Badimia

Mount Magnet Elder Ollie George awarded NAIDOC Male Elder of the year

Posted: July 24th, 2017

Filed under: Badimia, Geraldton, NAIDOC

YMAC sends our heart-felt congratulations to Ollie George for receiving the Male Elder of the year award at the NAIDOC 2017 national award ceremony in Cairns. Mr George led several Badimia families and the Bundiyarra-Irra Wangga Language Centre on a project to create a new Badimia Dictionary, to preserve culture and language that can be shared across generations.

This year the annual NAIDOC Week theme was celebrating the importance, resilience and richness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages. The focus: Our Languages Matter. As one of the last people living that can speak Badimia – an endangered Aboriginal language – Mr George’s 20 year commitment to documenting language and culture was recognised as a significant contribution to Aboriginal heritage.

“When I look back I’m proud because it’s my language and I’m not scared to speak my language. A lot of people in my town won’t speak it. It’s gone they reckon. But It’s not gone for me, I’ve still got it there.” Mr George said. “I’m proud to be able to share my knowledge and language with the next generation.”

Use the link below to view Ollie’s speech.

http://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/2017/06/28/male-elder-year-recipient-awarded-preserving-aboriginal-languages

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

Badimia Country Job Opportunity with Minjar Gold

Posted: December 13th, 2013

Filed under: Badimia, Minjar Gold

Minjar Gold is currently seeking to recruit an experienced Site administrator for their gold mine project located in the Gascoyne region of WA. Badimia people are invited to apply. Applications close Tuesday 17^th Dec 2013. (more…)

On Badimaya Country- at the WA Museum

Posted: November 14th, 2013

Filed under: Badimia, Bidi Bidi Centre, Bundiyarra Irra Wanga language program, Geraldton, Mid West Development Commission, Mount Magnet, WA Museum, Wirnda Barna Artists

On Badimaya Country is a joint photographic and language documentation project between the Combined Universities Centre for Regional Health, the Bundiyarra – Irra Wangga Language Centre in Geraldton, the Bidi Bidi Centre of the Mount Magnet community and the Mid West Development Commission via Royalties for Regions funding.

Documenting a collection of experiences captured in photo and film over a 3-month period, the On Badimaya Country exhibition highlights the beautiful Aboriginal culture and country of the Badimaya people of Mount Magnet.

The exhibition also features artworks from Badimaya artists of Wirnda Barna Artists Inc., a not-for-profit Aboriginal arts centre in Mount Magnet.

This free exhibit is on at the WA Museum in Geraldton from 15 November to 2 February 2014.

Job opening for Badimia applicants

Posted: November 7th, 2013

Filed under: Badimia, Extension Hill, job vacancy, Mount Gibson Mining Ltd.

Members of the Badimia community are encouraged to apply for a current vacancy with Mt Gibson Iron Ltd on their Extension Hill operations.

Badimia people interested in the position of Trainee Truck Operator should contact Mark Walker, Production Manager on 9485 3305 or mark.walker@mtgibsoniron.com.au

Badimia strike agreement with Minjar Gold

Posted: November 1st, 2013

Filed under: agreement, Badimia, Midwest, Minjar Gold, Mount Magnet

The Badimia People, Traditional Owners in the Mid-West of WA have signed a native title  agreement with Minjar Gold for its proposed mining operations and future expansions, approximately 400kms north-north east of Perth.

“The Badimia people are looking forward to a beneficial relationship with Minjar Gold,”  said Reg Yates, Chairperson of the Badimia Working Group. “It is important that this  agreement gives preferential contracts to Badimia businesses. That is very valuable,  because it allows us to be partners in the process, and gives Badimia people a sense of  pride.”

Click here to read the full media release, or

check out the story on ABC here.

Preserving Badimia Language

Posted: September 19th, 2013

Filed under: Badimia, language, Ollie George

Watch this inspiring story from ABC Mid West on on Badimia Elder Ollie George and the great work being done to preserve languages in the Yamatji region…

https://vimeo.com/72701701

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.

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’.