Celebrate NAIDOC week!

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 

New Website for Bundiyarra Aboriginal Community Aboriginal Corporation

Bundiyarra Aboriginal Community Aboriginal Corporation is now online!

Offering latest news, history and links to the programs run by the corporation, Bundiyarra's website provides a wealth of information to both members and the general public about services it provides to the community.

Bundiyarra has also launched a monthly newsletter, Bundiyarra Wanggajimanha, which can be downloaded from the website.

For more information, visit www.bundiyarra.com.au.

Click here to download the January 2013 edition of Bundiyarra Wanggajimanha.

Badimaya Book Launch

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!

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

The Bundiyarra Irra Wangga Language program offers a variety of Indigenous language classes and workshops. These include:

• Language Awareness Community Workshops on the languages of the Murchison-Gascoyne Regions (including Badimaya, Malgana, Nhanda, Wajarri and Yinggarda).
• Community Wajarri Language Classes (held on Saturday mornings at the Bundiyarra complex)
• The Master and Apprentice Language Teaching Model; where younger people (apprentices) learn to speak language with support from older speakers (masters)
• 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

Download YMAC News issue 18

The latest issue of YMAC News is now available from our website.

It includes stories on the Nyangumarta and Karajarri joint native title determination, proposed changes to the WA Aboriginal Heritage Act, an agreement between the Ngarlawangga people of the Pilbara and Rico Resources, YMAC's recognition at a community service award ceremony, and the launch of the Wajarri Dictionary by the Bundiyarra Irra-Wangga language program.

There are also profiles on Clarrie Cameron in our regular section "Respect for elders", successful Yamatji businessman Fred Taylor, and YMAC staff member Daniel Shiosaki.

We've included a special section on the 20th anniversary of the Mabo decision, a policy update from YMAC's policy officer, and a selection of snapshots from around the community in the last few months.

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.

Official Launch of the Wadjarri Language Dictionary

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

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.




Wajarri Yamatji country

 

Apology Day celebrations in Geraldton

To celebrate the anniversary of the federal government's apology to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, the Bundiyarra Aboriginal Community Aboriginal Corporation will be hosting a family fun day on the Geraldton foreshore on Sunday, 13 February 10:00-2:00. The alcohol free event will include free activities, entertainment, food, drinks and a live broadcast from Radio MAMA.


Streeties will be providing a free bus service and will be collecting passengers from all the usual pick-up places offered during the school holiday program. For further information contact Bundiayarra at iwrpo@bundiyarra.org.au

Geraldton team celebrate NAIDOC Week

Today YMAC's Geraldton office participated in the 2010 NAIDOC Family Fun Day at Bundiyarra.

Community celebrates NAIDIC Week.

YMAC held a stall at the event that offered information to community members about the organisation and native title issues. A big congratulations and thankyou to the Geraldton team who helped set up and run the stall throughout the day, and to everyone who stopped for a chat. Happy NAIDOC Week!