Contents 2017 First ATSI SIG Newsletter Welcome – First Newsletter – 2017 - 2 ATSI – SIG Annual Meeting – 2016 – 2 Welcome to the new ATSI SIG newsletter for 2017! ASA Conference 2016 Observations – 3 2017 ASA AND ITIC Conference – 3 At the IISIG annual meeting in October 2016, I volunteered to be the 2017 Conferences – 3 newsletter editor. Nathan Sentance has handed over the mantel to National Archives Updates – 4 me after performing a dual role for IISIG ie Newsletter Editor and Sharing some interesting stories – 5 Secretary. Nathan balancing his life – 5 Interesting Information Uncovered I know that I am a novice and a newbie to ATSI SIG, so I hope that I During My Family Research - 7 have been able to provide a balance to delivering newsworthy articles Scholarships and Bursaries – 8 and a format that grabs your attention. Newsletter Contributions – March Edition - 8 I am introducing a new section for the ATSI SIG Newsletter. I will be asking different members of the ATSI SIG to share their stories and experiences with our readers. The inaugural story has been submitted About the ASA by Nathan Sentence. Nathan is balancing his studies plus working full ATSI - SIG time and trying to ensure he has a balanced life. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Enjoy! Islander Special Interest Group was formed following the 1996 ASA Julia Waters (Jules) National Conference in Alice Springs. Newsletter Editor Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Special Interest Group (ATSI-SIG) One of the main aims of the ATSI-SIG is to: Encourage and facilitate contact and discussion amongst members of the ASA involved with or interested in issues relating to records and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Current ATSI-SIG Committee peoples Convenor: Kirsten Thorpe

Secretary: Nathan Sentance

Newsletter Editor: Julia Waters

P a g e | 1 Welcome – First Newsletter of 2017 Welcome to the first newsletter of 2017, and our first edition under the renamed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Special Interest Group.

It was wonderful to see so many people at the Parramatta AGM in 2016, and to welcome new interested people to the SIG. I am very much looking forward to working with the new Exec in 2017 to keep Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives strong in the profession.

One of the key events in the coming year will be the Information Technologies Indigenous Communities (ITIC) two-day Symposium which will be held at the University of Melbourne on the 27 – 28 September, in conjunction with the ASA National Conference. For more information see here:

https://www.archivists.org.au/learning-publications/itic- 2017-symposium

Thank you to Jules for taking on the role of the newsletter editor. We encourage all SIG members to make contributions, big or small, to the newsletter to share the work that you are involved with.

Best wishes for the start of the year.

Kirsten Thorpe

Convenor, ATSI SIG

ATSI – SIG Annual Meeting – October 2016 Executive Members: Convenor: Kirsten Thorpe Secretary: Nathan Sentence Newsletter Editor: Julia Waters Executive Members: Kari James, Annelie de Villiers, Kim Burrell, Monica Galassi, Lauren Booker Rebecca Bateman

ATSI – SIG (Photo courtesy of Hilary Rowland)

P a g e | 2 ASA Conference 2016 Observations

I was able to attend the ASA conference at the courtesy of the ASA providing support through the Loris Williams Scholarship 2016. I was the co-recipient of the 2016 Scholarship and enjoyed the conference very much as it gave me the opportunity of learning so many different new skills and tools to undertake my duties as the Queensland Museum’s Records Manager. The conference enabled me to make new network connections with other cultural institution archivists and to meet several contacts that I had only met via emails in the past.

The highlight of the conference would have to be three events: 1. The presentation “Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse” by Justice Jennifer Coate was so enlightening as it confirmed the full worth of records held by members of the public. These records were very supportive in different historical events. The audience was very attentive, and post-presentation observations confirmed that Justice Coate had entirely caught everyone’s attention and given food for thought.

2. The presentation by Ali Abdullah-Highfold and Fran Zilio which included reference to researchers to the Board for Anthropological Research and Tindale Collections was also very interesting. As my father was raised on Toomelah Mission in northern NSW, I yearn to hear all about the background of the Tindale Reports and this presentation helped me to understand the reports and their anthropological value a lot better.

3. The last presentation that was informative was the Loris Williams Memorial Lecture. This event started with a speech by Loris’ younger sister Robyn (Robbie) Williams. Robbie is a great mate of mine and she introduced me to Loris back in 1993 at a conference in Wollongong. Robbie spoke of her family’s admiration of her sister and how Loris’ contribution to Indigenous people is a legacy that is being honoured annually with the Loris Williams Scholarship.

