Explore Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australia.
Engage with the oldest surviving culture in the world.
Cultures that are ancient and living.
Welcome to Country
It is important that those who are on the traditional lands of Australia’s First Peoples are right-minded and cleansed. Learn about the significance of Country and the difference between a welcome to Country and an acknowledgment.
Aboriginal astronomy
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have been observing the skies for millennia. It is where ancestral beings exist and observe. It is both a map and guide to navigation, seasons and cultural practice.
Art and authenticity
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art is an expression of people’s identity, culture, spirituality and relationships to Country. It tells stories of ceremony and Creation and connects people to ancestors and kin. Learn about what you can do to support its ethical trade.
Exemption: the high price for freedom
Most people have heard of the Stolen Generations and its impacts. But few know about another equally insidious policy that has also inflicted harm across many generations. This policy was called Aboriginal Exemption.
Not just a spot on the landscape
For many Australians, heritage often means old buildings, our nation’s many national parks or the places that make Australia special. For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, heritage is a part of your identity.
AIATSIS acknowledges all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Traditional Custodians of Country and recognises their continuing connection to land, sea, culture and community. We pay our respects to Elders past and present.