The YMAC blog has moved! Visit www.ymac.org.au/blog

The YMAC blog has moved to our newly updated website www.ymac.org.au

Visit our new blog page for all the latest news and opportunities for Traditional Owners of the Pilbara and Yamatji regions, and to stay up to date with what's happening at YMAC.

While you're there, check out some of the new features of www.ymac.org.au

YMAC Congratulates Les Hill for Works Showcased in 2013 Good Heart Art

YMAC would like to congratulate one of our Community Liaison Officers, Les Hill, for being chosen to exhibit his artwork in the 2013 Good Heart Mid-West Art Exhibition, which finishes up in Perth this evening.

His collection of pieces reflects the everlasting wildflowers unique to his home town of Mullewa and the Murchison River.

This has been Good Heart Art's sixth exhibition sponsored by Oakajee Port and Rail, and almost 200 pieces from over 50 new and established mid-west artists were showcased.
For more information on this year's event, visit the Good Heart website.

If you would like to know more about Les and other YMAC Community Liaison Officers, read our blog post from March this year. 

Happy Reconciliation Week from YMAC

YMAC would like to wish everyone a very happy Reconciliation Week, an event which celebrates the rich culture and history of the First Australians.

For more information on National Reconciliation Week, please visit http://www.reconciliation.org.au/home

YMAC welcomes newly elected Yamatji Chairperson: Mr Victor Mourambine

YMAC would like to welcome Mr Victor Mourambine, who has recently been elected as the new Yamatji Chairperson to our Board of Directors.

Victor is a Wajarri man from Northampton who has very deep ties to the region, and is grateful for the opportunities he has had to help his people.

He has a long history of working with the Aboriginal community, on the Commission of Elders at state and regional level, and through the Department of Justice helping prisoners. His work with Aboriginal prisoners earned him the Order of Australia.

Victor's work in native title is motivated by a desire to gain recognition for traditional owners. He wants to carry on the fight of elders who have passed before they were able to gain legal recognition of their country and culture.

To learn more about Victor's life and experiences of native title in Australia, please see the video below.

Pilbara Traditional Owners Record Stories for Future Generations

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Photo: Toby Smirke with FTI film crew on Jurruru country

Earlier this month, Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation (YMAC) spent time on country with Traditional Owners from the Pilbara region of Western Australia as part of an initiative to record stories about Australia’s unique Aboriginal cultural heritage. 

Indigenous Community Stories (ICS), run by FTI in partnership with Rio Tinto, ScreenWest, Leighton and Ngarda Civil and Mining, aims to digitally archive one hundred West Australian Indigenous stories on film for future generations to view over the next century and beyond. 

In the first of these stories, Kariyarra elder Irene Roberts talks about growing up around Abydos and Kangan stations, as well as her life in the Yandeyarra community. The second story, told by Jurruru elder Toby Smirke, focuses on the working life of Aboriginal people on pastoral stations, his family, and Jurruru connection to country. 

Mr Smirke said that he enjoyed making the film. ‘By the end of it I was happy with how it worked out, and I think it was all done right’, he said.

These projects follow on from another ICS project that YMAC supported in February about Geraldton-based artist and writer, Charmaine Green.

Click here to read about Charmaine's Indigenous Community Story.

For more information on the Indigenous Community Stories project, visit https://www.fti.asn.au/make/icstories

Yamatji Special Regional Meeting

YMAC's Community Liaison Officers in this month's edition of Mulga Mail

Mulga Mail recently ran a short piece outlining the role and responsibilities of YMAC's Community Liaison Officers (CLOs).

CLOs are vital in the native title process, making sure that the community understands how native title works and how they can participate in their group's decision making. In turn, they also make sure that YMAC staff and consultants understand about the community to avoid misunderstandings and ensure that culture is respected.

YMAC's CLOs are:
Geraldton: Daniel Shiosaki, Carrum Mourambine and Les Hill
Karratha: Michael Gosper
South Hedland: Nyaparu Rose and Jerry Maher
South Hedland/Tom Price: Coralie Cooke and Victor Woodley

Click to Enlarge

For more information about YMAC's work structure, please visit www.ymac.org.au

Indigenous Community Stories: Charmaine Green

YMAC recently spent a few days on country with Yamatji artist, Charmaine Green, recording her stories and cultural experiences for the Indigenous Community Story initiative run by WA's Film & Telelvision Instititute.

YMAC would like to thank all who were involved for making it a great project to work on.


Click to Enlarge: Charmaine Green on country in Mullewa with FTI film crew

Charmaine's story is one of many of many that will be digitally archived for future generations to view over the next 100 years and beyond.

Click here to read more about Charmaine's Indigenous Community Story.

Click here for more information on the Indigenous Community Stories project.

YMAC Christmas Shutdown and Heritage Surveys

For many Aboriginal Communities in the Midwest and Pilbara, December to January is a special time of year to observe cultural obligations and practices.

Out of respect for these traditions, YMAC will not be conducting any heritage surveys between Monday 17 December 2012 and Friday 1 February 2013.

Any heritage survey requests received after 17 December will be scheduled to commence after 1 February.

Thank you for your understanding.

All YMAC offices in Perth, Geraldton, Karratha, South Hedland and Tom Price will be closed during the festive season from Thursday 20th December 2012, re-opening on Wednesday 2 January 2013.