There was a fourth event that engaged my interest and that was the Whitlam Institute Tour. The opportunity of seeing Gough’s legacy and his diligent recording of his flights from his Air Force days until his last ones was very informative. I was handed the flight log book that covered his pre-Prime Ministers days. The number of flights that Gough took during the months, weeks, and days before the election were frantic and he recorded all the data including the pilots and the types of planes. 2017 ASA AND ITIC Conference Visit Diverse Worlds, the 2017 National Conference of the Australian Society of Archivists which will be held alongside the 2017 Information Technologies Indigenous Communities Symposium at the University of Melbourne, 25 to 28 September. The conference program will explore questions on the diversity of our collections, our profession and our audiences, as well as exploring the impact and potential of information technologies in indigenous communities and on traditional knowledge.

If you have any suggestions for potential keynotes for the ITIC Symposium, then forward your paper to [ https://www.archivists.org.au/learning-publications/itic-2017-symposium ]

P a g e | 3 2017 Conferences AIATSIS National Indigenous Research Conference – March 2017 The AIATSIS National Indigenous Research Conference will be held in March 2017. You are also encouraged to submit a paper. http://aiatsis.gov.au/news-and-events/events/aiatsis-national- indigenous-research-conference-2017. A number of ATSI-SIG members will be in attendance at the conference, and would like to arrange for a meet up. Please let the Exec committee know if you are attending, and are interested in meeting up.

New Librarians’ Symposium 8 – June 2017 The NLS8 team announced the first iteration of the Program for NLS8 which includes a wide range of DIY proposals from new and seasoned GLAM professionals. You can subscribe to the ALIA NLS8 program. https://www.alia.org.au/events/14240/alia-new-librarians-symposium-8

The NLS8 organising committee are offering a bursary to support an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander student or early career professional in the LIS/GLAMR sector to attend the 8th New Librarians’ Symposium in Canberra, 23-25 June 2017. See information below for more information.

Open Repositories Conference – June 2017 The University of Queensland (UQ), Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and Griffith University will host the international Open Repositories Conference 26-30 June 2017 at the Hilton Brisbane. The annual Open Repositories Conference brings together users and developers of open digital repository platforms from higher education, government, galleries, libraries, archives and museums. The Conference provides an interactive forum for delegates from around the world to come together and explore the global challenges and opportunities facing libraries and the broader scholarly information landscape.

National Summit: Setting the Record Straight: For the Rights of the Child (http://rights-records.it.monash.edu/) – Melbourne – 8 to 9 May 2017

National Archives Updates NATIONAL ARCHIVES CONTRIBUTION TO THE ATSI-SIG NEWSLETTER Australian National University Defence service history project update As mentioned previously, the National Archives is one of the partners in the Australian National University (ANU) Australian Research Council project Serving Our Country: a history of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the defence of Australia. Canberra staff from the Access Programs section have been working on the Archives’ exhibition concerning Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander defence service and its relationship to moves towards civil rights. The exhibitions team has been examining records held by the National Archives and consulting with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are contributing information and stories to the exhibition. The team is also drawing on oral histories and other information gathered by the ANU project researchers. The exhibition is due to open at the Archives in Canberra in March 2017. It is expected that the exhibition will be toured to the Darwin office. National Archives’ staff continue to assist ANU researchers with accessing records. The researchers are working on two books which will result from the project.

P a g e | 4 Research on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander defence service in World War I This continues to be an area of particular research interest. The National Archives Indigenous Unit in Canberra, together with reference staff in state offices have assisted with a number of projects, including: • The Victorian Office of Aboriginal Affairs: in late May the results of their project were loaded on the National Archives website, Discovering Anzacs, at: http://discoveringanzacs.naa.gov.au/browse/groupstories/7396 • The South Australian Museum: they held an exhibition on South Australian World War I Aboriginal servicemen during June–August 2016. • The Australian War Memorial: their exhibition, For Country, for Nation was officially opened on 22 September by Gary Oakley, the former Indigenous Liaison Officer at the Memorial in front of a distinguished audience including a number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander servicemen and their families. The event was addressed by Dr Brendan Nelson, Director of the Memorial, Senator the Hon Arthur Sinodinos (representing the Prime Minister) and Hon Bill Shorten, Leader of the Opposition. The exhibition tells Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stories of military service in times of war and peace. It incorporates a number of artworks commissioned for the exhibition. Further information about the exhibition can be found at: https://www.awm.gov.au/exhibitions/country- nation-0/ • The Aboriginal History Research Unit of the Western Australian Department of Aboriginal Affairs: they prepared a book, titled “They Served with Honour: Untold Stories of Western Australian Aboriginal Serviceman at Gallipoli” This book is detailing the story of 13 Aboriginal soldiers. Please note: It is also available online at: http://www.daa.wa.gov.au/community-development/they-served-with-honour/ The Research Unit continues working on a publication to be completed by 2018 which will include a brief biography of all Western Australian Aboriginal soldiers who served in World War I. Contributor: Hilary Rowell, National Archives of Australia Wave Hill book launch

The National Archives, Darwin office held a most successful public event on 21 September where Charlie Ward, the author of A Handful of Sand: the Gurindji Struggle, after the Walk-off, reflected on the 50th anniversary of the Wave Hill Walk-off and its aftermath, talked of little-known tales of the Gurindji people’s quest and described his research.

