Family Keeps Us Going expresses belonging, identity, memory, culture and land in the families of Aboriginal nations through a powerful series of photographs and oral histories.
Developed by photographer Jagath Dheerasekara in a long-term collaborative project with the storytellers and with Tharawal Aboriginal Corporation’s Waranwarin Child and Family Centre, it showcases families living in south-west Sydney in 2014–15. The selected images reflect the diversity of families and their connections to Country across Australia.
The Library’s acquisition of this work supports our Indigenous Collecting Strategy.
Jagath Dheerasekara is a politically engaged, award-winning photographer whose work also encompasses human rights and oral history. He grew up in Sri Lanka and now lives and works in Sydney. Jagath, who has received the Amnesty International Human Rights Fund Grant, is a passionate facilitator of community cultural development art projects.
20 out of these 30 family portraits are on display on Level 1, Macquarie Building until 28 August 2016.
Kevin McGuinness
Wiradjuri | b. 1976, Blacktown New South Wales
Kevin (McGuinness) and family at his home, Campbelltown, 2014 Melissa (partner) carrying Rio (son), Josie (mother), Luca (son), Kevin, Levi (son)
Photograph arranged and chosen by Kevin McGuiness
Janet Shillingsworth
Ngemba | b. 1951, Brewarrina Janet (Shillingsworth) and family at Koshigaya Park, Campbelltown, 2014
L - R : Amarah (granddaughter), Janet, Sharni (granddaughter), Simone (daughter), Frances (daughter), Jarrod (grandson-in-law), Joseph (son), Natasha (daughter), Steven (grandson-in-law), Shiralee (granddaughter), Amber (granddaughter), Leanka (granddaughter) holding Emmon (grandson), Patricia (daughter-in-law) carrying Joseph Jr., (grandson), Parrie (daughter-in-law) carrying Malla-Kye (grandson)
Front row L - R : Kelton (great grandson) in pram, Terrance (grandson), Yarran (grandson), Tyleana (grandniece)
Photograph arranged and chosen by Janet Shillingsworth
Kay Bussell
Yorta Yorta | b.1957, Swan Hill, Victoria
Kay (Bussell) and family at her home, Minto, 2014
L - R : Kay, Bill (son), Glen (son), Tiahni (granddaughter), Gregory (son)
Photograph arranged and chosen by Kay Bussell
Michael Paduch-Ducket
Dunghutti | b. 1970, Sydney, New South Wales
Michael (Paduch-Ducket) and family at Cascades, Mount Annan, 2014
L - R : Mary (wife) Michael, Tori (daughter), John (nephew)
Photograph arranged and chosen by Michael Paduch-Ducket
Vicky Anderson
Kamilaroi | b. 1955, Coonabarabran, New South Wales
Vicky (Anderson) and family at her home, Campbelltown, 2014
L - R : Tarah (granddaughter), Maria (daughter), Nekaya (granddaughter), Darcii (granddaughter), Vicky, Paul (partner), Jane (daughter), Sonny (son) holding Laela (granddaughter)
Front row L - R : Sonny-Paul (grandson), Caitlyn (granddaughter), Curtis (grandson), Max (grandson)
Photograph arranged and chosen by Vicky Anderson
Verna Barker
Kunja | b. 1956, Bourke
Standing L ~ R : Jemma (granddaughter), Summer (granddaughter), Verna, Chantae (granddaughter), Sky (granddaughter), Dorothy (daughter) carrying Kaiylah (granddaughter), Jacob (grandson)
Seated : Larry (son), Levi (grandson), Lucus (grandson)
Photograph arranged and chosen by Verna Barker
Mona Porter
b. 1936, Armidale, New South Wales
Mona (Porter) and family at her home, St Helen’s Park, 2014
Standing (L - R) : Julie (daughter), Bruce (son), Jennifer (daughter)
Seated (L - R) : James (grandson), Mona, Mitchell (grandson)
Photograph arranged and chosen Mona Porter
Stanley Mitchell
b. 1940, Atherton Tablelands, Queensland
In the b&w photo L - R : Tom (father), Henry (uncle), Jimmy (grandfather), Tom (uncle), Jonny (uncle)
Photograph arranged and chosen by Stanley Mitchell
Helen Slater
Kamilaroi | b. 1964, Caroona, New South Wales
Helen (Slater) and family at her home, Rooty Hill, 2014
