Library Staff Meet with Larrakia Elders
The meeting with Larrakia Elders at the Northern Territory Library
Photo: Gaynor Lovett, Northern Territory Library
Joy Cardona and Michael Proud confer at the meeting
Photo: Gaynor Lovett, Northern Territory Library
Kathryn Wells and Michael Proud travelled to Darwin recently to confer with Larrakia Elders about photographs relating to the Larrakia people in the National Library’s collection.
The meetings were held in the ‘Our Story’ space at the Northern Territory Library, an area set aside for people to consult Indigenous materials and for interpretive displays and storytelling.
Joy Cardona, the Aboriginal Heritage Officer at the Northern Territory Library, facilitated the meetings, inviting Elders from the Larrakia clan to view the photographs. Joy’s local knowledge was particularly useful, and ensured a widespread representation of Larrakia families.
The Elders were fascinated with the photographs of their people and lands, and were particularly interested in photographs of their forebears, some of whom they had not previously seen. Copies of the photographs were given to Joy to continue the consultation process.
At a separate meeting, Kathryn Wells showed senior Larrakia women the photographs from the recently digitised collection of glass negatives taken by the Northern Territory postmaster, Florenz Bleeser, in the 1890s. The Elders were moved by the sadness of some of the photographs, and supported the decision to restrict a selection of them from display.
The meetings proved to be a worthwhile opportunity to exchange information with the Larrakia Elders about a significant photographic archive, and established a process of consultation which has been very rewarding.
Michael Proud
Acquisition Librarian, Pictures Branch