Hilary Rowell, Indigenous Unit, attended the Canberra launch of the book at the National Library. There was a most interesting forum discussion associated with the launch.

Great Book Swap, Indigenous Literacy Day, 7 September 2016

The National Archives' Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group encouraged staff to organise secondhand bookstalls as part of the Indigenous Literacy Foundation's Great Book Swap on Indigenous Literacy Day, 7 September 2016. Information about the work of the Foundation in promoting Indigenous literacy in remote communities was circulated to staff.

Very successful stalls and morning teas were organised in Canberra (both Parkes and Mitchell), and Melbourne. Over $1000 was raised from the sale of books and from donations. Staff enjoyed getting together to discuss books and to raise money for a most worthwhile cause.

P a g e | 5 Sharing some interesting stories A grandfather's dream come true: proud Aboriginal elder dances with granddaughter at graduation. Hilary Rowland and Rebecca Bateman share this - it is so beautiful! Exactly what is about - achieving great things across cultures. What a proud grandfather! http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-12/proud-aboriginal-elder-dances-with-granddaughter-at- graduation/7017686

Nathan Sentence balancing his life This is a brief article that I have written regarding the benefits and the struggles which I have encountered trying to work full-time at the State Library of New South Wales, and now at the Australian Museum, while studying part time to become a full fledged archivist

Benefits: ● I love what I am learning (which I know is lame) and my studies connect to my work and therefore I can see the practical applications of study almost immediately. This may be an issue for many students as some of theoretical ideas taught may seem only abstract to them.

● Work provides me with support, such as several study leave days a semester, which has been very helpful. In addition to this, I have many work colleagues undertaking the same course which has been beneficial for me as I have had an avenue to brainstorm ideas and get feedback

● I believe my work at the State Library and my work at the Australian Museum is about making sure that Aboriginal people are in control of the cultural and historical narratives written about them and that Aboriginal perspectives are a major component of the information being preserved in memory institutions. Because of this, I am motivated in my studies as a see them as essential in ensuring that I am better at my job thus am more successful in my mission

● I wrote a paper for the ALIA library technician symposium about necessity of making library and information services’ resources more accessible to Aboriginal people, something I believe is important as Indigenous resources/collections are often difficult to locate within cultural institutions, especially larger organisations. As a result of my studies, my academic writing has improved and consequently this has, and will, help me to proliferate ideas about improving access to information for Aboriginal and within the GLAM sector. ● My studies have provided me with many professional development opportunities visiting other cultural institutions. All these activities have helped me develop a broader perspective of information services.

P a g e | 6 Struggles: ● After working 7-8 hours undertaking mentally demanding work, all I want to do is watch T.V., go for a run and nap. I really have to motivate myself to study. Currently, I do the Pomodoro technique to kind of break up my study into manageable chunks, which I find helps in motivating me.

● Because of the finite amount of time I have available to study and work (and maintain a social life), I only undertake 1-2 subjects a semester, which has prolonged my study. If I was a full time student, I would easily do 3-4 subjects and would have completed my course earlier. However, doing only a couple subjects at a time has helped me narrow my focus and because of this I believe I have been more immersed in the subjects that I have studied.

● I undertake by distance education for my studies as the flexibility allows me to continue to work full time. Nonetheless, I think I am much more suited to classroom, face to face learning rather than studying independently. That being said, doing distance education has helped me develop my time management skills and while I prefer to study in a structured classroom environment, I am now confident that I can probably adapt and study and learn in any environment.

Contributor: Nathan Sentance, Australian Museum

Interesting Information uncovered during my Family Research I previously mentioned that I undertook family research to locate information about where my grandfather served overseas during World War 2 and to learn about my Aboriginal Yiman (also known as Iman, Jiman, and Yeeman) heritage. I felt quite fortunate to locate a PDF copy of the out of print Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage publication titled “Living Under the Act': Taroom Aboriginal Reserve 1911 — 1927”, by Scott L'Oste-Brown and Luke Godwin, with Gordon Henry, Ted Mitchell and Vera Tyson. This publication is available to read online.

