Blog
The AIATSIS blog is our space to showcase our expertise, and for you to discover the stories behind the work we do and the items we are working on.
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Remembrance Day 2018

War ServiceIndigenous Australians: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peopleBlack DiggersCollection
11 Nov 2018 Rita MetzenrathAIATSIS pays our respects to Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders who served and died in all wars.
Keeping our AV cogs turning

Our engineering section archives and maintains the devices and ancillary machines that are needed to play back the sound and vision recorded on the 55,000 hours of video and audio held on magnetic tape in the collection.
Torres Strait Island Cultural Festival 1989 - Photographs and film from The Ephraim Bani Collection

Torres Strait Islander cultureTorres Strait IslandsDanceCulture
16 Oct 2018 Rita MetzenrathThis post highlights images and footage from the 3rd Torres Strait Cultural Festival (now known as the Winds of Zenadth Festival) photographed by Adhi (Chief) Ephraim Bani in 1989 and held in the AIATSIS Collection.
Aboriginal Personal Stories of Life in South Australian Homes, Orphanages: The story of Veronica Brodie

Stolen GenerationsOral historyNational Apology
21 Sep 2018 Rita MetzenrathThe Jerry Schwab Collection of sound recordings comprises of nine audio cassettes and transcripts documenting the stories of forced removal and survival of Aboriginal people from different parts of South Australia. One of those is Veronica Brodie's story.
Digitising the AIATSIS lantern slide collections

Lantern slides are a unique format that were in wide use from the 18th to mid-20th century and allowed glass photographic transparencies to be displayed using a magic lantern projector.
Following the Franklin: Kim McKenzie and the Tasmanian Film Project

This month marks 35 years since the Federal Government ceased the Hydro-Electric Commission’s construction of a dam on the Franklin River in southwest Tasmania; however, evidence presented during this court case claiming the archaeological significance of Kutikina Cave was neither exceptional nor significant continued to haunt archaeologist Rhys Jones.
Warupaw uu (The Echo of the Drums)

MusicTorres Strait Islander culture
3 Aug 2018 Rita MetzenrathAIATSIS highlights collection materials that document ways the drum embeds Torres Strait Islander identity and has acted as an agent of musical change in the sacred song repertoire in the Torres Strait Islands. The Collections cover the period 1920s-1995.
A Larrakia - Filipino Love Story

The Gary Lee collection: ephemera 1991-2012 contains a number of unique items relating to the play ‘Keep Him My Heart: A Larrakia - Filipino Love Story’. These include draft scripts, the original ink set designs, cue sheets and the art work for the promotional poster for the play.
A response to ‘Aboriginalia and the politics of Aboriginal kitsch’

A response to Dr. Liz Conor’s The Conversation essay ‘Aboriginalia’ and the politics of Aboriginal kitsch’ by Kerry Reed-Gilbert, Wiradjuri elder and collector of Aboriginalia, with curator Sally Brand.
Reading Room Display: The Kerry Reed-Gilbert collection

A new display has opened in the AIATSIS Reading Room featuring Aboriginalia from the Kerry Reed-Gilbert collection.
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