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Family history
AIATSIS holds the worlds largest collection dedicated to Australian
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and histories.
- Before you start Read about what you should know before you begin.
- Research step-by-step Follow our steps for doing family history research.
- Family history sources Learn about the different sources of family history information.
- Where to get help Access assistance in your state and territory.
Collection
AIATSIS holds the worlds largest collection dedicated to Australian
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and histories.
- Search the Collection Search and explore the AIATSIS Collection of more than 1 million items related to Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and histories.
- Featured collections Browse some of our featured collections which have been digitised as part of our ongoing preservation work.
- Using the Collection You can search the Collection online or visit the Stanner Reading Room to view or listen to collection items and conduct research.
- Caring for the Collection We have the largest and best contextualised collection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage in the world, and it continues to grow.
- Donate to the Collection We welcome donations of unpublished materials relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander studies, culture, knowledge, and experience.
Research
AIATSIS holds the worlds largest collection dedicated to Australian
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and histories.
- Current projects Our research contributes to the wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and has a direct benefit to the communities we work with.
- Ethical research We provide leadership in ethics and protocols for research related to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and collections.
- Indigenous Research Exchange We improve outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples by ensuring there is more involvement and agency in research projects.
- Native title research and access service The Native Title Research and Access Service is your first stop for information about the native title resources in the AIATSIS collection.
- Research publications and reports We produce a range of publications and other resources derived from our research.
- Guides and resources We have produced a range of resources, databases, indexes, finding aids and reading lists to help you with your research and to find information in our Collection.
- Languages at AIATSIS Most of the estimated 250 Australian languages and 600-700 dialects are represented in our unrivalled language holdings.
Education
AIATSIS holds the worlds largest collection dedicated to Australian
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and histories.
- Curriculum resources Our world leading curriculum resources are keyed to national curriculum requirements. We also have a range of useful teacher resources within our collection.
- Schools program We will be creating a transformative learning experience for all Australian students and teachers, when visiting Canberra or through on-line training.
- Professional development We will be developing online culturally responsive and racially literate teacher professional development.
- Guide to evaluating and selecting education resources This guide supports educators to make conscious and critical decisions when selecting curriculum resources.
What's new
AIATSIS holds the worlds largest collection dedicated to Australian
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and histories.
- News Read all our latest news and media releases.
- Events Find out about all of our upcoming events and conferences.
- Podcasts Listen, learn and be inspired by the stories of Australia’s First Peoples.
- Blogs Discover the stories behind the work we do and some of the items in our Collection.
- Summit 2024 We are pleased to partner with FPAV as co-conveners to deliver Summit 2024 in Naarm
About
AIATSIS holds the worlds largest collection dedicated to Australian
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and histories.
- Connect with us We invite you to connect with us on social media. Join our strong and growing membership and support our foundation.
- What we do We tell the story of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australia and create opportunities for people to encounter, engage and be transformed by that story.
- Who we are We are Australia's only national institution focused exclusively on the diverse history, cultures and heritage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australia.
- Work with us We recognise that our staff and volunteers are our most valuable asset.
- Ngurra Ngurra: The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultural Precinct will be nationally significant in speaking to the central place that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples hold in Australia’s story.
- AIATSIS Central Australia We’re opening a new facility in Mparntwe/Alice Springs in partnership with First Nations Media Australia.
- Aboriginal Studies Press Aboriginal Studies Press (ASP) is Australia’s leading publisher of Australian Indigenous studies.
- Return of Cultural Heritage AIATSIS is leading the Return of Cultural Heritage (RoCH) program to return Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural heritage material held overseas to Australia.
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What's new

Find out all the latest news, events, conferences and podcasts.

News

Gweagal Spears 2

Return of the Gweagal Spears to the La Perouse Aboriginal Community

Tue, 23 Apr 2024

In a ceremony held in the Wren Library at Trinity College Cambridge, four spears taken by James Cook and Joseph Banks on 29 April 1770 were permanently repatriated to the La Perouse Aboriginal Community from Sydney, Australia.

Celebrating Cultural Diplomacy Ngirramanujuwal: The Art and Country of Jimmy Pike Exhibition

Tue, 16 Apr 2024

AIATSIS and INPI Renew Cultural Ties via MoU

Sat, 13 Apr 2024

New edition of Fight for Liberty and Freedom

Tue, 02 Apr 2024

Upcoming events

View all events

AIATSIS Summit 2024

We are pleased to partner with FPAV as co-conveners to deliver Summit 2024 in Naarm

Paper and Talk 2024

14 October 2024 to 25 October 2024

Podcasts

Listen, learn and be inspired by the stories of Australia’s First Peoples.

Blogs

A man singing in front of a large crowd with dancers

'Treaty' by Yothu Yindi

Fri, 12 Jul 2019

‘Treaty' was a worldwide hit and the first song by a mainly Aboriginal band to peak on the ARIA singles chart.

Indigenous languages in Australian parliaments

Wed, 18 Mar 2020

In 2016, Malcom Turnbull made history by being the first prime minister to speak an Australian Indigenous language in a parliamentary speech.

Reuniting a collection of Brinja community material

Fri, 06 May 2022

An extraordinary collection of drawings, sketches, maps and diagrams was uncovered in one of our vaults during a sorting process.

AIATSIS map of Indigenous Australia

Aboriginal English

Fri, 18 Feb 2022

Over the years, many Indigenous people have been forced to speak Standard Australian English (AusE) at the expense of ancestral language, Kriol, or Aboriginal English (AbE).

Last updated: 21 March 2024