriginal labour. The government provided vast tracks of land across Western Australian under lease to pastoralists. While some Aboriginal people were recrui...ted, others were unwillingly forced into work after being placed in settlements and missions. During this time the government held unprecedented power over the lives of Aboriginal people, making many wards of the State or otherwise placing them under the power of ‘protectors’, Aboriginal Protection Boards or similar government institutions. These institutions held so much power over the lives of Aboriginal people that in most instances wages and entitlements were not supplied, withheld or managed by pastoralists and government. Individuals would have to write to the relevant authority to access their money for basic personal needs, but as frequently as requests were made, they were denied. Rations were also provided in lieu of payment. Small amounts of tea, sugar, flour and tobacco were provided in return for labour for stations, missions, pastoralists and government. The tireless, and often unacknowledged work of these men, women and children is often a forgotten part of Australia’s history.
23.01.2022 As part of reconciliation week, today Storylines celebrates the life of Nundjan Djiridjarkan. Ken Colbung MBE, JP, OAM, was a respected Nyoongar Elder of the Bibbulmun people. Colbung was an active campaigner for the recognition of cultural and human rights for Aboriginal people nationally and was originally involved in the Black Power Movement of the 1960s in Australia. Colbung was born at Moore River Native Settlement in 1931. After his mother died when he was six, he was r...emoved from his family and sent to Sister Kate's Home. Colbung worked on farms before joining the Army at nineteen serving for fifteen years during which time he saw active service in the Korean War and rose to the rank of Sergeant. After the Army, Colbung became involved in Aboriginal politics and worked in New South Wales, Canberra, and Western Australia. Colbung was the founding Chairperson of the Aboriginal Legal Service of Western Australia, member and Chairperson of the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee, WA, and Chairperson of the WA Aboriginal Lands Trust. He was elected Council member and first Indigenous Chairperson of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS). Colbung was also the driving force behind the Aboriginal Heritage Protection Act, which came into force in 1972. He also played a leading role in retrieving the remains of 19th Century Nyoongar warrior Yagan from Britain in 1998, stating that he would not leave England without the head of his ancestor. Colbung was interviewed and recorded by the National Library of Australia for the Bringing Them Home oral history project and appeared in the associated publication Many Voices: Reflections on experiences of Indigenous child separation, edited by Doreen Mellor and Anna Haebich (2002). You can hear Ken speaking about his life and achievements in his oral history: https://storylines.slwa.wa.gov.au/archive-store/view/12/5
21.01.2022 Today is Indigenous Literacy Day, a national celebration of Indigenous language and literacy. To celebrate, Better Beginnings, the State Library of WA's family literacy program is highlighting the Walmajarri Language Stories Project, a digitised collection of 65 stories from Kadjina Aboriginal Community in the Kimberley. You can access these stories on the Storylines archive here: https://storylines.slwa.wa.gov.au/archive-store/albums/180
20.01.2022 Today is National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Children’s Day. We mark this day to celebrate our children’s resilience, strengths, culture and connection to Country. In 1988, the first National Aboriginal and Islander Children’s Day was established on 4 August and was set against the backdrop of protests led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their supporters during the bicentennial year. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders peoples felt a day wa...s needed to celebrate our children, to give them confidence and make them feel special and included. The date of August 4 was historically used to communally celebrate the birthdays of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children who were taken from their families at a young age, without knowing their birthday the Stolen Generations. Today Storylines presents a collection of images showcasing some of our beautiful young people from around the State representing this year’s theme 'We are the Elders of tomorrow, hear our voice' honouring our Elders custodians of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander traditional knowledge, working to uphold the rights and improve the lives of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. #NATSIChildrenDay2020 #EldersOfTomorrow #StronginCulture
12.01.2022 With the return of the AFL season from COVID-19 hiatus, this week we showcase images of Australian Rules on Storylines. Celebrating the contributions of Aboriginal peoples and culture on football in Western Australia, these images capture diverse moments from community kick to kick and local leagues to award ceremonies and players considered to be all-time greats of the game. You will notice we don’t have an image of Polly Farmer in this week’s showcase. This is indicative o...f gaps we have in our collection relating to Aboriginal people’s voices and perspectives. If you have an image of Polly or other material you would like to donate photographs, film, diaries, signs, and flyers please click here https://bit.ly/3eb4aiU.
03.01.2022 Storylines on behalf of The Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries invites you to participate in the launch of the Norman Tindale Collection: Name index for Western Australia in a live stream event. Norman Tindale and his associates Joseph Birdsell and Phillip Epling, along with their respective wives made four expeditions to WA between 1935 and 1966. During this time, they conducted research in 52 locations, recording thousands of family trees which i...nclude the names of over 14,000 individuals as well collecting hundreds of named photographic portraits of Aboriginal people. The Index has been researched and prepared by Aboriginal History WA to assist Indigenous people with links to WA to find information about their family and heritage. When: Friday, 25 September 2020 Time: 10:30am for an 11:00am start, AWST Livestream: A link to this event will be provided upon RSVP RSVP by 23 September 2020 to [email protected]