The former department Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage is now known as Environment and Heritage Protection (EHP). A number of former residents, whom were rather elderly, provided such detailed and quite clear first hand memories of life on the Taroom Aboriginal Reserve. It has been fascinating to learn the history of Taroom Aboriginal Reserve and discover that it was the first Government established and controlled reserve in Queensland which opened in 1911. There were a number of Aboriginal clan groups from “Cooktown in the north, Windorah in the west and Kamilaroi people from northern New South Wales in the south”, moved onto the Taroom Aboriginal Reserve and there were conflicts between these clan groups at times

Sketched maps were included, showing the layout of the Taroom buildings, homes and where the two mass cemeteries are located. The second cemetery was primarily for those residents who died from the Spanish Influenza Pandemic in 1918.

P a g e | 7 Until I read this publication, I had not known the residents of the Taroom Aboriginal Reserve, were moved to Woorabinda after the reserve was closed in 1927, for the Dawson River irrigation scheme and a dam that was to be built. A number of structures were relocated from the Taroom Aboriginal Reserve to Woorabinda. Other remaining structures were destroyed when clearing of dense brigalow scrub took place after the Taroom Aboriginal Reserve was closed.

I was previously aware that Marcia Langton was of Yiman descent. During my research, I located the essay titled “Who’s Afraid of Marcia Langton?” and discovered that Professor Marcia Langton’s grandfather Fred Waddy lived on the Taroom Aboriginal Reserve. Quoting from this essay - “Fred Waddy, who married Ruby and was Langton’s grandfather, belonged to the Yiman people and was born, just after the start of the last century, on the banks of the Upper Dawson River in central Queensland, near the Carnarvon Gorge, among the Indigenous survivors of the frontier wars and the massacres that went on in the Dawson River valley from the 1870s to the 1890s. His mother died giving birth. Fred and his twin brother were sent to a reserve at Bundalla, near Taroom, most of whose inhabitants died in the Spanish flu epidemic of 1918. Fred’s relatives were buried in the two mass graves on the reserve, which was deregistered seven years later, but Fred himself, once again, survived”. https://www.themonthly.com.au/issue/2011/march/1326846139/peter-robb/who-s- afraid-marcia-langton

It is a surprise what information will be uncovered when researching.

Contributor: Dee McArthur has shared the above article and photograph of her grandfather’s enlistment with us. Scholarships and Bursaries - 2017 Loris Williams Memorial Award Scholarships – 2017 The Loris Williams Memorial Award is offered on an annual basis. Applications for 2017 are now open, closing date is 13 April 2017.

New Librarian Symposium No. 8 Bursaries – 2017 Email received “We have admired the initiative of the Loris Williams Scholarship co-ordinated by IISIG and hope to encourage ALIA to embrace something similar by offering this bursary for NLS8.” New Librarian Symposium No. 8 bursary is available for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander archives workers and students to attend the New Librarians’ Symposium in Canberra in June 2017

A full bursary is on offer, including: • Registration for the weekend symposium • One Friday workshop of the applicant’s choice • One Friday tour of applicant’s choice

What do you need to do to win a bursary? • Write 300-400 words telling us how attending NLS8 will help you DIY your library or GLAM career. OR • Make a short video (no longer than 90 seconds) showing us how attending NLS8 will help you DIY your library or GLAM career. AND • Commit to writing an approximately 500 word article on your experience attending NLS8.

These bursaries are open to any students currently enrolled in any LIS/GLAMR course in Australia or internationally; i.e. library and information studies, museum studies, records management, teacher librarian, and archival studies.

P a g e | 8 • If your application is successful you will need to pay for your own transport & accommodation etc. to attend the event in Canberra. • Applicants cannot be speakers or volunteers at the symposium. • You must submit your 300-400 words or short video to us via email to [email protected] by the 29th January

More information on the bursary can be found here: http://nls8.com/nls8-2017-aboriginal-torres-strait- islander-bursary/

Newsletter Contributions – March Edition Seeking articles for March edition of ATSI – SIG Newsletter

Would you like to share a story on your involvement in the archive field? Are you studying a course and want to share your life balance experiences?

Do you have information on your institution or local archive that you would like to share with other ATSI SIG members?

Do you have any family stories or personal experiences of researching archival collections?

Have your parents, grandparents shared family stories or have you researched your family histories and would like to share your experiences with other ATSI-SIG members?

If so, please contact Julia Waters (Jules) on email: [email protected]

P a g e | 9