Check out YMAC News issue 16

The latest issue of YMAC News is now available from our website, featuring some great stories of Traditional Owners in the Pilbara and Midwest looking after their country, culture and heritage.

Click here to read about steps the Nyangumarta people have taken with the State Government to protect their sea country, a legal decision that supports protection of the heritage-listed Weld Range, YMAC staff learning about Aboriginal culture, and some exciting photos of recent law business at Warralong Aboriginal community.

This issue also includes the outcomes of YMAC's Annual Regional Meetings, information about YMAC's operations this summer, and a feature introducing two members of our Board of Directors, Selina Stewart and Ben Roberts.

If you would like to request hard copies of YMAC News or join our e-subscribers list and get information first, please contact srosenfeld@ymac.org.au.

2011 Annual Regional Meetings

Yamatji Committee Deputy Chair Roy Belotti and Chair Peter Windie

The 2011 Annual Regional Meetings (ARMs) were held in Meekatharra on November 19 and South Hedland on November 26. All YMAC members were invited to attend to vote on a number of resolutions and to raise any questions about YMAC’s operations.

Unfortunately, a loss in the Meekatharra community meant that it was not possible for many members to attend the meeting on 19 November.

YMAC staff, Regional Committee members, and the members present at the meeting offered their sincere condolences to the family of the man who had recently passed away.

There were seven vacant positions on the Yamatji Regional Committee, and the following people were elected:

Gloria Fogarty

Victor Mourambine

Ron Simpson

Pam Mongoo

Paul Baron

Kathleen Musulin

Deceased Person

At a special Yamatji Regional Committee Meeting held immediately after the ARM, Paul Baron was re-elected to the vacant position on the Board of Directors.

Peter Windie and Roy Bellotti were re-elected unopposed as Chair and Deputy Chair respectively.

Sadly, since his election, one of the Yamatji Regional Committee members has passed away. The YMAC staff, Board and Committee members offer condolences and sympathy to the family of the deceased.

The Pilbara ARM was well attended and accepted the Nyangumarta people’s decision to appoint Dianne Stewart as their representative on the Regional Committee, replacing David Wright. The Committee thanked Mr. Wright for his long service.

2010/11 YMAC Annual Report now available

YMAC is proud to release our Annual Report for the 2010-11 financial year. In addition to our complete financial statements, the report also contains many highlights from the year, a message from the CEO, a report from the Board of Directors and many beautiful pictures of country.

Click here to download our Annual Report from our website or email srosenfeld@ymac.org.au to request a hard copy.

YMAC Regional Committee and Board of Directors Meetings

Last week the Yamatji Regional Committee and the Pilbara Regional Committee met in Exmouth for the second Regional Committee meetings of 2011. The Regional Committee meetings were followed by a meeting of the Board of Directors.

Attendance was high as the Board and Committee members met to discuss YMAC's policy direction. The Board and Committees received updates from legal, research and communications units, and an overview of YMAC's achievements since the last Committee meetings. The Committee members also used the opportunity to discuss heritage and cultural issues in the regions.

YMAC is run by our Board of Directors made up of 12 Aboriginal people who have been chosen by our members from the Regional Committees. The Board of Directors makes important policy decisions and sets the direction for YMAC.

Both regions have their own Regional Committee to represent the concerns and interests of the different communities in their region. Each region elects its own Regional Committee members.

All members are eligible to nominate for their Regional Committee. Membership is open to all Yamatji and Marlpa adults. If you would like to become a YMAC member click here to download a YMAC membership form.

Meet a YMAC Director

Natalie Parker

Natalie is a Nyiyaparli woman from the central Pilbara region who is well known in the community for her leadership capacity.  Natalie represents her community on the board of the Gumula Aboriginal Corporation, Gumula Enterprises Pty Ltd, Meta Maya Aboriginal Corporation as well as being the first female co-chair of Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation (YMAC).


Natalie’s enjoys camping on country and spending quality time with her grandchildren. Her aspirations for the future include improvements in health, education and economic opportunities for Aboriginal people, and to see recognition of culture and a strong future for all.

Check out the new look YMAC News

The latest issue of YMAC News is out today, with a new look and expanded format. In issue 13 of YMAC's newsletter you can catch up on what has been happening at YMAC over the past three months with stories on the agreement between the Yugunga-Nya people and Sandfire Resources, the National Heritage Listing for the Weld Range, YMAC's uranium community guides, the Premier's Australia Day Award for the Aboriginal Communities Charitable Organistaion, the three YMAC women who were honoured for International Women's Day, as well as profiles of some of our board members.

Click the link below for an electronic version or email srosenfeld@ymac.org.au to request hard copies for yourself, your family, your business or workplace.

YMAC News March 2011

Indigenous West Australians recognised at International Women’s Day Event

NATSIWA's International Women's Day Poster

Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation (YMAC) is extremely proud that two of its staff members and one of its Board members have been honoured at an event in Adelaide marking ‘International Women’s Day.’

