YMAC marks 20 hard-fought years
Last month marked 20 years since Yamitji Marpla Aboriginal Corporation was established to support Aboriginal people from the Pilbara, Murchison and Gascoyne areas with native title determinations.
To celebrate, the _North West Telegraph _ took a look back on some of the corporation's challenges and triumphs.
YMAC Pilbara co-chairwoman Doris Eaton is passionate when she speaks about standing up for the rights of Aboriginal people.
"I am my father's daughter … my vision is to carry on the fight of our old people in the 1940s; to be independent from the Government and not on welfare," she said.
Her memories of native title, and those of many other Pilbara Aboriginal leaders, are captured in Celebrating 20 Years of YMAC, a book that revisits the challenges the corporation faced in its early years, after the Native Title Act was introduced in 1993.
"The first four years of operation were challenging," it says.
"By the beginning of 1999, prospects for native title were difficult and full of conflict, with the region covered by a large number of overlapping claims that meant people were competing with each other to have their claims recognised."
Over time, changes to the Act made addressing conflicts more manageable and, after more than a decade of campaigning, YMAC began to achieve success in 2005 when the native title rights of the Ngarluma and Yindibarndi people near Roebourne were recognised by the Federal courts.
In the years to follow, the Ngarla (East Pilbara), Nyangumarta and Karajarri (Eighty Mile Beach to the Great Sandy Desert region), Thudgari (between the Ashburton and Gascoyne Rivers) and Banjima people (between Tom Price and Newman) also celebrated recognition of their land rights.
But Ms Eaton said the drawn-out process of applying for native title meant many who fought so hard died before their campaigns were won.
"Like for (Eddie) Mabo, he didn't see it happen (the introduction of the Native Title Act), he passed on, and that's exactly happening in our old people now; they are never going to see the outcome of our native title because it's taking so long and we're losing our older generation," she said.
"They give their energy and they tell the story about the land and where they come from, we do our connection reports … we are the first nation of the country and yet we have to prove we are Aboriginal people, that's the saddest part."
Agreements between native title claimants and land users have come a long way since the introduction of the Native Title Act caused great uncertainty among farmers and mining companies.
Today, most YMAC agreements include commitments to education, training, employment and heritage protection.
Ms Eaton said the 20-year journey had been hard for YMAC, but that it had achieved a lot and would continue to work towards gaining more determinations.
"I would like to see a future where we can achieve our own identity, a future where the next generation have access to more education and are able to continue our cultural traditions," she said.
"I want them to have native title rights, learn their language and look after our land and culture."
