Western Australian Indigenous Affairs

Congratulations to the Badimia people and the Bundiyarra-Irra Wangga Language Centre

Posted: April 11th, 2014

Filed under: Badimaya Dictionary, Badimia, Bundiyarra Irra Wanga language program, Kirkalocka Station, language, Mt Magnet, Ollie George, Yamaji Language Centre

Badimia elder Ollie George and Bundiyarra linguist James Bednell at the launch of the Badimaya Dictionary

YMAC congratulates the Badimia people and the Bundiyarra-Irra Wangga Language Centre on the launch of the new Badimaya Dictionary. Badimia people can be proud that their culture and language is being preserved and developed into educational resources that can be shared across generations.

Several Badimia families, led by elder Ollie George, have worked on this project over the last 20 years. In the early 1990s initial preservation work was started by The Yamaji Language Centre, and the project was transferred to Bundiyarra – Irra Wangga Language Centre in 2005. Since 2012, Bundiyarra has collected more than 60 hours of audio and 10 hours of video recordings.
The dictionary was launched at a celebration on Badimia country at Kirkalocka station on 10 April. A Badimaya Guwaga wordlist and Alphabet Poster have also been developed alongside the dictionary, and will now join other Badimia language resources available from Bundiyarra, including story books, a photographic calendar and a picture book. For more information and to order any of these resources visit www.bundiyarra.org.au.

Tykeira Ward at the launch of the Badimaya Dictionary

Joan, Louwana and Alan Walsh at the launch of the Badimaya Dictiona

Malgana Traditional Owner Darren Capewell to feature Aboriginal food and drink showcase

Posted: April 4th, 2014

Filed under: Food, Malgana, Showcase, Tourism, WAITOC, Wula Guda Nyinda Eco Adventures

The Western Australian Indigenous Tourism Operators Council (WAITOC) has announced Malgana Traditional Owner Darren Capewell will feature in a series of Aboriginal food and drink showcase experiences in WA.

Over the course of 2014, WAITOC will showcase ten Aboriginal Gourmet Experiences across Australia, from food and produce, seafood, food events, cafes and restaurants.

Darren Capewell from Aboriginal tourism operator Wula Guda Nyinda Eco Adventures will be the second to feature in the 10 month series.

Click here to visit the WAITOC website.

Landmark High Court decision in favour of Traditional Owners

Posted: March 12th, 2014

Filed under: High Court of Australia, Mt. Goldsworthy, native title extinguishment, Ngarla, Pilbara, State of WA

The Ngarla People welcome today’s High Court decision, confirming that their native title rights were not extinguished by mining leases. The landmark ruling by the Court dismissed arguments by the Western Australian Government that 50 year-old mining leases, granted over areas 150km east of Port Hedland, permanently extinguished all native title rights in that land.

YMAC CEO Simon Hawkins said, “We congratulate the Ngarla people on this landmark High Court decision and their contribution to native title nationally.”

To listen to the ABC Rural interview with YMAC CEO Simon Hawkins regarding the landmark decision click  here.

To read the full media release click here.

Applications Now Open for 2014 National Indigenous Youth Parliament

Posted: February 10th, 2014

Filed under: Australian Electoral Commission, Canberra, Change, Democracy, Indigenous Electoral Participation Program, Networking, NIYP, Parliament, Voice, Youth

Applications are now open for the 2014 National Indigenous Youth Parliament

The National Indigenous Youth parliament brings together 50 young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 16-25 from across Australia to meet in Canberra, discuss ideas, learn from mentors and present a number of draft bills to the Government.

Six Western Australians, aged 16-25 will be chosen to participate. The program involves of a training day in April with the other WA delegates, and a week of debate and professional development in Canberra in May with the delegates from all of the States and Territories.

Participants will be chosen based on their community involvement, ideas, and interest in government and the parliamentary process.

The program is run by the Australian Electoral Commission’s Indigenous Electoral Participation Program This is a unique opportunity for young people to learn how the system works, present their ideas to the Government, and connect with other future Indigenous leaders.