Mrs. Donna Murdock, Yamatji Regional Manager, Ms. Margaret Rose, Senior Community Liaison Officer and Mrs. Doris Eaton, co-chair of YMAC’s Board of Directors and 2009 NAIDOC elder of the year, have been recognised by the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women’s Alliance (NATSIWA) for achieving change for their people and communities.

To celebrate the one hundredth International Women’s Day, NATSIWA has recognised one hundred Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women who have shown leadership and achieved change over the past one hundred years.

In addition to a rally in Adelaide on 10 March 2011, there is  a poster featuring some of the nominated women that will be widely distributed to schools, non-government organisations and government departments. A blog has also been created where the women will contribute to forums on issues facing Indigenous women.

Click here to access NATSIWA's International Women's Day website, including their blog.

Mrs. Murdock, Ms. Rose and Mrs. Eaton were all chosen because of their activism, leadership and commitment to their regional communities. They have contributed to their communities in the areas of health, education, business development, native title and traditional culture.

“It’s a great pleasure to be recognised and to be honoured among other women who have been working hard for their communities. It is really rewarding for us Indigenous women to come together from all parts of Australia and have it be recognised that yes, we are making a difference,” said Margaret Rose.

Simon Hawkins, YMAC’s Chief Executive Officer, said of the news, “It’s wonderful to see some of the hard-working, community-minded Aboriginal women of the Midwest and Pilbara regions being celebrated nationally for their achievements. YMAC congratulates Mrs. Eaton, Ms. Rose and Mrs. Murdock on their nominations, and I can say personally that it has been a huge honour to work with them over the years.”

Meet a YMAC Director

Toby Smirke

 

Toby is a Jurruru man who speaks the Bunjima language of the central Pilbara. Toby is an expert horseman who has worked and run several large stations throughout the region, including Cooline and Strelley Pastoral Station.

Toby has extensive bush skills and is an expert on the flora, fauna and cultural knowledge of his country. He would like to see his country preserved for future generations and significant sites within it, such as the Kenneth Range, protected and jointly managed

Meet a YMAC Director

Director, Darren Injie

Darren is a Innawonga man from the central Pilbara and Hamersley Ranges region.

Darren has been involved in Aboriginal advocacy since childhood, attending his first land rights protests while in highschool. In addition to his work for YMAC and the Innawonga native title group, Darren is involved in the Gumula Corporation and is a Director of Ngarda Foundation.

Darren works to ensure Traditional Owners benefit from wealth generated through mining on traditional country in the Pilbara. His vision is to see his people gain economic prosperity through participation in the mainstream economy.

Meet a YMAC Director

Roy Bellotti - YMAC Director

Roy is a Malgana man who has lived and worked in the Gascoyne region all his life.

Roy has deep connections to the world heritage listed Shark Bay area, where his grandmother and father were both born.

He enjoys the outdoors and regularly camps, hunts and fishes on his country.

He has been a member of the Yamatji Region Executive Committee since November 2004 and YMAC’s Chairperson since February 2008. Roy is well known in the community for his leadership capacity and ability to unite people.

Meet a YMAC Director

Peter Windie - Yamatji Chairperson

Peter is a Thudgari man who played an integral leadership role in his people’s native title determination in 2009. Peter lives in Gascoyne Junction and is a well respected community leader is the region. He is chairman of the Windi Mia Aboriginal Corporation, which is currently pursuing possible tourism and pastoral ventures in the Yamatji region.


Peter is passionate about country and how deeply Aboriginal people are spiritually connected to the land.

Meet a YMAC Director

Nora Cooke

Nora is an Ngarla woman who played an integral role in her people’s native title determination in 2007.

Nora enjoys the bush life in the Pilbara, including fishing, camping, cooking and hunting. Nora has an in-depth understanding of bush medicine and provides advice to people seeking bush medicine treatments. She also practices her culture by teaching several Aboriginal languages and running cultural awareness training at mine sites and the Wangka Maya Language Centre.
To Nora, country means to live freely on the land, gathering food and hunting.

Our Chairperson wins 'Elder of the Year' Award

Mrs Doris Eaton, Aboriginal Elder and YMAC's Co-Chairperson  was announced Female Elder of the Year at Friday night’s NAIDOC Awards in Brisbane.
 
Mrs Eaton was recognised for her cultural leadership and work with Aboriginal communities in the Pilbara.  On receiving the award, she sais her driving force is to make sure younger generations learn strong culture from their Elders.

“Preserving culture is important to make sure the next generation has a sense of identity. Elders need to teach the youth their language, dreaming stories and cultural practices. First learn your own culture and then you can be strong enough to move between the two worlds, to marry Aboriginal and mainstream cultures together.

I’m honoured to receive the award, it's a good feeling. We need to keep learning and sharing and encouraging each other to move forward.”