Researching your family tree to identify and or re-connect with the biological family members can sometimes be complex for Aboriginal people. This is because:

·       there has not been consistency in the handling and treatment of early Aboriginal records

·       the recording of names and places is patchy

·       no written records existed in precolonial Australia

This is where ethnographic methods can be of great help. Gathering information from a range of sources is more likely to build a clearer, more accurate picture. Collecting information for a family tree may include:

·       visiting the State libraries – early records are held there

·       visiting State Archives, including the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages

·       oral histories (family and friends) could include access to personal items (e.g. letters, photos, medals, keepsakes, etc.) or others who have a shared family

·       local community historians

·       Ancestry.com

·       aistsis.gov.au etc. trove.com.au - this website has old newsletters and articles which may help in piecing together family stories or events

·       archived newspaper articles

 

Issues with Researching a Family Tree

Sometimes, researching the family tree can be difficult because the memories are too painful for some family members to share, particularly when there has been a death or a removal. It is very important to be sensitive about this. Difficulties can arise in family research in communities due to the impacts of colonisation.

Common issues impacting family research may include:

·       instances whereby Aboriginal people have been forcibly removed

·       adoptions when Aboriginal people have been adopted and the records sealed

·       people dying off country without family members being notified and in many instances the remains not being returned home or to country

·       name changes –some people have had their birth or traditional name changed as many of the people recording information in the early years of the colony had limited literacy.

Some documentation displays instances whereby Aboriginal words, names or places were not clearly identified (e.g., cases when names have been spelt in different ways, or just recorded incorrectly). Other instances include:

·       missing information

·       lack of records

·       family members unwilling or unable to give information

·       stories that have conflicting information - from one written account to another or oral accounts from different family or community members

·       where you have formed hypotheses that you cannot verify

 

Protocols in Family Research

When researching family histories, care needs to be taken in considering people’s privacy and the need to gain permission to source and use information. Cultural protocols also are pertinent to consider while conducting interviews for your research. Considerations and protocols may include:

o   refraining from using the first name of deceased persons when speaking about them

o   obtaining information via appropriate channels (information held by men /women)

o   gaining permission to view photos and documents

o   gaining written permission to submit copies of photos and documents as part of your assessment including, if necessary, a written statement with photos etc. to warn about images of deceased persons

 

Pause for thought What kinds of things will you need to do to display sensitivity whilst researching family histories?