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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.
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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- Donate to the Collection We welcome donations of unpublished materials relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander studies, culture, knowledge, and experience.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.
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- 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.
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- 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.
- AIATSIS Centre for Australian Languages 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 AIATSIS Education offers a growing bank of educational resources aligned with Version 9 of the Australian Curriculum.
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- Guide to evaluating and selecting education resources This guide supports educators to make conscious and critical decisions when selecting curriculum resources.
- Core e-learning suite The Core e-learning suite consists of courses that have been developed to strengthen individual and organisational cultural capability.
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AIATSIS holds the worlds largest collection dedicated to Australian
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and histories.
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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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Blogs

Blogs are our space where you can discover the stories behind the work we do and some of the items in our collection.

Displaying 31 - 40 of 48

people walking through a multi-coloured display of hands on the lawns in front of Old Parliament House

From Art Petition to the People's Movement for Reconciliation

Rita Metzenrath

On 12 October 1997, Australia awoke to the biggest art petition the nation had ever seen.

Book Cover of 'Against Native Title' Conflict and creativity in outback Australia, has a close up photograph of Sue Coleman Haseldine's face

Writing ‘Against Native Title’

‘Against Native Title’ is a book about one Aboriginal group’s experience of the native title claims process. The book has a central character, a woman called Sue Coleman Haseldine. Aunty Sue is a skilled storyteller — a warm, wise and funny person — and a vehement critic of native title.

An open book with a gloved hand holding one of the pages

Bennelong's letter

Rita Metzenrath

The AIATSIS Collection holds a very precious copy of what is considered to be the first known use of written English by an Aboriginal Australian.

Ancient emu stone arrangement

Searching for Something About Emus

In 2001 the Bininj (Aboriginal) ecologist Dean Yibarbuk was working on a project about the decline of emu populations in western Arnhem Land.

Yakari, Tran, Nell, Donna, Josephine, Amy, Florrie, Mantua, Yalti, Sally and Nolia

Revitalising and protecting Indigenous knowledge

Dr Tran Tran, Nell Reidy

In the first week of April, Tran Tran, Nell Reidy, Doug Marmion, Thomas Allen and Amy Chesher from AIATSIS travelled to the Kiwirrkurra community to run the first workshop of a pilot project – ‘Keeping the Desert Stories Alive

NIYP participants outside Parliament House

My time as a youth parliamentarian

Thaarramali Pearson

On the morning of the 28 March I received a call from the Australian Electoral Commission informing me that my application to the National Indigenous Youth Parliament (NIYP) had been successful, and that from May 23 – 29 I would be representing my electorate of Fenner in a simulated parliament with 49 other Young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.

Etching by Gustav Muetzel drawn in the 1850s shows Aboriginal people playing football or Marngrook

The AFL's Aboriginal origins

Rita Metzenrath

Marngrook, a Gunditjmara word for 'game ball', is thought to be the origin of Australian Rules Football, or ‘Aussie Rules’ as it’s more colloquially known.

Jeff Timbery, seated playing a didgeridoo

Protecting Country, Serving Nation

Rita Metzenrath

In a tranquil and reflective bush setting on the slopes of Mount Ainslie is a small plaque.

Reverend Brown and Fiona Blackburn

Beginning to heal; the National Sorry Day Committee working papers

Fiona Blackburn

In June 2016, Reverend Dr John P Brown donated his working files from the time he was the non-Indigenous Co-Chair of the National Sorry Day Committee, to AIATSIS.

Bob Randall

My Brown Skin Baby

Dr Blake Singley

‘Tjilpi’ Bob Randall (1934-2015) was a Yankunytjatjara musician, writer and community leader.

Last updated: 25 May 2022