Brief Guide to Indigenous Family History Research
- Introduction
- Background
- Records Specific to Indigenous People
- Other Family History Topics
- Family History Unit Fact Sheets
- Guides to Indigenous Records - Published and on the Internet
- Major Internet Sites
- Further Reading
- Contact the AIATSIS Family History Unit
- About Link-Up Services
“In looking beyond our usual professional preoccupations and in thinking about our place in the world as archivists and record-keepers, it is important to understand that Indigenous Australians have a relationship with records that is significantly different to the majority of other Australians. Considering this different relationship means considering what Indigenous people expect of archivists and other record-keepers that other Australians may not.
The first and most important aspect to consider is that generally Indigenous people are unaware of what records have been created about them, their families and communities, and the reasons behind their creation. Without this knowledge it is difficult to find a starting point in their search for their history. Therefore, Indigenous people must be informed about the records, the services available and their rights of access as this is one of the biggest barriers to Aboriginal people gaining control over their historical documents and thus their history. People who live in remote areas are often more disadvantaged by their geographical location.”
"Understanding the Barriers – Indigenous people and records”- by Kim Katon. To read the complete paper, click here.
Introduction
This brief guide will concentrate on those records and sources that specifically relate to Indigenous people. It is important to mention that the web pages of the Family History Unit at the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) are an important starting point with comprehensive links to fact sheets, guides to Indigenous records and contact addresses.
The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) is Australia’s premier institution for research into Indigenous issues. It plays a vital role in helping to reunite Indigenous people who have been separated from their families and communities. Specialised support for Link-Up staff and clients by the AIATSIS Family History Unit.
Beginning in the late 1970’s, the Unit originated as an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Biographical Index (ABI) of names. Its aim was to provide a brief biographical entry of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples referred to, or depicted in published material held in the Institute’s collections. Today, its primary functions are to undertake family history research on behalf of clients, and importantly, to show people how to get started with their own research. The AIATSIS catalogue, MURA®, is used to find reference material for clients such as a mission, station or reserve, language, autobiographies or genealogies. Information is also accessed through the ABI, Births, Deaths and Marriage indexes, archive indexes and Tindale indexes. Although the Unit does not compile family trees, staff can offer support and guidance in this area of research.
Records Specific to Indigenous People
Protectors’ Records and Reports: In each State and Territory, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples came under the control of the Protector of Aborigines or similarly named bodies. Protectors’ reports and files are now held in each State or Territory Archives (see fact sheets 7-13 listed below for addresses in each state). People can access their own family files once clearance has been given. Contact your State or Territory Archives for details. Not all people will find a Protector’s report on their family.
Tindale Genealogies: Tindale was an anthropologist working for the South Australian Museum . He recorded Indigenous genealogies around Australia .Tindale genealogies have been given to the major libraries in each state. Contact your State Library for details (see fact sheet 17 below for addresses in each state)
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Biographical Index and Infokoori: AIATSIS has the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Biographical Index (ABI) referring to people mentioned in published books, magazines and journals that are held in the Library. Mission and government journals such as Dawn and Evangel have been used to build the index. The ABI is a part of Mura®, the AIATSIS catalogue. Infokoori also indexes many similar and other magazines / newspapers.
Court and Police Records: Court and police records can be of assistance. They may be the only way to verify the names of individual Indigenous people. Especially for the early periods of white settlement, police officers had the roles of local magistrates, and in some cases, were Protectors of Aborigines, distributing rations and effecting government policy. Click here for more information.
Electoral Records: Electoral rolls, although only containing information on name, address and occupation (omitted after 1983), can be more useful than telephone directories. After all, many people are not on the phone or are not listed in the telephone directory. Indigenous people have had the right to be on electoral rolls generally since the 1960's. For more detailed information see the web pages, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander - Electoral Timeline or Aborigines and the vote .
Do note that the 1967 referendum didn’t give Aboriginal people the right to vote. They already had it. Very few Aboriginal people knew their rights so very few voted, but some eventually did.
Land and Pastoral Station Records: Aboriginal stockworkers and domestic staff worked for generations on pastoral stations, particularly in northern Australia . Many of these workers left the stations after the 1968 wages case. Some station owners or managers kept records such as diaries, wage books, registers of births etc.
Many of these records are held at the Noel Butlin Archives, mainly for farms and cattle properties in New South Wales, Queensland and the Northern Territory. The Noel Butlin Archives also holds the records of many trade unions and companies that would cover people working in related industries. Click here for more information.
If you know of someone who has worked on an existing station, you could try writing to the station to find out if any records were retained. Unfortunately, some stations haven't kept records and many stations no longer exist or have been sold on.
There were various "pastoral directories" published that list pastoral properties, their names and owners etc. These may be useful to identify properties no longer in existence. There are various pastoral directories such as the Australian Pastoral Directory which are held in the State Libraries or in the Noel Butlin Archives. They will also have map collections relating to pastoral stations.
