Mount St Benedict College acknowledges and pays respect to the past and present Traditional Custodians and Elders of this nation and the continuation of cultural, spiritual and educational practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Ancestors have walked this country and we acknowledge their special and unique place in our nation’s historical, cultural and linguistic identity.
Visitors should be aware that this Research Guide may contain images or documentation relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are deceased.
Here are some books that you may find useful during your studies. Search the Bennies catalogue Accessit for more, or browse the Non-fiction collection NFS.
Art+Soul by 
Images in Ochre by
Background and introduction to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander visual arts
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander visual artists and artworks
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander visual arts centres and organisations
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander visual arts exhibitions and celebratory events
Australian Aboriginal art is important in history due to its role in preserving and expressing Indigenous culture, its impact on the art world, and its contribution to cross-cultural understanding and reconciliation in Australia and beyond. It is a testament to the resilience and creativity of Indigenous peoples and their enduring connection to their land and heritage.
Tens of thousands of years ago, First Nations Australians looked up on pristine dark skies and formed a complex understanding of what the stars could tell humans about the land. This video explores the astronomical traditions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, whose observations may be the first forms of astronomy conducted worldwide. Informative and engaging, this is a great introduction to an important part of First Nations history and science.
Songlines: Aboriginal Art and Storytelling
For more than 50,000 years, stories have been told through art. Take a tour through Aboriginal art galleries and meet artists from across the Northern Territory
An exhibition at the NGV celebrates the origins of Western Desert Art
Top End artist, Banduk Marika, explains the tiresome process behind creating an authentic Aboriginal artwork.
Aboriginal artist Bronwyn Ferguson working on a dot painting of the platypus. Bronwyn has been painting Aboriginal art for a number of years since discovering her Aboriginal heritage later in life. Born in Geelong, Victoria, and adopted out as a baby, Bronwyn, whose birth name was Karen Kerr, is seeking her 'mob' through the Link Up organization.
Proud Yuin woman and founder of Ngandabaa (Yun-Da-Baa), Rheanna Lotter talks about her Aboriginal artwork and shows us how to draw Aboriginal symbols.
David Wroth, Director of Japingka Aboriginal Art Gallery, provides a perspective on the use of symbols in Aboriginal art, and introduces Indigenous Australian artists talking about how they use symbols in their own work.
Aboriginal People do not have their own written language, and so they make use of many common symbols (often called iconography) in their artwork. Although these vary from region to region, they are generally understood and form an important part of Australian Indigenous art.
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.