Pilbara Region News

NAIDOC profile: The Bartlett Brothers

Posted: July 5th, 2011

Filed under: Bartlett Brothers, Karratha, NAIDOC, Perth

The Bartlett Brothers is an Indigenous rock band made up of sing-songwriter multi instrumentalists Phil and Jason Bartlett, their younger brother Azrael on drums and bassist Rob Findlay. They describe their music as “soulful rootsy pop rock sounds with soaring harmonies”, and they draw imagery and inspiration from their country and heritage.

Set to be stars of NAIDOC in WA this year, the band is appearing at NAIDOC festivals in Perth and Karratha. “NAIDOC is important for everyone, not just indigenous people,” said Phil Bartlett. “It gives everyone a chance to feel indigenous culture.”

The Bartlett Brothers are no strangers to travelling up to the Pilbara. Although their family’s roots are in the Midwest and the Southwest regions of WA, the brothers went to schools in the Pilbara and the Kimberley. They have had plenty of chances to go back and visit, as the hard-working band has been playing gigs and touring for many years.

“What I’m most proud of is how hard we’ve worked. We’re now becoming recognised and well known, and it’s all through hard work. We’ve been doing this for fifteen years, it didn’t just happen,” said Phil.

The band is gaining plenty of recognition, as their list of awards keeps growing. They have received awards from the Too Solid Awards, WA Music Industry, NAIDOC, and Next Best Thing, and Jason made it to the top 24 of Australian Idol.

Phil says that the band draws inspiration from Indigenous musicians that came before them, like Archie Roach, who will also be performing at the Karratha NAIDOC community festival. “To be playing with Archie Roach is fantastic. Back when he started out it was pretty hard for Aboriginal musicians, but people like him set the way for us,” said Phil. “Indigenous music is getting bigger and bigger. There are more pathways, more money, more opportunities for Indigenous artists, and more and more of us are touring, recording albums, and putting up websites. It’s only a matter of time before the next big Aboriginal act becomes a household name.”

You can see the Bartlett Brothers at the Perth NAIDOC ball on Friday, 8 July and at the Karratha NAIDOC closing community festival on Sunday, 10 July.

Across Australia every July, NAIDOC Week celebrates the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. In honour of NAIDOC 2011 YMAC is featuring a series of Aboriginal people and organisations that contribute to the vibrant Aboriginal culture of the Midwest and Pilbara. For more information on NAIDOC including its history and events happening near you, visit http://www.naidoc.org.au/.  

NAIDOC profile: Wangka Maya Pilbara Aboriginal Language Centre

Posted: July 4th, 2011

Filed under: NAIDOC, South Hedland, Wangka Maya

Wangka Maya Pilbara Aboriginal Language Centre is a language centre in South Hedland dedicated to preserving and teaching Indigenous languages of the Pilbara region. It began in 1987 when a group of Aboriginal people started recording languages that they feared were in danger of being forgotten. From its modest beginnings it has grown into a vibrant organisation with a wide range of projects and an impressive workload.

Wangka Maya’s work is driven by the urgency to record languages with few speakers before they are lost forever. “Wangka Maya’s work is very important … recording and documenting 31 languages, some with only a handful of speakers left. We have to have it on record, or else the language will be totally lost. If there are no more speakers left, how will the younger generations know how it sounds?” said Harry Taylor, current treasurer of Wangka Maya.

Beyond language, Wangka Maya also records information and produces resources in the areas of history and culture, provides cultural awareness training and participates in a range of community partnerships and initiatives to promote understanding of and interest in Aboriginal language, culture and history. Wangka Maya also reconnects Pilbara and Gascoyne Aboriginal people to their families who have lost contact due to government action or other issues through the Link Up program.

Anne Sibosado, long time board member of Wangka Maya, feels a personal connection with the work of the language centre. “Growing up I wasn’t allowed to speak language in school, but it’s important to your identity. Being involved [with Wangka Maya] has helped me get my identity back… I hope the younger people will come to use [Wangka Maya’s resources], because they are our future. We want more young people to come aboard,” said Anne.

Harry Taylor believes that, “the wider Australian community is recognising language diversity more and accepting it more,” and Australia is a richer place for that.

Wangka Maya is offering a free cultural awareness training course on 7 July for NAIDOC week. For more information please visit www.wangkamaya.org.au or call 9172 2344.

Across Australia every July, NAIDOC Week celebrates the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. In honour of NAIDOC 2011 YMAC is featuring a series of Aboriginal people and organisations that contribute to the vibrant Aboriginal culture of the Midwest and Pilbara. For more information on NAIDOC including its history and events happening near you, visit http://www.naidoc.org.au/ .