Aboriginal Lands Trust and Western Australian Aboriginal Advisory Council Vacancies

Posted: February 6th, 2014

Filed under: Aboriginal Affairs, Aboriginal Lands Trust, Australian Aboriginal Advisory Council, Department of Aboriginal Affairs, WA State Government

The WA State Government is seeking to fill four (4) positions that will become vacant in the coming months for the Aboriginal Lands Trust. Appointments for these positions will be for a 4 year period.

The State Government is also seeking to fill six (6) position on the Australian Aboriginal Advisory Council which will become available in July.  Appointments for these positions will be for 3 year period.

For further information on the above roles and eligibility contact the Department of Aboriginal Affairs on 08 6551 8000 or visit their website.

Australian of the Year Awards

Posted: January 14th, 2014

Filed under: Australian of the Year, Community leadership, Indigenous Leadership, Inspiring, Jessica Mauboy, Local Hero, Reconcilliation Australia, Young Australian of the Year

YMAC would like to congratulate the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australian of the Year finalists for 2013

• Tom Calma who is nominated for Australian of the Year (ACT) for his work in Social Justice Campaigning
• Jessica Mauboy  who is nominated for Young Australian of the Year (NT) for her work in the entertainment industry
• Shane Phillips who is nominated for the Local Hero Award  (NSW) for his community leadership.

The Australia of the Year Awards recognise those who have made a significant contribution to Australian society. Finalists have been announced with winners to be announced on 26 January.

For more information on Indigenous involvement in the Australian of the Year Awards visit Reconcilliation Australia.

Fellowship opportunity for WA Aboriginal artist

Posted: January 2nd, 2014

Filed under: Aboriginal Art, Arts Forward Indigenous Fellowship, WA Department of Culture and the Arts

The WA Department of Culture and the Arts is offering an Arts Forward Indigenous Fellowship worth $25,000. It will be open to  individual established Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and arts-workers in any art form excluding film, television and radio.

Applicants’ proposals can include activities over a maximum of 18 months and include mentoring with a leading professional in a chosen field; research and development; an internship or residency; the creation of new work; or a structured professional development opportunity in Australia or internationally.

For more information, click here.

Nominations open for state heritage awards

Posted: December 19th, 2013

Filed under: WA Heritage Council, Western Australian State Heritage Awards

The 2014 Western Australian Heritage Awards will recognise outstanding commitment and contribution to heritage conservation, adaptive reuse, tourism and interpretation in Western Australia. It also honours individuals and organisations whose work has resulted in significant achievements in the promotion and conservation of our rich cultural heritage.

For more information on the awards, click here.

Nominations close on 31 January, 2014.

Read our excerpt from “The Miners”

Posted: November 26th, 2013

Filed under: Mrs Doris Eaton, Simon Hawkins, The Miners

Yamatji Marlpa’s CEO Simon Hawkins was featured in the recently published The Miners – Stories from the industry that drives modern Australia, by Barry Avery.

The Miners is available at www.theminers.net.au with proceeds going to the Starlight Foundation:

Read the excerpt here:

The 1992 event that has become known as the Mabo Decision changed the landscape of mining and exploration in Australia forever. This was a landmark High Court ruling that recognised the legal concept of Native Title for the first time, rejecting the previously held doctrine of terra nullius. It gave the Indigenous traditional owners certain legal rights to their land.

The Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation (YMAC), of which Simon Hawkins has been chief executive for the past decade, is an organisation that represents 25 Aboriginal cultural groups across the Pilbara, Murchison and Gascoyne regions of Western Australia – including dealing with Australia’s major resource developers with respect to Native Title claims. Hawkins explains that recognition of Native Title does not give a veto over mining or development, as traditional owners cannot stop mining from going ahead. What it does give these groups is a right to negotiate, allowing development to go ahead while claims are being resolved. ‘This gives traditional owners a seat at the table – to have a say about how mining will unfold on their country,’ he says.

‘When I started as chief executive in 2003, the mining boom was ramping up and companies which previously had poor relationships with Aboriginal people were now knocking on our door. Within my first few weeks on the job, Rio Tinto said it wanted to do a comprehensive agreement in the Pilbara. (more…)