YMAC Members’ News

‘Elephants in the Bush’ Launches tomorrow at Big Sky Festival

Posted: September 12th, 2013

Filed under: Big Sky Festival, Clarrie Cameron, Elephants in the Bush, Geraldton

“Clarrie Cameron’s recently released storytelling collection is nothing less than a force of life, almost a diary of culture and history.” Darcy Hay, Midwest Times

YMAC member Clarrie Cameron, from the Nhanhagardi tribe of Champion Bay, has lived in the Midwest Region all his life, travelling around from Geraldton to Wiluna. From station life to dusty outback towns, new book of Clarrie’s campfire yarns reflect his country, culture and identity….

• A huge snake takes refuge under the body of a napping grandfather.
• One 16-year-old girl keeps 300 head of cattle together for weeks without losing a beast.
• Trackers lead police deep into the desert to find a murderer and rescue an abducted woman.

Now others can read them on the pages of his new book Elephants in the Bush and other Yamatji Yarns.

Clarrie will share his book of short stories at Geraldton’s Big Sky, Readers and Writers Festival. Hear about Carrie’s experiences and get your book signed at the festival launch on Friday, September 13.

Hear Clarrie being interviewed on ABC’s Bush Telegraph here.

Elephants in the Bush and other Yamatji Yarns is available from all good bookshops and online from Magabala Books for $19.95.

Native Title win for Banjima People after 15 year wait

Posted: August 29th, 2013

Filed under: Banjima, Federal Court, Native Title Determination, Pilbara

Banjima elder Alec Tucker at the Federal Court in Perth

The Banjima People of the Central Pilbara are celebrating the end of a 15-year native title claim following yesterday’s Federal Court decision to recognise their cultural rights to around 10,200 square kms of traditional lands.

Alec Tucker, Banjima Elder said, “This is a joyful day for us. We’ve been looking forward to this for a long time. We’ve been waiting for so long. We know its Banjima country, it’s my grandfather’s country, my father’s country –  I think the old people would be happy about today.”

A formal recognition ceremony and celebrations will be held on Banjima Country at a future date.

Click here to read the media release, or check out the photo gallery.

Celebrate NAIDOC week!

Posted: July 8th, 2013

Filed under: Aboriginal Art, Bundiyarra, Geraldton, Indigenous Arts, Indigenous Community Stories, Karratha, NAIDOC, Ngarluma & Yindjibarndi Foundation Ltd, Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation, Yirrkala Bark Petitions 1963, YMAC

NAIDOC week is now well underway, and celebrations are happening all over Australia. The theme for 2013 is “We value the vision: Yirrkala Bark Petitions 1963”.  The theme proudly celebrates the 50th anniversary of the presentation of the Yirrkala Bark Petitions to the Federal Parliament. To read more about the significance of these petitions visit the official NAIDOC website.

There are a huge number of events going on across the Yamatji and Pilbara regions to celebrate NAIDOC this week. Check your local paper for a listing of events. Some highlights will be the Ngarluma & Yindjibarndi Foundation Ltd’s football carnival in Roebourne this weekend, free community events featuring food and music in Karratha on Friday and Sunday, and the NAIDOC awards celebration in South Hedland on Saturday, to name just a few.

YMAC has already been celebrating NAIDOC, with stalls at the Tom Price and Perth opening ceremonies on Sunday, as well as last week’s Bundiyarra cultural celebrations in Geraldton.

If you are in Karratha or South Hedland this week come say hello to YMAC staff at the community events on there.

Dawn service to commemorate 100 years of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Veterans in Service. 7 July 2013

YMAC stall at Bundiyarra cultural celebrations in Geraldton. 3 July 2013 

Wajarri Yamatji Liaision Officer wanted in Geraldton

Posted: June 25th, 2013

Filed under: Geraldton, Indigenous Employment and Training, Mid West, Sinosteel Midwest Corporation Ltd, Wajarri Yamatji

Sinosteel Midwest Corporation Ltd (SMCL) are currently seeking a Geraldton-based Wajarri Yamatji Liaison Officer.

For details of the position and application requirements, please visit the SMCL employment page.

Download YMAC News Issue 21

Posted: June 21st, 2013

Filed under: Badimia, Dragon Energy, Indigenous Community Stories, Nyangumarta, Nyangumarta Warrarn Indigenous Project Area, Rio Tinto, Top Iron, Ventnor Resources, Victor Mourambine, Yinhawangka, YMAC News, Yugunga-Nya

The latest issue of YMAC News is now available for download!

It features a cover story about YMAC’s work with Yamatji and Pilbara Traditional Owners to digitally record their stories on film for the Indigenous Community Stories initiative. There is news about mining agreements made between the Yugunga-Nya people and Ventnor Resources; the Yinhawangka people, Rio Tinto and Dragon Energy; as well as Badimia and Top Iron.

You can also read about the proposed Nyangumarta Warrarn Indigenous Project Area (IPA) and the collection of the Nyangumarta people’s knowledge and stories, facts on Preservation evidence, and the management of traditional country.

There is also information on YMAC’s Community Liaison Officers, YMAC Directors, and new Co-Chair of the Board, Mr Victor Mourambine.