3-10 July is NAIDOC Week

Posted: June 20th, 2011

Filed under: Mid West, NAIDOC, Pilbara

NAIDOC Week, an annual celebration of the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, is fast approaching. NAIDOC is a time for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians to celebrate.  The week is a great opportunity to participate in a range of activities and to support your local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.

NAIDOC originally stood for ‘National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee’. This committee was once responsible for organising national activities during NAIDOC Week and its acronym has since become the name of the week itself.

There are a number of community celebrations in the MidWest and Pilbara, including NAIDOC Idol in Karratha, A family day in Geraldton, a community concert in Port Hedland, and a film festival in Carnarvon, to name just a few.

To find out about NAIDOC Week activities in your area, contact your nearest Indigenous Coordination Centre (ICC) on free call 1800 079 098. There are ICC offices in South Hedland, Geraldton, Perth, and many other locations nationally.

YMAC makes national and international news headlines!

Posted: June 6th, 2011

Filed under: agreements, media, Rio Tinto, Simon Hawkins, YMAC



Gordon Yuline, Nyiyaparli elder, signs agreement

YMAC, and Pilbara traditional owners, have received unprecedented media coverage in state, national and international media regarding the recent signing of historical agreements with Rio Tinto.

The news hit the headlines on Friday, 3 June, continued over the weekend and into the week of 6 June. The story, and YMAC’s CEO, Simon Hawkins, featured in the following major media outlets;

Television: BBC International News, ABC 7pm news, ABC 24 6pm news, GWN and WIN 6pm news

Newspapers: Front page of the West Australia and Australian newspapers, also featured in Australian Financial Review, The Age, Canberra Times, Sydney Morning Herald, plus 12 other national regional papers. Will also appear in WA regional and Indigenous newspapers the week of 6 June.

Radio: BBC radio, ABC national and regional radio, SBS radio, Sky Business, 6PR, 96FM, 94.5FM, and national radio across Australia.

Keep and eye out for more great news stories coming up for YMAC, and the traditional owners we represent, in 2011!

Pilbara groups reach agreement with Rio Tinto

Posted: June 2nd, 2011

Filed under: agreement, Kuruma Marthudunera, Rio, Yamatji.

Centre: Neil Finlay, Kuruma Marthudunera elder, and family at agreement signing.

Four Pilbara native title claim groups have announced they have signed Australia’s most comprehensive native title agreements with Rio Tinto.

The agreements are a result of seven years of extensive negotiations between the four groups, represented by Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation (YMAC), and the Rio Tinto Iron Ore group.

The final agreements give Rio Tinto certainty for its existing and future operations in the areas covered by the four native title claim groups;

• Nyiyaparli
• Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura
• Kuruma and Marthudunera
• Ngarlawangga (northern part of claim area).

The total area involved in the agreement is about 70,000 square kilometres and includes existing mining operations at Brockman 4, Mesa A, Mesa J, Hope Downs, as well as any future Rio Tinto mines and operations in the native title claim areas.

Under the agreement, the four native title claim groups have negotiated a range of economic and non-economic benefits. These include an income stream from mining on their lands, training and job opportunities, access to contracts for services for Rio Tinto and support for environmental and heritage activities. The agreement also includes mining exclusion zones that recognise the importance of significant sites such as burial and ceremonial sites, as well as important water holes and ecologically sensitive areas.

YMAC’s Chief Executive Officer, Simon Hawkins, said the four Aboriginal groups had worked tirelessly to reach agreement with Rio Tinto.

“The signing of these agreements is recognition of the professional way in which the parties have been able to work together to get the best outcomes,” he said.

“Through the negotiations, the native title groups now have an established relationship with Rio Tinto that they can build on for their future.

“The real work starts now to implement the agreements and ensure the native title claim groups benefit from their commitment,” he said.

Mr Hawkins said rigorous corporate governance and benefit management structures were being put in place to underpin the implementation of the agreements. This includes the establishment of four local Aboriginal corporations to manage the agreements for each group and a broader regional corporation to implement seven regional standards relating to Rio’s operations.

Indigenous Land Use Agreements (ILUAS) will be signed later this year between the four native title groups, Rio Tinto and the state government, with on-country celebrations planned for later in the year.

Applications open for Community Liaison Officers

Posted: May 3rd, 2011

Filed under: Community Liaison Officer, Geraldton, job vacancy, Karratha, Port Hedland

YMAC is seeking motivated and enthusiastic individuals who have a strong desire to work with Aboriginal communities within the Yamatji and Pilbara regions and advancing their interests through the native title process.

There are positions based in YMAC’s Geraldton, Karratha and South Hedland Offices.

You would be working to ensure claimants are informed and can participate in the management of their native title claims. You would also be acting as a source of information to the community about the organisation, the native title act and other relevant matters.

