These photographs open a window into a difficult and pivotal moment for Australia's First Peoples. Taken around the turn of the 20th century, they document a world in flux as the colonial frontier advanced. The images don't shy away from the harsh realities of dispossession. But look closer, and you'll also see the remarkable resilience of family, the persistence of culture, and the deep strength of people connected to their land for tens of thousands of years. Each portrait captures an individual grappling with a profoundly changing present, all while carrying an ancient history in their eyes.
#1 Group Of Women, With An Elderly Ngarrindjeri Woman In The Centre, Circa 1900
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9points
#2 Mr. J.P. Smith (Left) And Lankey (Right), Lankey Was From The Booandik Tribe Of Mount Gambier, Circa 1900
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9points
#4 A Native Of Western Australia - Society For The Propagation Of The Gospel Postcard, 1900s
9points
#5 Aboriginal Children At Lake Tyers Aboriginal Mission In Victoria, Australia, 1900s
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9points
#9 Fanny Smith, Recording Tasmanian Aboriginal Song And Speech, Hobart, Australia, Circa 1900
8points
#10 Three Aboriginal Australian Men Posing Outside A Tent, Durundur Reserve, Circa 1902
8points
#11 Aboriginal Mia-Mia - Temporary Shelter Of The Australian Aborigines, In Albany, West Australia, 1906
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8points
#14 Children Playing Marbles At Point Mcleay, South Australia, Circa 1900
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7points
It is impossible to look away from the faces we have seen so far without feeling the profound weight of their stories. Each photograph serves as a quiet testament to a way of life that has endured for ages. As we continue, the narrative shifts subtly, showing more direct encounters with the encroaching colonial world.
#17 Group Of Boys With Football, Point Mcleay, South Australia, Circa 1900
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6points
#18 Men Yarding Sheep At Point Pearce Mission Station, South Australia, 1900
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6points
