26 May 2005
Two Indigenous students who received masters scholarships from the Faculty of Information Technology at Monash will help Indigenous communities access their archival records.
Ms Narissa Timbery, from Finley in New South Wales, and Mr Ryan Brinkworth, from Brisbane, are the inaugural recipients of Indigenous Archives Scholarships offered by the School of Information and Management Systems.
Ms Timbery and Mr Brinkworth are both studying the Master of Information Management and Systems part-time via off-campus learning.
Ms Timbery said she was attracted to the course by her experiences in trying to access information about her family's history.
"Family and family history are so important, but if you don't know where to look for things, it can be really hard to search," Ms Timbery said. "I like the idea of helping other Aboriginal people access their own records and learn about their family history."
Mr Brinkworth has also tried unsuccessfully to access his family's history. He said he was keen to study archiving systems that could enable him, and others, to better access their records.
"When I looked for my family history, there were many holes -- this study will help me understand the record-keeping environment to better access my own family records," he said. "And the course will also help in my current role of administering a record-keeping system in the Queensland Government."
Funded by Monash, the National Archives of Australia and the Public Record Office of Victoria, the scholarships, covering the full cost of the course, were prompted by the 'Bringing Them Home' report, which recommended that Indigenous archivists be involved in preserving, managing and providing access to records relating to Indigenous people.
Professor of archival systems Sue McKemmish said ready access to records and archives was important in re-establishing family links -- especially for members of the stolen generation -- and achieving a stronger sense of identity as well as in land rights claims.
For further information, contact Professor Sue McKemmish on 03 9903 1060 or Ms Diane Squires in the Media Communications office on 03 9905 9315 or 0417 603 400.
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