Posts By: Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation

Closing the Gap – Have your say!

Posted: March 26th, 2025

Have your say on the implementation of Closing the Gap, through the Independent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led Review.

This independent review provides an opportunity for First Nations people to share their experiences of the implementation process of the Closing the Gap agreement.

Through a national survey, a national submission process, intensive forums, stakeholder interviews, and an in-person assembly, First Nations people are invited to share their lived experience, success stories, and ideas for building momentum for Closing the Gap.

The Independent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led Review of Closing the Gap takes place after the Productivity Commission Review, which recently revealed government failure in addressing the issues faced by Aboriginal communities. After this year’s Productivity Commission Review, YMAC called on the State Government to urgently address the requests from Traditional Owners in the Pilbara and Yamatji regions, which are outlined both the 2024 Yule River Call to Action and Solutions Roadmap, and the 2024 Yamatji On-Country Call to Action.

Both of these documents are directly tied to the Closing the Gap Outcomes.

The Independent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led Review of Closing the Gap is being conducted by the Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research. The national survey and submission process is now open, with both closing on 16 April 2025.

To complete the survey and find out how else you can get involved, visit the Coalition of Peaks website.

Experience Tjaabi – Flood Country

Posted: March 24th, 2025

The Joondalup Festival is bringing stories and sounds from the Pilbara to Perth through Tjaabi – Flood Country, a celebration of Country and culture through immersive theatre, music, spoken word, and animation. With performances at Padbury Hall this Friday, 28 and Saturday, 29 March, get your tickets ($11-$19) via the Joondalup Festival website.

A tjaabi is a form of song unique to the Pilbara region, capturing stories, dreams, thoughts, and moments. Each song is sung by a particular person and relevant to a particular place, handed down through the generations.

Led by Ngarluma man Patrick Churnside, Tjaabi – Flood Country explores the many cultural and ecological pressures facing Aboriginal people in the Pilbara. A gifted storyteller, Patrick shares his life story through music, narrative, and humour. He grew up with the tjaabi song tradition; his grandfather Bob Churnside one of the West Pilbara’s most renowned singers. In Tjaabi – Flood Country, Patrick shares his own story of growing up the Pilbara, the lineage of cultural knowledge, contemporary relevance of Indigenous ecologies, working on Country, and the power of Ngarluma language.

“Tjaabi has become one of my passions and life’s work,” Patrick said. “I pour my heart into it, researching, learning and performing. Through my commitment to awakening and sharing tjaabi in this innovative intercultural project, I hope understanding and reconciliation will grow, greater awareness of country and stronger song, story and culture.”

For those in other parts of the state, the performance will also be touring later in the year:

• Cockburn – Sunday, 6 July
• Geraldton – Friday, 11 July
• Beverley – Wednesday, 16 July
• Harvey – Saturday, 19 July
• Margaret River – Saturday, 26 and Sunday, 27 July
• Port Hedland – Sunday, 16 November
• Karratha – Friday, 21 and Saturday, 22 November

Find out more about Tjaabi – Flood Country on the Big hART website.

Photo: Leith Alexander

YMAC’s New Strategic Plan – Have Your Say!

Posted: March 7th, 2025

Throughout 2025, Think Culture is supporting YMAC with consultation and the development of a new strategic plan for 2026 – 2030.

Think Culture is currently inviting people and organisations connected to YMAC’s work in our Yamatji and Marlpa regions to contribute their thoughts and ideas in this process by completing the online survey.

YMAC is committed to creating a plan that meets the current and future needs and aspirations in our regions, while also fulfilling our governance and native title representative body (NTRB) responsibilities for these areas.

Scan QR code in our flyer below or please click here to complete a survey. Survey closes 30 April.  

Do you want to have your say on the services available for Aboriginal people in Geraldton?

Posted: February 20th, 2025

The Midwest Aboriginal Organisations Alliance (MAOA)  – of which YMAC is a member – want to hear from all Aboriginal people in Geraldton about the services that you may use. Are they doing a good job? Can you access those services? Are there any services you need that aren’t already in Geraldton?

If you are interested in having a say, you can join MAOA at one of two community meetings being held in Geraldton on 25 and 26 February,  See flyer below to learn more.

CSIRO internal Indigenous Research Grants opening soon

Posted: February 3rd, 2025

Applications for CSIRO’s internal Indigenous research grants will be opening on 24 February 2025.

There are four grant categories available to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, communities, and organisations, designed to champion Indigenous-led research for the empowerment of community. These categories support a range of projects, from planning to large scale projects, with preference given to medium and large-scale proposals with a 50% co-contribution.

