Western Australian Indigenous Affairs

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/ .

NIADOC profile: Yamaji Art

Posted: July 3rd, 2011

Filed under: ASKAP, Geraldton, NAIDOC, Yamaji Art

Yamaji Art is an Aboriginal owned and governed art centre in Geraldton, Western Australia which has been described as “the artistic voice of the Midwest”. It represents Aboriginal artists from many of the region’s towns and beyond, including Geraldton, Mullewa, Yalgoo, Meekatharra, Cue, Mt. Magnet, Carnarvon and even Port Hedland. Yamaji Art was founded two years ago as a business arm of Marra Indigenous Art and Design.

Yamaji Art supports its artists by providing materials, running workshops, and generally encouraging quality art by providing a safe space for creative expression. They help artists become self sufficient by connecting them with buyers locally, nationally and internationally.

Despite its relative youth as an organisation, Yamaji Art has had successful shows in Perth, Cairns, and Capetown, and is scheduled to have a show in Washington DC this October.

“I was born out in the bush, on Yallalong Station, so the trip was like going home for me. I paint what I know from that area in the Murchison, so the trip was very inspirational,” Olive Boddington said.

As a place where art and traditional culture meet, the collective serves as a place to house stories, foster creative development and skills, and bring artists of the Midwest into the Aboriginal art movement.

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/.

Badimia protects Lake Moore

Posted: June 23rd, 2011

Filed under: Badimia, Lake Moore, National Native Title Tribunal

Yesterday the National Native Title Tribunal handed down a decision that will help the Badimia people look after Lake Moore and the many places around it that are important to the Badimia people.

Lake Moore, a dry salt lake south of Paynes Find, is a very special place for Badimia people. Many Badimia people visit the area with their families every year to go camping, hunting, collecting bush medicines and teaching the younger generations about country and culture. Lake Moore and the surrounding area is not only important as a place for Badimia families to go out on country, but it is home to very sacred places where ceremonies traditionally took place.

The National Native Title Tribunal recognised how important this place is for the Badimia people by ruling that the company seeking a mineral exploration licence has to negotiate with the Badimia people before it can have access to the area for low-impact exploration activities. This will allow the Badimia people to have more of a say over access to the area, and will give them a chance to make sure the mineral explorers have an understanding of the significance of the area. 

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.

Leadership program for young Aboriginal West Australians

Posted: April 19th, 2011

Filed under: Department of Communities, youth leadership

Nominations are now open for the Department of Communities’ One Sky, Many Paths Indigenous leadership program.

The program comprises:

• distance education where students learn online within their own community

• two residential week long conferences in Perth with an array of amazing Aboriginal speakers and leadership experiences

• a community project which participants will be responsible for creating, developing and implementing over a ten week period.

The training is accredited and conducted by Challenger Institute of Technology and participants will have a local mentor to help with their community project.

The residential weeks for young men are in May and August, and for young women in September and November.

 For more information and to download the nomination form go to www.youth.wa.gov.au. Participants will need someone to nominate them, a family member, community leader or elder and all applicants have to be Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander living in Western Australia and aged between 18 and 25 years.

The deadline to apply is 2nd May 2011.

YMAC CEO in Saturday’s West Australian

Posted: April 18th, 2011

Filed under: agreement, Simon Hawkins, West Australian

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.”