Western Australian Indigenous Affairs

It’s time to strengthen Aboriginal heritage protection

Posted: September 12th, 2014

Filed under: Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 (WA), heritage protection, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Petition, WA State Government

Join us in petitioning the State Government

As you probably know, YMAC is organising a meeting on Country on 26 September 2014 to discuss the proposed changes to the Aboriginal Heritage Act, at the request of the Pilbara Regional Committee.

We are now circulating a petition urging the State Government to develop a meaningful framework for reform of the Act that empowers Aboriginal people and builds on previous reviews of Aboriginal heritage legislation.

Click here to download your copy of the petition.

This petition is not limited to the Aboriginal community. Please circulate it as widely as possible, through your professional and personal networks, to make an impact on the WA State Government.

Original signatures (not scans) need to be returned to YMAC at PO Box 3072, 249 Hay Street, East Perth WA 6892 by 31 October 2014 so it can be presented to the State Parliament.

For more information on the changes or the reviews referred to in the petition, go to www.aboriginalheritage.net.au.

Thank you for your support, and we hope to see you on 26 September at Yule River.

600 year old Kariyarra ancestor buried at the Pioneer Cemetery

Posted: September 3rd, 2014

Filed under: Kariyarra, Port Hedland, The Department of Aboriginal Affairs

The Department of Aboriginal Affairs repatriation program will see thirteen sets of remains including those of a 600 year old Kariyarra ancestor buried at the Old Port Hedland Pioneer Cemetery.

The Old Pioneer was chosen as it will mean the ancestral remains will rest alongside other Kariyarra ancestors.

A ceremony will be held at the cemetery on 26th September.

UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples: get it, know it, use it.

Posted: August 11th, 2014

Filed under: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, Australian Human Rights Commission, International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, Mick Gooda, United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

In celebration of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, Mick Gooda, has unveiled a new website to provide practical information about the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

The website informs Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people about their human rights and encourages people to use these principles in their daily lives.

The website includes a copy of the Declaration, as well as videos clips about how to breathe life into it.

Have your say on proposed changes to Aboriginal heritage law

Posted: July 9th, 2014

Filed under: Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 (WA), Department of Aboriginal Affairs

YMAC is very concerned about proposed changes to the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 (WA). Click on the two links below to read more about YMAC’s concerns and how you can make your submission to the Department of Aboriginal Affairs by 6 August 2014.

Letter from the YMAC chairs on proposed changes to the Aboriginal Heritage Act

Changes to the Aboriginal Heritage Act- YMAC fact sheet

YMAC strongly encourages Traditional Owners to be informed about these proposals and to make a submission in writing to the DAA before the deadline.

How to make a submission:

1. Read the fact sheet above and go to www.daa.wa.gov.au or call the DAA on 1800 727 985 to find out about the amendments

2. Send your comments to aha.reform@daa.wa.gov.au or

Chief Heritage Officer

Department of Aboriginal Affairs

PO Box 3153

EAST PERTH WA 6892

3. The deadline for submissions is 6 August 2014

Celebrating NAIDOC Week!

Posted: July 7th, 2014

Filed under: Celebrate, NAIDOC week 2014, serving country

NAIDOC Week began yesterday with events held throughout Australia.

The NAIDOC theme for 2014 is Serving Country: Centenary & Beyond. This theme honours all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have fought for the defence of country.

YMAC staff joined many other organisations at the NAIDOC Opening ceremony where a number of outstanding acts performed with further celebrations to follow in the Pilbara and Yamatji regions.

For more information about events near you visit the NAIDOC website.

Book Talk with Malgana elder Ada Fossa

Posted: May 20th, 2014

Filed under: Ada Fossa, City of Greater Geraldton, Malgana, Shark Bay

Join Malgana elder Ada Fossa as she speaks about her book “Stories Laughter and Tears through Bygone Years in Shark Bay” this Saturday in Geraldton.

“My name is Ada Mary Fossá, born Ada Mary Poland on the 8th November 1934. I am a 6th generation Indigenous resident of Shark Bay and also a Malgana elder.
This book is a collection of stories from my memories of growing up and living in Shark Bay with input from some old time residents also included.
There are no airs and graces, no research about this book, just telling it the way it was when we were young and remembering what our parents and grandparents taught us and the places they took us to. It might give an insight into how privileged this present generation is compared to ours many years ago.”

The book is available for purchase from http://www.acashic.com/stories-laughter-tears-shark-bay/ 

Community NRM Grants

Posted: May 16th, 2014

Filed under: community grants, natural resource management., WA State Government

Local community across WA can now apply for the State Government’s 2014-15 Natural Resource Management grants of between $10,000 and $50,000 to help conserve, restore, rehabilitate and enhance landscapes or conserve biodiversity.

For more information and to access application forms and guidelines   please go to the State NRM Office’s website or phone (08) 9368 3168 or email snrmo@agric.wa.gov.au.

Applications close on June 20.

Bundiyarra stories on film

Posted: May 2nd, 2014

Filed under: Bundiyarra, Film, Film and Television Institute (FTI), Indigenous Community Stories, NITV

The Bundiyarra people’s story of working towards recognition, the issues and obstacles that they faced was captured on film as part of the Indigenous Community Stories project.

Since the completion of the film a VIP roof top screening was held in Perth for the Bundiyarra founding members and the community to view their story on the big screen.

NITV will show the film soon and it will be available online for viewing later in the year. To hear more about the experiences of the Bundiyarra people in making the film and the VIP roof top screening click here. To learn more about the Indigenous Community Stories project visit the FTI WA website.

Congratulations to Weerianna Street Media on heritage award

Posted: April 14th, 2014

Filed under: Ngarluma, Roebourne, Tyson Mowarin, Weerianna Street Media, Western Australian State Heritage Awards

This week,  Pilbara Aboriginal media company Weerianna Street Media was awarded the Professor David Dolan Award as part of the 2014 Western Australian Heritage Awards. These prestigious annual awards recognise outstanding commitment and contribution to heritage conservation, adaptive reuse, tourism and interpretation in Western Australia.

In 2007, Tyson Mowarin, a musician, digital storyteller and proud Ngarluma man from the Pilbara, established Weerianna Street Media to produce factual content for television broadcast and community archives. It aims to protect Burrup rock art, share community stories, history and cultural knowledge, improve awareness of Aboriginal traditions and custodial ownership via digital technologies. The judges said Weerianna Street Media draws on a myriad of digital technology and new media to share stories of Aboriginal people, culture and history to a world-wide audience. The digital platforms also provide an invaluable living archive for Aboriginal knowledge about the Dampier Archipelago.  See more at the State Heritage Awards

Congratulations Tyson!