The NFSA works closely with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to ensure it is aligned with the cultural directions and aspirations of traditional owners.

It champions First Nations creatives and supports First Nations stories. The First Nations Engagement team prioritises the digital return of audiovisual content and collections relevant to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

First Nations Projects

Our co-design projects centre the cultural knowledge, lived experiences, and decision-making power of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the design and implementation of programs, use of collection items, and policies that affect them.

Central Desert Aboriginal Men’s Digitisation Project

A co-designed project to preserve and digitise at-risk films and audio recordings from the Strehlow Collection, one of the most important collections relating to Indigenous ceremonial life in the world.

Torres Strait Islanders Media Association Collection (TSIMA)

The NFSA works with the Torres Strait Islanders Media Association to preserve and repatriate its at-risk audiovisual collection.

In 2025–26 and beyond, the NFSA is working collaboratively with TSIMA to co-design a multi-year project to preserve, digitise, catalogue and digitally repatriate TSIMA’s at-risk audiovisual collection, and make it accessible to communities on Country. This project is funded by the Indigenous Languages and Arts Program through the Office for the Arts.

First Nations Media Australia (FNMA) Training

The NFSA provides training and development opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and organisations in archival practices.

The NFSA works with the FNMA to deliver digitisation training workshops to First Nations media organisations around Australia. The training centres a First Nations approach and prioritises the importance of collective knowledge to approaching and prioritising digitisation.

WINHANGANHA

Commissioned by the NFSA Cultural Connections team, WINHANGANHA was born from a desire to make sense of the archival inheritances that shape our present realities.

First Nations content in the NFSA

Find out about First Nations filmmakers and First Nations stories through the NFSA collection.Deep Dive: Nangamai

Experience Nangamai ('Dream' in the Dharawal language), the NFSA's online collection of First Nations content.

The Nangamai Collection pays tribute to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander trailblazers, icons, dreamers and performers who have kept their rich culture and history alive through activism, writing, filmmaking, song, dance and art.

Discover more

Celebrate the rich cultural voices and artistic brilliance of First Nations creators — hear their stories, watch their films, explore their art, and immerse yourself in their music. Keep coming back for fresh stories and new content we’re always sharing online.