Development of Indigenous Australians’ Rights, Based on Objects and Associated Information
By boohooimsad
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The Day of Mourning
Wikipedia Day of Mourning - In 1938, the day of mourning was protest taken place by the aborigines about how badly they were treated and how their land was stolen for 150 years. This represents their past struggles and is a historic day for aborigines. -
John Moriarty's Dressing Gown
The brown dressing gown belonged to John Moriarty, an Indigenous Australian who was removed from his family as part of a now-defunct Australian federal government policy. He was given the gown as a small boy at St Francis House, in Adelaide. It was too big for him when he received it but he kept the gown for many years as he and other Indigenous children at the time were given so little at various children's homes and it became a treasured item marking that period in his life. -
Albert Namatjira
ADB Biography - Albert Namatjira was a famous aboriginal artist. Albert Namatjira was not legally classified as an aboriginal so he achieved citizenship. He bridged the gap between the two cultures a little bit in the 1950s. He showed the state government how wrong it was to have to categories; one for aborigine and one for citizens -
Wharfie's Hook
NMA Wharfies Hook - Wharfie’s hook was used on the wharfs in Cairns in the 1950s. It belonged to Joe McGuiness who was an aboriginal activist. He travelled around Australia campaigning for civil rights. Including the referendum in 1967. -
The Australian Aborigines League
Indigenous Rights - AAL - The handmade sign was made in the late 1940s or earlier and was used to publicise the AAL and it’s cause between the 1940s and 1950s. It tried to make Aboriginal culture more accepted and it doesn’t represent any single person. It’s connected to the development of rights and how the aboriginals tried to reach equality. -
Tin Missionaries
Tin was a building material used in the mission (around 1960) to provide cheap buildings for the aborigines. The characteristic ripple or corrugated iron used for the walls of the houses affected the quality of many people’s lives. This was a historical time for aboriginals when they were struggling for equality and to fit into society. -
Human Rights for Australian Aborigines
The book prompted human rights to the aboriginal people and the same value in society as other people. It shows the variation of equality and lack thereof in the time it was written and symbolised hope for the indigenous Australians. The book was prompted when Lulu and Alec Bilson unsuccessfully applied for an old age pension. -
Wave Hill Spur
The wave hill spur was owned by Sabu Sin, a well-known cattleman in the area. The spur appeared in many pieces of work because it was issued to Australian Stockmen, meaning it was very prevalent in Australian Culture. -
Yirrkala Bark Petition
Wikipedia Yirrkala - This is the petition to the prime minister embedded in a bark painting from Yirrkala residents, 1963. The petition concerned the proposed mining of their traditional lands. -
Bowraville Ray-Mond Theatre
The Theatre (NMA) - The Bowraville Ray-Mond Theatre provided wooden seats for Indigenous patrons and plush seats for others. The two types of seats providing a striking demonstration of racial segregation. The seats were used until 1965 before they were taken out and stored under the theatre. -
Vincent Lingiari
Indigenous Rights - Vincent Lingiari - Vincent Lingiari was one of four Gurindji signatories to the petition to the Governor-General in 1967. The petition argued that 'morally the land is ours and should be returned to us'. -
Faith Bandler's Gloves
NMA Faith's Gloves - These are Faith Bandler’s gloves. She wore them when addressing predominantly white female audiences during her campaign for the 1967 referendum make aboriginals Australian citizens. -
Voting Rights
Wikipedia Voting Rights - This is the voting box used in the 1967 referendum. After 10 years of dedicated campaigning, the indigenous people finally won the right to vote and be included in the census. These changes were seen as recognition of the aborigines and symbolized hope and the beginning of a major change. -
Sir Douglas Nicholls
Wikipedia Sir Douglas Nicholls - Sir Douglas Nicholls was a footballer who eventually became Governor of South Australia in 1976. He played for Northcote and Fitzroy Football Club after being recruited by Carlton Football Club and not playing because of the racist attitude of other players and was promoted to Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1968. -
Citizenship - Sally Morgan
The painting was made for the “Right Here, Right Now Australia 1988” exhibition.
Aboriginal people called their citizenship paper ‘dog tags’. “We had to be licensed to be called Australians”. The painting symbolizes the alienation felt by the Aboriginal people when they had to get a license to be called an Australian. -
Gladys Tybingoompain
Gladys Tybingoompa broke into a spontaneous dance with clap sticks outside Federal Court following the decision to grant the Wik people native title over 6,000 square kilometres of crown land on Cape York Peninsula -
Anthony Martin Fernando
This painting is a portrait of Anthony Martin Fernando and was painting by Raj Nagi. This painting was painted in London in the 1920s outside London’s Australia house. During this time, he, along with a small group of Australians was protesting for their rights. This portrait represents the indigenous culture in their determination to fight for what they stand for.