To be considered for this position, you must address briefly in your letter the following selection criteria:

• Ability to effectively and sensitively communicate and work within a team environment

• Excellent verbal, written, communication skills

• Proficiency with computers

• Good understanding of Aboriginal people, their culture and decision making processes

• Strong interpersonal and negotiation skills

• Current unrestricted manual ‘C’ class license is essential.

For further information about this position, please contact Human Resources on (08) 9268 7000.

Under S.50 (d) of the Equal Opportunity Act, an applicant’s Indigenous background is a genuine occupational qualification.

Job descriptions and an application form are available on our website www.yamatji.org.au, or contact Human Resources on (08) 9268 7000 or email jobs@ymac.org.au.

All applications must include a covering letter, completed application form, resume, and a statement addressing the selection criteria.

Applications can be posted to PO Box 3072, 256 Adelaide Terrace, Perth WA 6000, faxed to (08) 9268 7049 or emailed to jobs@ymac.org.au

Closing date for the above positions is 4.00pm Friday 20th May 2011

Meet a YMAC Director

Posted: April 28th, 2011

Filed under: Board, Natlaie parker, Nyiyaparli, YMAC Director

Natalie Parker

Natalie is a Nyiyaparli woman from the central Pilbara region who is well known in the community for her leadership capacity.  Natalie represents her community on the board of the Gumula Aboriginal Corporation, Gumula Enterprises Pty Ltd, Meta Maya Aboriginal Corporation as well as being the first female co-chair of Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation (YMAC).


Natalie’s enjoys camping on country and spending quality time with her grandchildren. Her aspirations for the future include improvements in health, education and economic opportunities for Aboriginal people, and to see recognition of culture and a strong future for all.

Free Indigenous Business Workshops in the Midwest and Pilbara

Posted: March 25th, 2011

Filed under: Geraldton, Indigenous Business Australia, Port Hedland, Tom Price.

Indigenous Business Australia (IBA) is running free Into Business workshops to assist Aboriginal people who are interested in starting up a business. A series of three one-day workshops is available for aspiring Indigenous entrepreneurs who want to turn their business ideas into reality.

At the workshops participants work with a business specialist to learn how to thoroughly research their idea to determine whether it is a commercially viable, and what is required to manage a business on a day-to-day basis.

For those people who complete the three workshops, one-on-one assistance from an IBA-funded business consultant will be available to help take the next step towards building an income generating business.

The workshops are part of IBA’s national Business Development and Assistance Program, which aims to assist Indigenous Australians to establish, acquire and grow small to medium businesses.

The first of the three workshops will be held in Tom Price on 5 April, Port Hedland on 7 April, Geraldton on 14 April and another round in Geraldton on 20 July.

For more information or to register for the workshops call 1800 107 107

Indigenous West Australians recognised at International Women’s Day Event

Posted: March 10th, 2011

Filed under: Board, Donna Murdock, Doris Eaton, International Women's Day, Margaret Rose, NATSIWA, YMAC Director

NATSIWA’s International Women’s Day Poster

Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation (YMAC) is extremely proud that two of its staff members and one of its Board members have been honoured at an event in Adelaide marking ‘International Women’s Day.’

Mrs. Donna Murdock, Yamatji Regional Manager, Ms. Margaret Rose, Senior Community Liaison Officer and Mrs. Doris Eaton, co-chair of YMAC’s Board of Directors and 2009 NAIDOC elder of the year, have been recognised by the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women’s Alliance (NATSIWA) for achieving change for their people and communities.

To celebrate the one hundredth International Women’s Day, NATSIWA has recognised one hundred Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women who have shown leadership and achieved change over the past one hundred years.

In addition to a rally in Adelaide on 10 March 2011, there is  a poster featuring some of the nominated women that will be widely distributed to schools, non-government organisations and government departments. A blog has also been created where the women will contribute to forums on issues facing Indigenous women.

Click here to access NATSIWA’s International Women’s Day website, including their blog.

Mrs. Murdock, Ms. Rose and Mrs. Eaton were all chosen because of their activism, leadership and commitment to their regional communities. They have contributed to their communities in the areas of health, education, business development, native title and traditional culture.

“It’s a great pleasure to be recognised and to be honoured among other women who have been working hard for their communities. It is really rewarding for us Indigenous women to come together from all parts of Australia and have it be recognised that yes, we are making a difference,” said Margaret Rose.

Simon Hawkins, YMAC’s Chief Executive Officer, said of the news, “It’s wonderful to see some of the hard-working, community-minded Aboriginal women of the Midwest and Pilbara regions being celebrated nationally for their achievements. YMAC congratulates Mrs. Eaton, Ms. Rose and Mrs. Murdock on their nominations, and I can say personally that it has been a huge honour to work with them over the years.”