CSIRO research areas and programs include:

• The Living STEM Initiative – connecting Indigenous knowledge to the classroom
• Water – mine-dewater assessment and evaluation for cultural use and benefits
• Addressing the energy transition challenge – overcoming environmental issues such as carbon emission
• Critical minerals – consider historical abandoned mine shafts and mine dumps on Country.

CSIRO also offers research and development support for start-ups and small business, including matched funding of $10,000 – $50,000. Find out more on the CSIRO website.

For more information and to apply, contact Humera Rind at humera.rind@csiro.au or on 0472 793 522.

Badimia Guwaga First Nations Language Project launches with community workshops

Posted: January 31st, 2025

The Badimia Guwaga Team – including the Bundiyarra-Irra Wangga Language Centre, Badimia community members, and linguist Dr James Bednall – have been awarded a $300,810 grant from the Department of Education for the Badimia Guwaga First Nations Language Project.

In partnership with Mount Magnet District High School, the project aims to foster the use of Badimia language in community and assist with the intergenerational transfer of language and culture among Badimia people. The project is led and directed in consultation with Badimia Elders, organisations, and community, with this recent funding expanding an existing online Badimia language learning portal.

Five trainee educators from the local community will receive comprehensive training in Badimia language, with the aim of participating in classroom teaching at Mount Magnet District High School, as well as leading on-Country activities in partnership with the school. This training will bring the educators in line with the Department of Education’s Aboriginal Language Teacher Training.

In-person activities will also be held on-Country for members of the Badimia community, as well as online opportunities for those off-Country.

This project is entirely driven by the Badimia people and carries on the legacy of the late Gami Ollie George. It also aligns with the Yamatji on-Country 2024 Education Call to Action from young people across the region who have called for an opportunity to learn about culture from a young age, as well as language education in both primary and high school so that language can be passed through the generations.

To kick off this exciting program, a series of community workshops will be held from Thursday, 27 February to Sunday, 2 March 2025, in Mount Magnet. To find out more, download the Badimia Community Language Workshop Flyer.

Read more about the Yamatji on-Country Call to Action here.

Managing fire with the Desert Habitat Method

Posted: January 13th, 2025

Nyangumarta Rangers and Traditional Owners, with the Indigenous Desert Alliance, are managing traditional desert fire methods with modern technology using a new tool.

The Desert Habitat Method (DHM) is a transparent measurement tool which can help rangers to plan, track, and improve their work; explain their work to others, including Elders, community members, and stakeholders; report their work to funders; and encourage potential new funders to see the value of supporting their work. This method focuses on fire management, and is a way to measure the outcomes of right way fire on habitat for native animals.

The DHM is currently in the testing phase, with two on-Country workshops held in 2024 bringing together rangers, Elders, and Traditional Owners to work through the new tool, ensuring it will work effectively. Two trials are also planned to be held in 2025.

The project is supported by funding from the Australian Government’s Innovative Biodiversity Monitoring Program.

Watch this short film from the Indigenous Desert Alliance, Nyangumarta Wika Muwarr, about the recent workshop with Nyangumarta rangers and Traditional Owners, where they share their story of connecting ancient fire management with modern tools.

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Images by Salty Davenport

AIATSIS 2025: Call for Abstracts

Posted: January 10th, 2025

The Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) is calling for abstracts for their 2025 Summit.

The AIATSIS Summit is a five-day forum for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, academics, native title stakeholders, and legal experts, along with representatives from government, galleries, libraries, archives and museums, to come together to collaborate on issues of importance for First Nations peoples.

This year’s summit will be co-hosted by the Larrakia Nation in Garramilla/Darwin, with the theme ‘Voices of Empowerment: Strengthening our Future’. The theme pays tribute to a world where First Nations people’s rights, knowledge, and voices are respected and valued by all Australians.

The Summit also incorporates a Youth and Emerging Leadership stream. An opportunity to apply for sponsorship will open in January 2025.

The call for abstracts is now open, closing on Friday 24 January 2025.

Download the Call for Abstracts flyer for more information, or visit the AIATSIS website to submit.

Applications open for the Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Water Interest

Posted: January 10th, 2025

Expressions of Interest are invited from First Nations people across WA to join the Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Water Interests (CAWI).

CAWI is an independent body advocating for First Nations peoples’ inland water rights, values, and interests with governments and water stakeholders at national and state levels. CAWI members are committed to elevating the cultural, spiritual, social, economic, and environmental interests of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across Australia.

The Committee is currently seeking people with experience in these areas:

• Western cultural water rights and interests
• Water science
• Management and leadership
• Advocacy and working with government
• Strategic governance and communications
• Policy and planning.

The committee meets face-to-face at least four times a year, and members are remunerated. Travel, accommodation, and meal allowances are arranged by the Department of Climate change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW).

Applications close at 9.59pm AWST on Friday 28 February 2025.

Download the Position Description for more information and to apply, or visit the DCCEEW website.