Click here to download YMAC News Issue 21 from our website, or browse earlier issues here.

We hope you enjoy this issue of YMAC news.

YMAC Congratulates Les Hill for Works Showcased in 2013 Good Heart Art

Posted: June 14th, 2013

Filed under: Good Heart 2013, Indigenous Arts, Les Hill, Mid West, Mullewa, Murchison., Oakajee Port and Rail Good Heart Aboriginal Art Project, Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation, YMAC

YMAC would like to congratulate one of our Community Liaison Officers, Les Hill, for being chosen to exhibit his artwork in the 2013 Good Heart Mid-West Art Exhibition, which finishes up in Perth this evening.

His collection of pieces reflects the everlasting wildflowers unique to his home town of Mullewa and the Murchison River.

This has been Good Heart Art’s sixth exhibition sponsored by Oakajee Port and Rail, and almost 200 pieces from over 50 new and established mid-west artists were showcased.
For more information on this year’s event, visit the Good Heart website.

If you would like to know more about Les and other YMAC Community Liaison Officers, read our blog post from March this year.

YMAC welcomes newly elected Yamatji Chairperson: Mr Victor Mourambine

Posted: May 30th, 2013

Filed under: native title, Order of Australia, Victor Mourambine, Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation, Yamatji Regional Committee, Yamatji., YMAC, YMAC Board of Directors

YMAC would like to welcome Mr Victor Mourambine, who has recently been elected as the new Yamatji Chairperson to our Board of Directors.

Victor is a Wajarri man from Northampton who has very deep ties to the region, and is grateful for the opportunities he has had to help his people.

He has a long history of working with the Aboriginal community, on the Commission of Elders at state and regional level, and through the Department of Justice helping prisoners. His work with Aboriginal prisoners earned him the Order of Australia.

Victor’s work in native title is motivated by a desire to gain recognition for traditional owners. He wants to carry on the fight of elders who have passed before they were able to gain legal recognition of their country and culture.

To learn more about Victor’s life and experiences of native title in Australia, please see the video below.

Badimia People sign Native Title Agreement with Top Iron

Posted: May 23rd, 2013

Filed under: Badimia, Extension Hill, Midwest, Mummaloo Project, Native Title Agreements, Simon Hawkins, Top Iron, Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation

Click to enlarge L-R: Greg Knox (Top Iron), Nick Revell (Top Iron), Badimia Traditional Owner Frank Walsh Jnr., Bruce Richardson (Top Iron), Kevin Stemp (Top Iron), with YMAC claim lawyer Paul Avina.

The Badimia People, Traditional Owners of land in the Midwest region of Western Australia, are pleased to announce they have entered into an agreement with Top Iron Pty Ltd. The agreement paves the way for the iron ore miners to develop their Greater Mummaloo Project in Badimia country, near the existing Extension Hill project.

The Badimia people will benefit from preferential contracting opportunities and employment targets on the project, as well as financial compensation linked to the project’s production. The company has also agreed to hand over all housing units and light vehicles to the Badimia people at the end of the project, further enhancing opportunities for Badimia businesses.

The agreement also includes several provisions to protect and promote Badimia culture and heritage, including heritage survey protocols, Badimia cultural awareness workshops for Top Iron employees, and avoidance of certain areas that are important to Badimia cultural heritage.

Badimia working group member Frank Walsh Jnr. said of the agreement, ‘Badimia people have once again shown that they can reach agreements like this with mining companies in our region and that we are quite supportive of those companies who totally respect and understand our Badimia people and culture.

‘At the end of the day it is about empowering our people and communities. The financial aspects of these agreements are important, but the economic and employment opportunities, as well as heritage protections that arise out of these agreements, are also very significant’.

Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation (YMAC) CEO Simon Hawkins said, ‘The agreement was reached swiftly, after Top Iron made efforts to develop a positive relationship with the Badimia people before the formal negotiations began.

‘The company made an effort to understand the community’s aspirations and concerns, so the negotiations went very smoothly and only took two formal meetings. This has laid the foundations for a good relationship between both parties for the future of the agreement’.

YMAC’s Co-Chair Speaks at International Mining Conference

Posted: May 21st, 2013

Filed under: Indigenous Women in Mining., International Mining for Development Centre, Mrs Doris Eaton, New Guinea, Oxfam, SBS, Sexual Violence Action Committee Papa, World Bank

YMAC would like to congratulate our Co-Chairperson, Mrs Doris Eaton, who attended the International Mining for Development Conference yesterday in Sydney.

Mrs Eaton was invited to speak on a panel alongside Ms Katherine Heller from the World Bank, Dr Helen Szoke Chief Executive of Oxfam Australia, and Ms Ume Wainetti, Program Coordinator of the Family and Sexual Violence Action Committee in Papua New Guinea.

Discussion focused on the challenges and opportunities that arise from mining for developing communities across the world, with particular emphasis on how women from these communities can access and make use of mining benefits.

Delegates at the Conference came from over 60 nations.

Please click here to listen to Mrs Eaton’s interview with SBS Radio following the Conference.

For more information, visit the International Mining for Development Centre website.