YMAC

Remembering Eddie Mabo

Posted: June 29th, 2016

Filed under: Australia, Eddie Mabo, native title

Today we remember Eddie Mabo’s birthday, he would have been 80 years old. Eddie Mabo was born on the island of Mer in the Torres Strait, he was the key plaintiff seeking legal claim for ownership of lands on the island of Mer. This was the foundation of Native Title Claim. The high court decided in his favour and upheld the claim 10 years later in 1992.

From this landmark decision, the Government passed Native Title legislation in 1993 and the National Native Title Tribunal was established under this.

To commemorate Mr Mabo’s birthday, Google changed its front page to his likeness. You can see it here.

YMAC News issue 30

Posted: June 17th, 2016

Filed under: 1946 Pilbara Strike, Aboriginal Rangers, Kalbarri National Park, Knowledge Partnerships, Nyangumarta IPA, YMAC, YMAC News

The latest issue of YMAC News is now available.

In this issue, we are excited to introduce a new project between the Nanda people, Knowledge Partnerships and the Department of Parks and Wildlife to install interpretive signage throughout Kalbarri National Park.

Also in this issue we remember the 1946 Pilbara Strike, the longest strike in Australian history. We’re also excited to share photographs and updates about the Nyangumarta Rangers and what they are doing for their Country, and we celebrate the training and development successes of young Aboriginal men at the Clontarf Academy in Carnarvon.

To request a hard copy or to give us any feedback, email editor@ymac.org.au.

Pilbara Traditional Owners Contribute to World-Class Diversity Study

Posted: June 13th, 2016

Filed under: Biodiversity, DPAW, Pilbara, Pilbara Traditional Owners

A world-class biodiversity project directed by the Department of Parks and Wildlife (DPaW) has collected and documented samples from 1000 different sites across the Pilbara.

DPaW says the project would have been impossible without the contributions and support from Pilbara Traditional Owners.

The samples were collected between 2002 and 2006, and after a decade of research and cataloguing, DPaW says the results represent the most comprehensive survey of the area ever done.

The project results will be freely available and will inform future land use planning, help to evaluate the Pilbara’s natural parks and nature reserves, and to provide input into environmental impact assessments associated with resource development.

You can read the full story here, and view DPaW’s website here.

Pilbara Field Guide to help protect agriculture

Posted: June 10th, 2016

A new book published by CSIRO, The Botanic Garden, Parks Authority and BHP Billiton aims to be an essential tool for miners, pastoralists and conservation managers to rehabilitate their land.

The Pilbara Seed Atlas and Field Guide is the product of eight years of research, and includes an identification guide for 100 common plant species and how to collect, clean, store and germinate their seeds.

The book is part of a larger project called the Restoration Seedbank Initiative which involves the University of Western Australia. The initiative is investigating new technologies to help deliver better environmental outcomes in the Pilbara.

You can learn more about the field guide at the CSIRO website here, or purchase it through Angus and Robertson for $65.

Yamatji artists to host exhibition in Fremantle

Posted: June 8th, 2016

Filed under: Art exhibition, Fremantle, Wirnda Barna Artists, Yamatji

The Wirnda Barna Aboriginal Art Centre will be travelling from Badimaya and Wadjarri Country in the upper Murchison region of Western Australia to Fremantle to host the “ Our Country” Art Exhibition. The exhibition will be held between 9 June and 22 June 2016 at the Kidogo Art House.

The Wirnda Barna Aboriginal Art Centre is Australia’s newest not-for-profit Aboriginal art centre. Wirnda Barna supports and represents Aboriginal Artists across Yamatji Country.

Wirnda Barna says its art centre offers a secure, creative and ethical environment where local artists can work together to share knowledge, connect with their language and generate income by selling their art.

You can learn more about Wirnda Barna art centre and the exhibition at their website.

2016 NAIDOC Poster winner announced

Posted: June 1st, 2016

Filed under: 2016 NAIDOC Week, Songlines

Lani Balzan is the artist behind the winning submission of the 2016 NAIDOC poster. Songlines: The Living Narrative of our Nation is the theme for this year.

Ms Balzan is a Wiradjuri Aboriginal woman from New South Wales, and she has chosen to name her artwork ‘Songlines Tie All Aboriginal People Together’. She was awarded a $5000 cash prize.

100 entries were made to the competition, but NAIDOC organisers unanimously decided on Ms Balzan’s work.

The poster will be distributed across the country to promote NAIDOC Week, which runs from 3-10 July.

A digital copy of the poster can be downloaded here, and you can visit the official NAIDOC website for more information about this year’s theme.

National Reconciliation Week Celebrations in Geraldton

Posted: May 26th, 2016

Filed under: reconsiliation

From 26 May to 3 June, the City of Geraldton will host a series of events for National Reconciliation Week. There are many activities for both locals and visitors to look forward to over the week.

On Saturday, 28 May, the Midwest Yamatji Music Association will host a free concert at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre from 1PM to 10.30PM. The concert will feature Yabu Band, Morning Suns and other artists. Alongside the music there will be an array of community stalls, food and drinks for sale, sand art, dance and circus groups, poetry reading and language classes.

A day of free activities is also planned for Tuesday, 31 May, in Queens Park and at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre. Community members are invited to ‘BBQ in the Park’ featuring food and drink stalls, entertainment by the Bartlett Brothers and speaker Rod Little.

Closing Ceremonies for the week’s events will take place in Edith Cowen Square on Thursday 2 June, and will include an afternoon tea. The Closing Ceremonies will begin at 2PM and finish at 4PM.

For more information about the week’s events, or to contact the City of Geraldton, you can visit the City’s events page here.

Certificate III in Aboriginal Languages now offered

Posted: April 29th, 2016

Filed under: Aboriginal languages, Banjima, Certificate III, Kariyarra, Nyiyaparli, Wangka Maya, Yinhawangka

A Certificate III in Aboriginal Languages is now being offered by South Hedland-based language centre Wangka Maya. The course is designed to help maintain the languages spoken by Traditional Owners across Australia.

The nationally accredited certificate is a week-long intensive course, and the first students represented seven different language groups from the Pilbara including Kariyarra, Yinhawangka, Banjima and Nyiyaparli.

The units aim to teach students about the history, vitality and distribution of Aboriginal languages. Courses include identifying language needs in the community and workplace, raising awareness about Aboriginal languages and producing sounds in Aboriginal languages.

For more information about the program, you can visit the Wangka Maya website here, and for specifics about the course you can visit the Resource Network for Linguistic Diversity.

Aboriginal interactive comic takes the web by storm

Posted: April 25th, 2016

https://vimeo.com/47006541

An interactive digital comic book series developed by more than 30 Ieramugadu (Roebourne) children and designed by social arts group Big hART has won a prestigious national award.

NEOMAD, the adventures of regional youth and featuring local Elders, is based on real residents living in a futuristic version of the town.

As part of Big hART’s Yijala Yala Project, NEOMAD is set around Murujuga, home to rock art almost 30 000 years old. The comic series has been described as a pioneering way of interpreting ancient heritage through contemporary tools.

The project won the Gold Ledger this month, and the children involved say their project shows how kids can work together to keep their culture strong, keep industry in check and keep Country beautiful.

NEOMAD is currently a three-part series and is available through iTunes here. More videos about NEOMAD and its production are available on the Yijala Yala Project’s Vimeo page.