Indigenous Australians at War from the Boer War to the Present
Lieutenant Reg Saunders (left) and Lieutenant Tom Derrick VC, DCM congratulate each other following their graduation from the Office Cadet Training Unit, Seymour, Victoria, 25 November 1944. Photographer unknown. Courtesy Australian War Memorial.
Indigenous Australians at War from the Boer War to the Present
Opened on 24 March 2017, this award-winning exhibition from the Shrine of Remembrance celebrates the courage, tenacity and resourcefulness of Indigenous Australians in the armed forces, from the Boer War to the present. The National Archives of Australia (NAA) is proud to host the first Shrine exhibition ever touring to Canberra.
Aboriginal men and women have combined modern military and uniquely Indigenous skills in the service of their country, from the Boer War to contemporary conflicts and peacekeeping. This exhibition presents stories from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from all over Australia.
The opportunity to serve in Australia’s armed forces gave many the experience of liberation from racial stereotypes for the first time. Oral histories reveal that while racism might emerge behind the lines, when serving at the front line, all were alike in their concerns to survive and consider one another.
The history of conflict between Aboriginal and non-Indigenous Australians, combined with the lack of equal rights, throws into perspective the subject of this exhibition. Well before 1967, these stories of our shared history were unfolding.
Visit the NAA events page for related public events and to book a free guided tour of this exhibition.
Also showing now at the NAA Facing Two Fronts: the fight for respect