L - R : Gail (sister) carrying Quentyn (nephew), Kym (niece), Cody (nephew), Aaron (nephew), Mollie (niece-in-law), Jaidah-Mae (niece), Ayana (niece), Andrew (nephew), Mick (brother-in-law), Kaye (sister), Jandamarra (nephew) holding b&w photo of Roland Percy (father) & Eileen Emily (mother), Jack (nephew), Helen, David (son) holding colour photo, Nesta (sister), Darren (nephew), Hannah (daughter), Lena (sister), Kayla (niece), Arika (niece) holding Mariah-Lilli (niece), Kiralee (niece), Kellie (niece-in-law), Jordan (nephew)
In colour photo : Lena (sister), Pearl (sister), Rona (sister), Rose-Marie (sister), Nesta (sister), Sue (sister), Vicki (sister), Kaye (sister), Carolyn (sister), Gail (sister), June (sister), Rick (brother), Helen, Eileen Emily (mother), Kevin (brother)
Photograph arranged and chosen by Helen Slater
Larry Hoskins
Dunghutti | b. 1950, Kempsy, New South Wales
Larry (Hoskins) (L) with Chris (nephew) at the Tharawal Aboriginal Corporation, Airds, 2014
Photograph arranged and chosen by Larry Hoskins
Tamika Briggs
Gumbaynggirr + Biripi | b. 1995, Campbelltown, New South Wales
Tamika (Briggs) and family at her home, Campbelltown, 2014
L - R : Nekisha (cousin), Tahlia (cousin), Kelly (aunty) holding Jaylan (cousin), Tania (mother), Tamika, Brittany (sister)
Seated L-R : Frederick (maternal grandfather), Margaret (maternal grandmother)
Photograph arranged and chosen by Tamika Briggs
Harold ‘Buck’ Davis
Dunghutti | b. 1955, Kempsy, New South Wales
Harold (Davis) and family at his home, Leumeah, 2014
Standing L - R : Margaret (granddaughter), Margaret (daughter) carrying Kyleah (granddaughter), Chris (grandson) carrying Logan (grandson), Jamie (son), Harold, Isaiah (grandson), Roy (son), Jaiden (grandson)
Valerie (daughter) Timothy (grandson) holding Michaela (granddaughter)
Seated L - R : Wade (brother-in-law), Susan (wife), Arty (brother-in-law)
Photograph arranged and chosen by Harold Davis
Margaret Russell
Ngunnawal | b. 1953, Yass, New South Wales
Margaret (Russell) and family, Bradbury 2014
L-R : Peter (brother), Amir (son-in-law ), Margaret, Nicole (niece), Lisa (daughter), Kaylene (daughter-in-law), Jarod (nephew) holding Olivia (niece)
L-R : James (nephew), Issac (grandson), Kaliesha (granddaughter), Peter Jr. (nephew) holding Jivarnah (granddaughter), Tailee (grandson)
Photograph arranged and chosen by Margaret Russell
Grace Connolly
Wiradjuri + Gunaikurnai | b. 1960, Fairfield, New South Wales
Grace (Connolly) and family at her home, Airds, 2015
L-R : Brett (partner) carrying Nate (grandson), Grace holding George (father) and Roslyn (mother), Miya (granddaughter) holding photo of Joe (brother), Tammy (niece) holding photo of Patrica (sister), Marli (granddaughter) holding photo of Doris (sister), Renee (daughter) holding photo of Agnus (sister), Tori (granddaughter) holding photo of John (brother), Frank (brother) holding photo of Grace, Margaret (sister), himself & Vickie (sister), Roslyn (daughter) holding photo of Cedric (brother), Andrew (son) holding photo of Ralph (brother)
Photograph arranged and chosen by Grace Connolly
Josh Bell
Ngunnawal | b. 1981, Yass, New South Wales
Josh (Bell) and family at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery, Leppington, 2015
Standing L - R : Yonne (aunty), Jodie (sister), Josh holding photo of Kathleen (mother dec.), Kim (sister), Andrea (partner), Melinda (cousin), Dean (cousin-in-law)
Seated L - R : Aidan (nephew), Jasmine (niece), Hayden (nephew-in-law), Keneasha (niece), Dharel (cousin), Travis (nephew), Jeff (brother-in-law), Jack (son), Brett (brother-in-law), Alana (niece), Braiden (son), Ryan (son), Tranaya (cousin) holding Amiyah (cousin), Jorja (cousin), Adam (nephew), Corey (son)
Photograph arranged and chosen by Josh Bell
Ivan Wellington
Yuin | b. 1946, Kiama, New South Wales
Ivan (Wellington) , At Men’s Bush Camp, Minto, 2015
Photograph arranged and chosen by Ivan Wellington
Jemma Milloy
Mandandanji | b. 1994, Campbelltown, New South Wales
Jemma (Milloy) and family, Bulli, 2015
L - R : Tamara (sister), Jemma, Karen (mother), Elwyn (stepfather), Kyle (brother), Dean (brother)
Photograph arranged and chosen by Jemma Milloy
Jennifer Brown
