The greatest impact of this significant cultural heritage project will be felt by the Aboriginal people of Australia.

Aboriginal people have sophisticated protocols around images and their use and whilst practices vary, this research has shown that for Aboriginal people, seeing their ancestors brought to life through the photographs is emotional and powerful, and enhances their spiritual connection.

Aboriginal people use these photographs as a way of healing from dispossession, assimilations and stolen generations as well as connecting with ancestors and traditional country they may never have seen. As such, the reaction from community groups has been positive and empowering as well as quite sad.

The scientific feel of the images can be confronting but the team have impressed upon community that it is far more important to look past the reasons for the image being taken and consider the images as family portraits.

That’s our history, that’s where we’ve come from and we’ve survived it. It is also reinforcing our survival as a people.

Ms Donna Oxenham

Colonial collections are often archived because museum curators are afraid of doing the wrong thing. This project has helped international museums realise they hold a major resource in colonial collections and by sharing these; they are sharing a visual heritage. Many have undergone policy change around managing these collections and accessibility is also changing as a result. This is a very concrete, social impact of the research.

The intellectual impact arising from this research is that it may challenge held views of colonialism. The photographs provide evidence that may not otherwise be available and could change our views of the past and lead to more accurate records of the Aboriginal people. The photos contain cultural information, and reveal links between families and country. Where national histories have often marginalised Aboriginal people, the photographs prove a historical presence and anchor Aboriginal stories.

Whilst the photographs might illustrate the atrocities faced by Aboriginal people in Australia since colonialism, this research and collaborative sharing has ultimately led to a fantastic story of survival for Aboriginal people. It educates people world-wide that what was once considered a dying race, is still here and strong in culture.

An outcome of this research is a book published in July 2016 called Photography, Humanitarianism, Empire, a study of the use of photographs to help define humanity as well as argue for human rights.

This project has led the team into this new area of research around the universal language of photography in showing violation of human rights, as well as in presenting an ideal, harmonious, imagined future; the family of man. Today photography continues to be used to highlight abuse such as in the form of ‘light’ graffiti projected onto buildings to remind us of Ms Dhu, a young Aboriginal woman who died in custody.

Impact in Action:

We asked Ms Donna Oxenham about the satisfaction she feels being part of this research. “I get to sit in country with community members and show them these collections. For old people, English may not be their first or second language and to see their faces light up when they see photos of their country and their community members makes it worthwhile and so rewarding. I can’t think of a better job to have.”

Young Aboriginal artist Christian Thompson works with photo media and was commissioned by one of the project partners Pitt Rivers museum in Oxford, UK to respond to their collection of Aboriginal photographs. Responding to this experience, he produced a series of artworks called We Bury Our Own which received international attention and from which a short film was later produced. Christian is one example of the many young indigenous artists who are producing new versions of history based on these old photos.