If you want to search for information about pastoral properties you should contact the relevant state government agencies. They have pastoral maps, records of land surveys and details of who bought and sold properties.
Mission Records: Of the many Aboriginal missions that were established, most have disappeared, but some are still in existence. There is a good, but by no means complete, listing in the book Lookin for your mob : a guide to tracing Aboriginal family trees by Diane Smith and Boronia Halstead, Canberra : Aboriginal Studies Press, 1990. This listing has been further developed on the Family History Unit web site. Click here to access.
Starting dates for missions can vary as to what event is taken as the starting point (e.g. the arrival of a priest or the granting of land). Churches often maintained some form of presence after the official closure date given. It must also be noted that some churches were active on government settlements, though they didn't always have an administrative role.
Many churches hold their records centrally in their major administrative offices. Sadly, many church records are missing or lost. To find out contact information for a church archive, you can use the Directory of Archives in Australia by either browsing their list or searching by keyword.
Mission records are another valuable source to search for people. They could include various personal records of life on the Missions. Most are preserved in Church and Mission Society Archives though some have been given to libraries and archives.
You can search for archives/records of churches and missions that are held in RAAM (Register of Australian Archives and Manuscripts). In RAAM you can search under the name of the mission or the name of the church.
Family History Unit Fact Sheets
These fact sheets are valuable information sources for Indigenous family history. To read and print from the list of fact sheets prepared by the AIATSIS Family History Unit, click here.
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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Biographical Index (ABI)
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Family History Resources in the Australian Capital Territory
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Tindale Holdings
Guides to Indigenous Records - Published
These guides are only available in print format and will need to be obtained from a library. See below for other research guides that are available on the Internet.
Australian Catholic Social Welfare Commission (1999) A piece of the story – national directory of records of Catholic organisations caring for children separated from families. Curtin , A.C.T.: Australian Catholic Social Welfare Commission, 1999.
Fraser, Ros. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People in Commonwealth records: A Guide to Records in the Australian Archives. AGPS, Canberra, 1993
My heart is breaking : a joint guide to records about Aboriginal people in the Public Record Office of Victoria and the Australian Archives. Canberra: Australian Government. Publishing Service , c.1993.
Guides to Indigenous Records - Internet Accessible
Australia in General
Records of National Cultural Significance - Records relating to Indigenous Australians -this lists all the organisations holdings records of value to Indigenous people. It also lists many printed guides, most of which will be held by the AIATSIS Library.
Where to find Records on Indigenous Australians - by the National Archives of Australia
New South Wales
A Guide to New South Wales State Archives relating to Aboriginal People - by State Records NSW
Northern Territory
Guide to Records Holdings Relating to Aboriginal People - by the Northern Territory Archives
Queensland
Queensland Indigenous Family History: How to Get Started - by the State Library of Queensland.
Resources Relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples – by the Queensland State Archives.
South Australia
Finding Your Own Way - SA Link-Up guide to SA Indigenous records
Aboriginal Family History – by the State Library of South Australia
Aboriginal Services – by the State Records of South Australia
Tasmania
Records Relating to Tasmanian Aboriginal People – by the Archives Office of Tasmania
Victoria
Finding Your Story: A Resource Manual to the Records of the Stolen Generations in Victoria
Aboriginal Records at PROV and Researching Family History at PROV – Public Record Office of Victoria .
Western Australia
Looking West: A Guide to Aboriginal Records in Western Australia - Records Taskforce of Western Australia
Aboriginal Records - by the State Records Office of Western Australia.
'Katitjin: a guide to Indigenous records in the Battye Library' - by the Library Service of Western Australia .
AIATSIS: Family History Unit - Use this site as a gateway to web sites of value to Indigenous Family History.
Link-Up
Link-Up services are organisations funded by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Services (ATSIS) to assist with the process of family tracing and reunion for members of the Stolen Generations. Click here for contact information.
Individual States
NSW. Dept. of Aboriginal Affairs - Family History Service
Northern Territory Archives Service - Guide to Records Holdings Relating to Aboriginal People
State Library of Queensland - Queensland Indigenous Family History
South Australia Museum - Indigenous Information Centre
Archives Office of Tasmania - Records Relating to Tasmanian Aboriginal People
Victorian Koorie Records Taskforce
Western Australia. Dept. of Indigenous Affairs. Aboriginal Family History Program
Smith, D., & Halstead, B, (1992) Lookin for your mob – A guide to tracing Aboriginal family trees. Canberra : Aboriginal Studies Press, 1990.
This work, whilst very useful, contains out of date contact information. For up to date information, use the AIATSIS Family History Unit web site
Taylor, P. (1992) Telling it like it is – A guide to making Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history. Canberra : Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, 1992.
Contacting the AIATSIS Family History Unit
The Family History Unit may be contacted on 1800 730 129 (free call for family history enquiries only) or by email at family@aiatsis.gov.au