ABOUT THE MUSEUM
The Museum of Contemporary Aboriginal Australian History would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land, the Ngunnawal people. The Ngunnawal people are the traditional owners of the land on which the Museum of Contemporary Aboriginal Australian History is located today.
The Museum of Contemporary Aboriginal Australian History encompasses the changing rights and freedoms of Indigenous Australians throughout history. As MOCAAH, it is our belief that the history of the traditional custodians should be commemorated as an extensive part of Australian history.
The Museum of Contemporary Aboriginal Australian History encompasses the changing rights and freedoms of Indigenous Australians throughout history. As MOCAAH, it is our belief that the history of the traditional custodians should be commemorated as an extensive part of Australian history.
OUR PHILOSOPHY
Our philosophy for this museum is presenting cultural and social changes within the Aboriginal community, with a focus on the effect of the changes personally to the Aboriginal people. These personal connections to the significant events and issues are extremely important to MOCAAH. The personal experiences of these changing rights and freedoms have been seen as valuable sources and a new approach to our museum. These range from the biographies of Faith Bandler and Pearl Gibbs, Indigenous Australian civil activists, to the personal experiences of the Stolen Generations.
MOCAAH establishes that the personal experiences and recounts of Aboriginal Australians should be recognised as an important part of each display. MOCAAH incorporates these elements of personal connections to broaden the understanding of these changes and encourage empathy within the audience.
MOCAAH establishes that the personal experiences and recounts of Aboriginal Australians should be recognised as an important part of each display. MOCAAH incorporates these elements of personal connections to broaden the understanding of these changes and encourage empathy within the audience.
our purpose
The current representation of Aboriginal Australians in Canberra is insufficient for an insight into the changing rights and freedoms of Indigenous Australians through history. The purpose of MOCAAH is to provide a museum in which people can begin to have a better understanding of these changes in relation to Aboriginal Australians as it is a significant part of Australian history. This new museum is required to provide the public insight into the personal stories and history our traditional custodians in a modern and engaging way.
our museum
There will be sections in the museum dedicated to the following areas:
· Land Rights and Native Title
· Changing Government Policies towards Aboriginal people
· Experiences of the Stolen Generations
· Role of 1967 Referendum
In each section of the museum, there are several sources, both primary and secondary, which provide additional evidence and perspective to these displays.
The Land Rights and Native Title section of the museum features both the advances and struggle that Indigenous Australians encountered to be granted the rights and freedoms. This section will comprise of smaller displays on both key groups and individuals who instigated change such as Vincent Lingiari and the Wave Hill walk off (1996). The Mabo Decision will be featured as a major display which will encompass the impacts of this situation on native title legislation and rights.
The 1967 Referendum has been referred to as “the beginning of Australia’s reconciliation movement”. This section will provide information about the decade-long struggle to recognise Aboriginal people as full Australian citizens. Many of the displays will include primary and secondary sources such as short biographies of instigators of change and an excerpt from The Time Was Ripe: A History of the Aboriginal-Australian Fellowship (1956-1969). An interactive questionnaire will be displayed on touch screens with prerequisite knowledge developed on the displays.
The Stolen Generations section will focus on a range of personal experiences. Many of the displays will focus on the personal recounts and creating links between the general public and the Stolen Generation, encouraging the public to empathise and understand the wrongs of the past. This display will have many sources including Kevin Rudd’s Apology and extracts from Bringing them Home (1997).
The Changing Policies section will comprise of 4 main displays: protection, assimilation, integration and self-determination. There will be an emphasis on technology and retaining knowledge with the use of interactive touch screens. The displays will follow a chronological timeline-style layout which will highlight change over time.
· Land Rights and Native Title
· Changing Government Policies towards Aboriginal people
· Experiences of the Stolen Generations
· Role of 1967 Referendum
In each section of the museum, there are several sources, both primary and secondary, which provide additional evidence and perspective to these displays.
The Land Rights and Native Title section of the museum features both the advances and struggle that Indigenous Australians encountered to be granted the rights and freedoms. This section will comprise of smaller displays on both key groups and individuals who instigated change such as Vincent Lingiari and the Wave Hill walk off (1996). The Mabo Decision will be featured as a major display which will encompass the impacts of this situation on native title legislation and rights.
The 1967 Referendum has been referred to as “the beginning of Australia’s reconciliation movement”. This section will provide information about the decade-long struggle to recognise Aboriginal people as full Australian citizens. Many of the displays will include primary and secondary sources such as short biographies of instigators of change and an excerpt from The Time Was Ripe: A History of the Aboriginal-Australian Fellowship (1956-1969). An interactive questionnaire will be displayed on touch screens with prerequisite knowledge developed on the displays.
The Stolen Generations section will focus on a range of personal experiences. Many of the displays will focus on the personal recounts and creating links between the general public and the Stolen Generation, encouraging the public to empathise and understand the wrongs of the past. This display will have many sources including Kevin Rudd’s Apology and extracts from Bringing them Home (1997).
The Changing Policies section will comprise of 4 main displays: protection, assimilation, integration and self-determination. There will be an emphasis on technology and retaining knowledge with the use of interactive touch screens. The displays will follow a chronological timeline-style layout which will highlight change over time.
our aim
MOCAAH strives to acknowledge the wrongs of the past throughout history in regards to Indigenous Australian rights. It is through the recognition of our mistakes of the past that we can make effort to move forward together with a commitment to further improving the lives of Indigenous Australians today. MOCAAH aims to inform the public of the changing rights and freedoms of Aboriginal Australians throughout history reflecting upon personal experiences of Indigenous Australians in a contemporary style museum.