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Human Rights For Australian Aboriginies
A book written by Mary Bennett in the 1900s.she was a non-indigenous activist and advocate for the aboriginals, and this was one of her attempts on informing the public of the things done to the aboriginals and how they have been excluded from the white community. Message on the front of the book is; "how can they learn without a teacher?" -
A portrait of Anthony Martin Fernando
A painting of aboriginal activist Anthony Martin Fernando in his coat covered in model skeletons, which he wore to London’s Australia House in the 1920s to protest about his people's deaths. His cry was; "This is what the Australian government has done to my people". -
The day of mourning and protest
This is an image from The day of mourning and protest, held on the 26th of january 1938. It was held as a rememberance of the losses and suffering of the aboriginal people from the white people. The two men at the front are the activists Bill Ferguson, and Jack Patten. The Australian Aboriginies League also participated in this day. -
Banner for The Australian Aboriginies League
Hand made in the late 1940's, this banner was held by aboriginal rights protestors as to communicate thier support to the leauge, a melbourne based protest organisation which worked to help equalise the aboriginals with the white people. -
The Hollywood Mission
The Hollywood mission, which closed during the 1950s, were small reserves where aboriginals were allowed to live. This sheet of corrugated iron is one of the last remaining parts of the mission. It was donated to the National Museum of Australia by Eric Bell, an aboriginal elder who grew up in the mission. Metal sheets like these were what most of the mission was constructed with. -
The Wharfie's Hook
A hook used by those who worked in the wharfs to help load and unload cargo from ships. It was used by wharfie and aboriginal activist Joe McGinness. he used the hook to symbolise his struggle and persistence in obtaining his rights. -
Faith Bandler's Gloves
Made in 1955, this pair of white short cotton gloves belonged to Faith Bandler. Faith Bandler was an aboriginal political activist and she wore these gloves when ever she meant business! They symbolise the aboriginal people's will to be equals with white people -
Albert Namatjira
Albert Namatjira, an aboriginal artist who painted the connections between his and the white people's cultures, was jailed in 1958 for supplying alcohol to a family member. during this time, aboriginals were prohibited from possesing alcohol, but Albert Namatjira was exempted because of his popularity and status. -
Doug Nicholls
The winger for Fitzroy in the Victorian Football League and later the Governor of South Australia, Doug Nicholls was well known to the non-indigenous population of Australia. he also helped establish the first aboriginal church and became a pastor, and also became a field officer for The Australian Aboriginies League in 1958. -
The Dog Tags
This is a painting by Sally Morgan which was inspired by the aboriginals exemption papers used during the 1960s. Nicknamed Doge Tags by the aboriginals, these papers were used to obtain civil rights, but were only obtainable once an applied citizen and after pledging to neve ragain associate with anything aboriginal. -
The Yirrkala bark petitions
The Yirrkala bark petitions were used to convince the Australian government to return indigenous land rights ot the aboriginies.
They waere made in 1963 and are seen as a triumph as they were the first documents the government accepted which had something to do with the indigenous land rights -
The Bowraville theatre seats
These wooden seats seen at the front of the image were what any aboriginal was only allowed to sit on in the theatre, while the plush seats at the back were reserved for everyone else. These seats symbolised the racial discrimination at the time and were used untill 1965 when the theatre closed down. -
The referendum box
The 1967 referendum box was used to vote on the referendum which was used to remove negative references to the aboriginal people which were in the Australian Constitution and to legislate aboriginals as full Australian citizens. It helped reveal to the public how much rouble the aboriginals were really facing, and how they were discriminated in many ways. -
The Walk-Off
This is a stone memorial commemorating the hand-over of land back to the Gurindji people, who walked off the Wave Hill Station in petition to their lack of wages and land. The person in the photo is Vincent Lingiari, who could be seen as the leader of the walk-off and the petitions to return their land. -
The Wave Hill spur
The Wave Hill spur, used in the 19-20th century, were spurs attached to boots for riding and controlling horses on the station. this one was used by Sabu Sing, a well known cattle-man in the area. -
Noel Pearson
Noel Pearson, co-founded the Cape York Land Council, is an advocate for Indigenous peoples' rights to land and a range of other aboriginal problems such as welfare and child protection. He also acted as representative of the traditional owners in the first land claim in Flinders Island and the Cape Melville National Parks.
