YMAC Congratulates Janet Stewart for NAIDOC Award!

YMAC would like to extend a big congratulations to Janet Stewart, who was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2012 Hedland NAIDOC Awards two weekends ago for her work mentoring Aboriginal chidlren.

Mrs Stewart is Nyangumarta woman and local teacher at South Hedland Primary School, where she teaches traditional language.

She has also helped to establish Nyangumarta dictionaries through the Wangka Maya Aboriginal Language Centre, and is strongly involved in several Indigenous women's organisations such as the Mothers of Australia Shed, Pilbara Indigenous Women’s Aboriginal Corporation and Mothers Against Drugs.

We also congratulate all other nominees, finalists and award winners.

For more information about NAIDOC week 2012, visit the NAIDOC website.

Marnti Warajanga exhibition touring the Pilbara

Nyangumarta boys taking their first steps on country as recognised native title holders, 11 June 2009. Photograph by Tobias Titz

Marnti Warajanga- a Walk Together is an exhibition of photographs and stories that will be touring Pilbara communities this May and June. Showcasing the photographs of Tobias Titz, including many images of the Nyangumarta people's native title determination in 2009, the exhibition has been on display at the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House in Canberra.

As the project tours the Pilbara it will also include photography workshops and community celebrations along with a redeveloped version of the exhibition.  The Marnti Warajanga Pilbara tour dates for exhibitions and workshops are:

• 3-4 May, Hedland Senior High School
• 7-8 May, South Hedland Primary School
• 9-10 May, Wangka Maya Pilbara Aboriginal Language Centre (community BBQ on 9 May)
• 14-16 May, Strelley Remote Community School (community BBQ on 19 May)
• 21-24 May, Yandeyarra Remote Community School (community BBQ on 23 May)
• 28-29 May, Newman Senior High School
• 30 May, South Newman Primary School
• 31 May, Newman Primary School (community BBQ on 31 May)
• 5-7 June, Jigalong Remote Community School (community BBQ on 7 June)

Everyone is welcome to participate in the different events by trying some yandying, taking the children’s trail or having their portrait taken at the photographic workshop.

The exhibition will also be on display in Perth before heading north, from 13-30 April in Central Park.

For more information and to view some of the photographs visit the Marnti Warajanga page at the Museum of Australian Democracy's website.

NAIDOC profile: Wangka Maya Pilbara Aboriginal Language Centre

Wangka Maya Pilbara Aboriginal Language Centre is a language centre in South Hedland dedicated to preserving and teaching Indigenous languages of the Pilbara region. It began in 1987 when a group of Aboriginal people started recording languages that they feared were in danger of being forgotten. From its modest beginnings it has grown into a vibrant organisation with a wide range of projects and an impressive workload.

Wangka Maya's work is driven by the urgency to record languages with few speakers before they are lost forever. “Wangka Maya’s work is very important … recording and documenting 31 languages, some with only a handful of speakers left. We have to have it on record, or else the language will be totally lost. If there are no more speakers left, how will the younger generations know how it sounds?” said Harry Taylor, current treasurer of Wangka Maya.

This sense of urgency has led Wangka Maya to prioritise languages with the fewest remaining speakers, producing wordlists and dictionaries, followed by sketch grammars which describe the use and structure of the language, and over the years, more books and resources for children.

Beyond language, Wangka Maya also records information and produces resources in the areas of history and culture, provides cultural awareness training and participates in a range of community partnerships and initiatives to promote understanding of and interest in Aboriginal language, culture and history. Wangka Maya also reconnects Pilbara and Gascoyne Aboriginal people to their families who have lost contact due to government action or other issues through the Link Up program.

Anne Sibosado, long time board member of Wangka Maya, feels a personal connection with the work of the language centre. “Growing up I wasn’t allowed to speak language in school, but it’s important to your identity. Being involved [with Wangka Maya] has helped me get my identity back… I hope the younger people will come to use [Wangka Maya’s resources], because they are our future. We want more young people to come aboard,” said Anne.

Harry Taylor believes that, “the wider Australian community is recognising language diversity more and accepting it more,” and Australia is a richer place for that.

Wangka Maya is offering a free cultural awareness training course on 7 July for NAIDOC week. For more information please visit www.wangkamaya.org.au or call 9172 2344.

Across Australia every July, NAIDOC Week celebrates the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. In honour of NAIDOC 2011 YMAC is featuring a series of Aboriginal people and organisations that contribute to the vibrant Aboriginal culture of the Midwest and Pilbara. For more information on NAIDOC including its history and events happening near you, visit http://www.naidoc.org.au/ .