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Indigenous Knowledge Centres

Bamaga IKC: Room to grow

By Indigenous Services | 25 May 2022

The Bamaga IKC story is one of opportunity and transformation. From humble beginnings, the IKC opened on the same day as Umagico IKC - 25 May 2012.

Bamaga IKC initially operated from a small room in a building shared with Home and Community Care (HACC) services, on the outskirts of town. Despite its small size, the IKC offered a full range of services and included adult and children’s collections, a kids’ corner and a public access computer hub.

A collage of images from the opening day of Bamaga IKC.

Bamaga IKC Opening, 25 May 2012

Over the years, the IKC was moved to larger premises as building spaces became available. In 2019, the IKC moved to its current location in the centre of the Bamaga community. A refurbishment of the space was completed in 2021 through a partnership between the Northern Peninsula Area Regional Council (NPARC) and the State Library of Queensland.

An imaged of the refurbished IKC.

Refurbished IKC, 30 November 2021. Attribution: Evelyn Tamwoy

The Bamaga IKC is one of five IKCs operated by the NPARC in partnership with the State Library of Queensland. The IKCs are located at Injinoo, New Mapoon, Seisia and Umagico.

Northern Peninsula Area (NPA) region

The NPA region is made up of five Indigenous communities: Bamaga, Injinoo, New Mapoon, Seisia and Umagico. An IKC is located in each community.

Learn more about the region here, https://www.nparc.qld.gov.au/our-community/home

Exploring the collection

If you'd like to explore some of State Library's collection items relating to Bamaga, we have a few suggestions in the links below:

  • Mick Richards Far North Queensland Indigenous communities photographs.
    Images of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in Central and Far North Queensland
  • 30394 Elaine Sinnamon Collection ca. 1969
    Collection of Torres Strait artefacts, slides and postcards acquired during Elaine Sinnamon's time in the Torres Strait. Includes 5 hand-carved wooden faces acquired on Daru; 2 fishing spears; 2 turtle shells; 1 handmade juju shaker made from juju seed pods; 1 hand-carved wooden drum with snake skin acquired on Boigu; 177 coloured slides which depict various Islands in the Torres Strait as well as Bamaga and the Cape York Peninsula. The slides mostly contain images of views and buildings, and some are of the "Coming of the Light" festival. One postcard of a traditional dance being performed on Thursday Island, a postcard showing Hospital Point, Thursday Island and a postcard showing a village scene, Boigu Island.
  • NPA Regional Council News Letter Northern Peninsula Area Regional Council

Celebrating 20 years of IKCs

In 2002, the first Indigenous Knowledge Centres (IKCs) were developed in partnership with then Aboriginal Community and Island Councils across Queensland. Seven IKCs were opened in 2002, with many more to follow over the years.

This year thirteen Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Shire and Regional Councils will celebrate the role their IKCs play in their communities; as libraries, meeting places, hubs and keeping places.

IKC 20 years banner

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