Wardarnji Celebration of Aboriginal Culture: The 2006 PALS Schools Reconciliation Awards will be held at the annual Wardarnji Festival on Saturday, 18 November from 11am to 5pm on the Fremantle Esplanade. Entertainment includes Indigenous band Fitzroy Xpress, a coroberee, footy clinics, Indigenous cultural workshops and bush tucker food stalls. The PALS Awards will be presented to school students by the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Freo Docker Troy Cook and BHP Billiton. If you would like to volunteer some time to help out on the day, please contact  Petrolyn Vanessie on 9235 8051.

Regional Partnership Agreements:

More jobs and better jobs for Aboriginal people are the basis of a new agreement signed this week by the State and Federal Governments, Aboriginal organisations and industry in the East Kimberley. Indigenous Affairs Minister Sheila McHale said the signing of an East Kimberley regional partnership agreement was a milestone in creating new jobs for indigenous people. “Under the five-year program, industries commit to train and provide jobs for indigenous people to ensure they develop or build on their skills so they can participate in WA’s mining boom,” Ms McHale said.
These are the first Agreements arising from the four Western Australian trial site locations under the Memorandum of Understanding between the Commonwealth Government and the Minerals Council of Australia. More

Family History in Beagle Bay: Beagle Bay Community found out how DIA can help them trace links to lost family when the Aboriginal History Research Unit (AHRU) visited at the request of the Kimberley Stolen Generation Aboriginal Corporation (KSGAC) Link-Up Service [Broome Office]. The AHRU will be back for Sorry Day in 2007 and will again take with them photographs from collections including Norman Tindale. DIA's AHRU helps hundreds of people each year reconnect their links to family and country. Stephen Loo

SWALSC vacancies: South West Land and Sea Council (SWALSC) has three new positions in its Natural Resource Management (NRM) team. There are two 0.8 NRM officers for the Yued Heritage Sites Environmental and Cultural Audit Project and Mogumber Caring for Country Project and a full time environmental scientist. All positions are based in Cannington. Contact Eleanor for more information.

Professor wanted: Curtin University is looking for a new Professor and head of its Aboriginal Studies Centre. The Centre promotes Aboriginal and Torres Straits Islander people in tertiary studies and aims to create new ways of learning and working that are culturally appropriate. Applications close 24 November 2006. Details 

Maamba Reserve Gallery Open for Business: Maamba Aboriginal Corporation has opened its new gallery with an exhibition of information and photographs of the old Maamba Reserve. The gallery is located at the Maamba Aboriginal Heritage Centre, 305 Welshpool Road, in East Cannington. The Maamba Reserve was established by the Aborigines Department in about 1900. Originally 500 acres at the foot of the Darling Range, Maamba Reserve was once home to Joobaitch, Fanny Balbuk, Timbul and Ngilgie. For more information, call 9258 3422. Guided tours can be arranged for small groups.

Message Sticks Indigenous Film Festival: A program of free short films from Australia and around the world screens at Cinema Paradiso from 9 – 12 November. The festival begins with the humorous and highly acclaimed My Brother Vinnie, directed by Steven McGregor, and Footy the La Perouse Way, directed by Michael Longbottom. There are also two films from Award Winning Director Ivan Sen (Beneath Clouds). Program details.

New Milroy play: A new play by David Milroy and director Rick Brayford opens on Tuesday, 21 November at the WA Academy of Performing Arts Enright Studio in Mt Lawley. Swine River is a comical, hard hitting play that questions the social and economic impact of mining and government policy in Australia's North West. Tickets are $11 with evening sessions at 7.30pm and school matinees on Wednesday 22 and Thursday, 23 November at 2pm. For booking details contact the Academy Box Office on 9370 6636, Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 3.30pm.