YMAC’s Board of Directors, Pilbara and Yamatji Regional Committees, Management and Staff would like to wish you a happy and safe festive season.

Ngarlawangga People and Montezuma Sign Agreement South of Newman

The Ngarlawangga native title group today announced the signing of an agreement with Montezuma Mining Company Ltd (Montezuma) for the Butcherbird manganese project over 23,000 hectares of their traditional country, south of Newman, as well as consents to future mining in the area.

The agreement has seen Traditional Owners and Montezuma develop a framework for how they will continue working with each other, including assisting Ngarlawangga people into employment, agreed processes and timeframes by which heritage clearances will take place and support for tendering for new contracts for community businesses.

The signing includes an agreed process should the mining company apply for permission to disturb heritage sites, which provides both parties with a guaranteed consultation process under the Aboriginal Heritage Act (WA).

Ngarlawangga Traditional Owner Dianne Limerick said, “The discussions with Montezuma went well - we’re now hoping for jobs and business contracts to develop from this agreement.”

Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation (YMAC) CEO Simon Hawkins said, "Montezuma listened and responded to the community's needs throughout the process. In turn, the Ngarlawangga people were able to reach agreement quickly, giving the company certainty. Both parties are particularly focused on supporting new and existing Ngarlawangga contracting companies to benefit from this project, including incentives for community businesses".

Click here to read the full media release.

YMAC at UWA Indigenous Careers Expo

YMAC would like to thank all the students at UWA who attended the Indigenous Careers Expo for making it a great day!

Nyiyaparli people sign major iron ore mining agreement

The Nyiyaparli people of the Pilbara region of WA have announced that they have entered into a major mining agreement with BHP Billiton Iron Ore (BHPBIO). The agreement covers all of BHPBIO's iron ore operations within the Nyiyaparli people's native title claim and offers substantial heritage protection, financial benefits, and non-financial benefits to the Nyiyaparli people.

Click here to download the full media release from our website.

YMAC congratulates the Nyiyaparli people on the successful negotiations.

New YMAC publication offers cultural advice

YMAC has today launched a Cultural Advice booklet for people working with Aboriginal people in the Midwest or Pilbara regions of WA. The booklet was produced with the advice and guidance of Traditional Owners, to give a short summary of cultural protocols people should be aware of.

"Each of the native title claim groups we represents has their own unique culture, but this guide has been designed to give broad advice for meetings and on-country visits. Non-Indigenous people from the private sector or government often come to do business with Traditional Owners and ask for advice on protocols. This guide serves as a good starting point," said YMAC CEO Simon Hawkins.

Download a pdf version from YMAC's website here, or email srosenfeld@ymac.org.au if you would like to receive a hard copy.

Congratulations to YMAC’s Nyaparu Rose – Landcare Award Finalist

The finalists for the 2012 National Landcare Awards have been announced, and all Australians can get involved by voting in the 'People's Choice' category.

Landcare is a community based volunteer movement made up of individuals and groups who work on managing environmental issues in their local areas. The awards aim to showcase the breadth and diversity of the work undertaken by people across the country who volunteer their time to protect Australia's land and coast.

YMAC would like to extend a special congratulations to Nyangumarta woman, Nyaparu Rose, who has been selected as a finalist. Ms Rose has worked tirelessly with Pilbara Traditional Owners to ensure their voice is heard in discussions about the management of coastal and marine environments in the region.

Ms Rose helped to establish the Pilbara Indigenous Marine Reference Group (PIMRG), which includes representatives from six Pilbara Traditional Owner groups. The PIMRG aims to consolidate traditional knowledge from the region so that Traditional Owners can more effectively conduct negotiations with government and industry on cultural and coastal protection.

If you would like to vote for Nyaparu Rose in the National Landcare Awards, click here and follow the prompts. Ms Rose is in category 7, under 'WA - Yamatji Marlpa'.

Voting closes 4pm (EST) Tuesday 4th September, and winners will be announced that day at the Awards ceremony, held at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre.

YMAC would like to congratulate all finalists who have been nominated for an award.

Click here for more information on Nyaparu Rose's achievements, and here for a list of all the other 2012 Landcare Awards finalists.

YMAC makes national and international news headlines!

 

Gordon Yuline, Nyiyaparli elder, signs agreement

YMAC, and Pilbara traditional owners, have received unprecedented media coverage in state, national and international media regarding the recent signing of historical agreements with Rio Tinto.

The news hit the headlines on Friday, 3 June, continued over the weekend and into the week of 6 June. The story, and YMAC's CEO, Simon Hawkins, featured in the following major media outlets;

Television: BBC International News, ABC 7pm news, ABC 24 6pm news, GWN and WIN 6pm news

Newspapers: Front page of the West Australia and Australian newspapers, also featured in Australian Financial Review, The Age, Canberra Times, Sydney Morning Herald, plus 12 other national regional papers. Will also appear in WA regional and Indigenous newspapers the week of 6 June.

Radio: BBC radio, ABC national and regional radio, SBS radio, Sky Business, 6PR, 96FM, 94.5FM, and national radio across Australia.

Keep and eye out for more great news stories coming up for YMAC, and the traditional owners we represent, in 2011!