Wiradjuri b. 1946, Goulburn, New South Wales
Jennifer (Brown) and family at her home, Currans Hill, 2014
Standing L - R : Shaun (son), Jacob (grandson), Jennifer Jr (granddaughter), Sky (granddaughter)
Seated L - R : Tyleroan (grandson), Shania (daughter), Jennifer holding Amari (granddaughter)
Photograph arranged and chosen by Jennifer Brown
Elizabeth Carpenter
Wiradjuri | b. 1953, Dabbo, New South Wales
Elizabeth (Carpenter) and family at her home, Ambarvale, 2015
L-R : Peter (partner), Elizabeth, Kerin (daughter), Tristan (grandson), Cayden (grandson), Jonathyn (grandson)
Photograph arranged and chosen by Elizabeth Carpenter
Alisha White
Kamilaroi + Wiradjuri | b. 1993, Campbelltown, New South Wales
Alisha (White) and family at her grandmother’s home, Leumeah, 2014
Standing L - R : Kristy-Lee (sister), Warren (father), Alisha, Francis (mother)
Seated L - R : Margaret (maternal grandmother), Beryl (paternal grandmother)
Photograph arranged and chosen by Alisha White
Troy Ruttley
Kamilaroi | b. 1977, Gunnedah, New South Wales
Troy (Ruttley) and Elizabeth (mother) at his home, Minto, 2014
Photograph arranged and chosen by Troy Ruttley
Shanell Dargan
Wiradjuri | b. 1993, Campbelltown, New South Wales
Shanell (Dargan) and family at her home, Mt Annan, 2014
L - R : William (cousin), Shanell, Patricia (maternal grandmother)
In the photo held L - R : Ernest (maternal grandfather), Shanell, Chantelle (mother)
Photograph arranged and chosen by Shanell Dargan
Allan Rousell
Wiradjuri | b. 1979, Inverell, New South Wales
Allan (Rousell) and family, Rosemeadow, 2014
L - R : Ethan (brother), Kristy (partner), Allan, Veronica (mother), Ronald (brother), Raymond (brother)
Photograph arranged and chosen by Allan Rousell
Charles Mundine
Bundjulang | b. 1949, Grafton, New South Wales
Charles (Mundine) and family at his home, Ingleburn, 2014
L-R : James (brother), Roy (brother), Juanita (granddaughter), Mardi (daughter), Stephen (son-in-law)
L-R : Charles, McCallum (grandson), Ruby (granddaughter), Kal (grandson) with the ball , Leilani (granddaughter), Charleene (daughter)
Seated : Annemaree (sister-in-law)
Photograph arranged and chosen by Charles Mundine
Sidona Hodge
Kamilaroi | b. 1958, Coonamble, New South Wales
Sidona (Hodge) and family at her home, Eschol Park, 2014
L - R : Lorna (sister), Alison (daughter), Sidona holding Aurora (granddaughter), Jane (sister)
Photograph arranged and chosen by Sidona Hodge
Ashlie Rogers
Jaru | b. 1991, Bowral, New South Wales
Ashlie (Rogers) and family at the Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan, 2016
L - R : Charlie (father) Paula (mother), Aiesha (daughter), Kaleah (daughter), Ashlie, Bradley (partner)
Photograph arranged and chosen by Ashlie Rogers
Joyce Mate
Kunja | b. 1948, Brewarina, New South Wales
Joyce (Mate) and family at her home, Narellan, 2014
L-R : Gavin (son), Melissa (daughter-in-law), Joyce, Neville (partner), Danielle (daughter), Shane (son-in-law)
Seated L-R : Haigan (grandson), Brodee (granddaughter), Alix (granddaughter), Beau (grandson), Ethan (grandson)
In the framed photo : Cahan (grandson), Justin (son-in-law), Monique (daughter), Elle (granddaughter), Kye (grandson)
Samantha Walpole
Dunghutti | b. 1971, Coffs Harbour, New South Wales
Samantha (Walpole) and family at her home, Glen Alpine, 2014
L - R : Nicole (daughter), Tiffany (daughter) , Kevin (partner), Samantha
Photograph arranged and chosen by Samantha Walpole
Sue Austin
Kamilaroi | b. 1951, Quirirndi, New South Wales
Sue (Austin) and family, Bradbury, 2014
L - R : Sharnie (niece), Leilan (grandnephew), Brianna (grandniece), Sue
Photograph arranged and chosen by Sue Austin
Yvonne Wright
Kamilaroi | b. 1950, Coonabarabran, New South Wales
Yvonne (Wright) and family at her home, Airds, 2014
L-R : Quintin (grandson), James (grandson), Yvonne, Lesha (granddaughter), Mare-Tika (granddaughter), Yvette (daughter), Rhonda (niece), Leeanne (daughter), Shakayla (granddaughter), Allen (son-in-law)
Photograph arranged and chosen by Yvonne Wright