Badimaya Book Launch
Posted: November 21st, 2012
This will be a great event in Mount Magnet by the Bundiyarra Irra Wangga Language Program celebrating the books of Joe Benjamin, Badimia culture and language.
YMAC News issue 19 is here!
Posted: November 14th, 2012
The latest issue of YMAC News is now available for download from our website.
It includes a cover story on the visit the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples made to Njamal country, a special feature on Geraldton Aboriginal community organisations, and a landmark agreement between the Nyiyaparli people and BHP Billiton.
There is also a profile of Yamatji artist, poet and academic Charmaine Green, as well as a staff profile of Fiona Mackenzie, our Geraldton office manager. There is important information on YMAC’s heritage services, information about YMAC’s recent audit by the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations (ORIC), and of course lots of photos of people and country.
Click here to download YMAC News from our website.
If you have any stories or photos you’d like to share with us, elders who you think we should profile, questions about native title, or any other letters to the editor, send them to editor@ymac.org.au.
We hope you enjoy this issue of YMAC News.
Language programs in Geraldton
Posted: September 10th, 2012
The Bundiyarra Irra Wangga Language program offers a variety of Indigenous language classes and workshops. These include:
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Language Awareness Community Workshops on the languages of the Murchison-Gascoyne Regions (including Badimaya, Malgana, Nhanda, Wajarri and Yinggarda).
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Community Wajarri Language Classes (held on Saturday mornings at the Bundiyarra complex)
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The Master and Apprentice Language Teaching Model; where younger people (apprentices) learn to speak language with support from older speakers (masters)
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Community Language Nests focusing on the immersion of children between 0 – 5 in their local language
Bundiyarra Irra Wangga also has a range of educational material available, including books, posters, flashcards and the recently completed Wajarri Dictionary.
Irra Wangga strives to preserve, maintain and promote the languages of the Murchison-Gascoyne regions of Western Australia, which are becoming increasingly threatened and endangered.
The language program is currently looking for sponsors to help with the delivery of language related activities that assist the whole community to grow in understanding, pride and the learning of Aboriginal languages.
If you are interested in sponsoring any of the language program’s activities or events, please contact Jennifer Kniveton, Language Program Coordinator, on (08) 9920 7900.
For more information on any of these programs, or to purchase educational materials, please contact Irra Wangga directly on (08) 9920 7950.
YMAC is a proud supporter of the Bundiyarra Irra Wangga language program
Official Launch of the Wadjarri Language Dictionary
Posted: April 5th, 2012
Last week the Wadjarri People launched a dictionary to share and celebrate one of the world’s oldest living languages.
The Wadjarri Language Dictionary, which has taken over 25 years to compile, was launched on Wadjarri country at the Murchison Shire Settlement. Elders, community members, members of parliament, community groups, schools and government organisations attended the event. The names of all the people who contributed to the 2500-word dictionary were read out, and a minutes silence was observed for the contributing elders who have passed away.
“This book has been 25 years in the making, with a lot of dedicated work from our elders, some still alive and many who have passed on. Language is the carrier of our culture and our vision is to hear it spoken by our children and grandchildren in the future as an everyday way of life. This work is the culmination of effort from so many.”
Language is an important part of culture and identity, but many Indigenous languages have been lost or are in danger of being forgotten. This dictionary will help keep Wadjarri culture and language strong for generations to come.
The production of the dictionary was a joint partnership between the Yamaji Language Centre and the Bundiyarra Irra Wangga Language Program.
To purchase copies of the Wadjarri Dictionary please contact:
Bundiyarra Irra Wangga Language Program on +61 (08) 99207900
or Leonie Boddington on +61 (08) 99207919
Wajarri dictionary launch in Geraldton
Posted: April 4th, 2011
On Tuesday, 12 April the Irra-Wangga Geraldton Language Program will launch a Wajarri Dictionary at an event in Geraldton. The dictionary will be published through Irra-Wangga with funding from the Commonwealth Government’s Maintenance of Indigenous Languages and Records Program, and is largely the work of linguist Doreen Mackman. The dictionary will be for sale through Irra-Wangga at Bundiyarra Aboriginal Corporation.
The launch of the dictionary is open to the public. It begins at 6:30pm on the Geraldton foreshore near the Dome cafe. There will be speeches, a performance by the Mayu performers and a free screening of the 1984 film “Fringe Dwellers”.
YMAC congratulates all those involved in this significant achievement. Language is an important part of culture and this dictionary is a great way to make sure that Wajarri culture is passed down through the generations.
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| Wajarri Yamatji country |