Dr Lowitja O'Donoghue AC CBE DSG (1932-2024) and Oodgeroo Noonuccal (1920–1993) are two strong, prominent figures in the Aboriginal rights movement. Quandamooka woman and esteemed poet Noonuccal was a leading voice in the charge for nationwide recognition of Australia's Indigenous people, including the campaign for the 1967 Referendum for constitutional change and co-founding the National Tribal Council in 1970. An early career in nursing ultimately led Yankunjatjara woman O'Donoghue into Indigenous advocacy and public administration. She worked with the Australian government on native title, was the inaugural Chair of both the National Aboriginal Conference (NAC) in 1978, and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission in 1990, and helped draft the Mabo legislation. Both women have been unswerving in their lifelong commitment to use their voices to call for recognition and rights for First Nations people. In her powerful Australia Day Address on 24 January 2000, O’Donoghue said 'my dearest hope is that I may be able to contribute to positive change'.
This portrait was taken as part of Mervyn Bishop's work as photographer for the Department of Aboriginal Affairs. Noonuccal and O’Donoghue were attending the inaugural meeting of the NAC in Canberra in April 1978. This double portrait captures the spirit, hope and dedication of two important Indigenous leaders at this formative and fraught moment.
Purchased 2015
© Mervyn Bishop
The portrait is titled Kath Walker (Oodgeroo Noonuccal) and Lois O'Donoghue (Lowitja O'Donoghue) at the opening of the inaugural National Aboriginal Conference, in Canberra, 1978. It was taken by Mervyn Bishop. It is a gelatin silver photograph on paper and measures approximately 30 centimetres high by 30 centimetres wide.
The photograph shows Oodgeroo and Lowitja smiling broadly, standing side by side in front of an intricately patterned wallpaper.
In this black and white image the background wallpaper has a light-toned pattern of vertical stripes and floral paisley designs.
Lowitja is on the left, taller than Oodgeroo, with her face positioned almost straight towards us and her body angling slightly in towards Oodgeroo.
Lowitja’s hair is dark and shiny with a few threads of grey. It is parted at the side, with short soft waves cropped close, framing her face. Her hair stops at her chin, kicking out at the ends. She has gently curving light brows above dark eyes, looking out towards Oodgeroo beyond the right of the photograph. She has a small, rounded nose and her cheeks are bunched up from her smile. Lowitja has a big grin showing the top row of her teeth.
She wears a blouse with a high, ruffled collar that appears white in the image. Below her chin, centred in her collar is a small brooch. The blouse has long puffed sleeves, with the same ruffles on the cuffs as on the collar. Lowitja’s arms hang relaxed beside her, hands loosely closed. She’s wearing a straight skirt, its fabric covered in a dense geometric pattern.
Oodgeroo stands close to Lowitja on the right. Her face is positioned towards the camera. Her body is angled towards Lowitja. She has short dark hair greying at the temples, curling up and back off her face. Her light-toned eyes look directly towards us through large, slim-framed glasses. Oodgeroo has a small nose. Her cheeks are rounded and slightly dimpled from her wide smile. Her lips are parted revealing the top row of her teeth.
Oodgeroo is wearing a loose-fitting top that looks white in the black and white photograph. It has a round collar, long sleeves, and a trim of white fringe along the lower edge. The position and gesture of Oodgeroo’s arms and hands mimic Lowitja’s; arms by her sides and fingers gently closed. Beneath her top she has on a straight skirt from a fabric with a slight sheen.
Audio description script written and voiced by Lucinda Shawcross
Mervyn Bishop (age 33 in 1978)
Oodgeroo Noonuccal (age 58 in 1978)
Dr Lowitja O'Donoghue AC CBE DSG (age 46 in 1978)
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