SWALSC is the Native Title Representative Body of the Noongar People

“The South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council is the native title representative body of the Noongar people, who are the traditional owners of the South West of Australia. SWALSC works with members to progress resolution of the Noongar native title claims, while also advancing and strengthening Noongar culture, language, heritage and society.”

Latest News & Events

Mogumber Mission Community Volunteer Clean-Up Day

Saturday 10 December

10am till 3pm. All welcome. Bring your rakes, gloves, brooms and wheelbarrows etc. Suasage sizzle and light refreshments provided. For further details call Hugh Barnett or Gail Jones at SWALSC on 9358 7400.

TIWEST Yued Scholarship (applications close 23 December)

Tiwest is seeking expressions of interest from Yued persons who'd like to apply for funding to help with education costs in 2012. Scholarships can be used for school, boarding, TAFE, university or apprenticeship fees. Applications close on Friday 23 December 2011. Late applications won't be accepted. Application forms are available from Christine Bean, PO Box 31, Dandaragan WA 6507 or by phoning Christine on 9690 9200..

SWALSC 2011 Annual Report

The SWALSC 2011 Annual Report has been published and is now available on the SWALSC website. View here.

Legislation allowing Aboriginal involvement in the joint management of WA's conservation estate has successfuly passed through the WA Parliament

The Conservation Legislation Amendment Bill 2010, which will allow Aboriginal involvement in the joint management of WA's conservation estate, successfully passed through the third reading stage in the WA Parliament on 7th September 2011. The Bill will now be forwarded to the WA Govenor, and is expected to recieve Royal Assent within the next few weeks. The Bill will eventually come into operation when a proclamation notice is published in the Government Gazette. After almost 20 years of lobbying by many Aboriginal organisations and individuals from all parts of WA, including SWALSC CEO, Glen Kelly, Aboriginal people will be able to directly participate in the management of land currently managed by the Department of Conservation. The Bill will also allow Aboriginal people to undertake customary cultural activities on conservation estate land. See the August Newsletter for background information.

First phase of iconic rivers' trails project completed

The consultations with the Noongar community for the Swan and Canning Iconic Rivers' Trails Project have been completed. Read more.

Kim Scott wins the 2011 Miles Franklin and Commonwealth book awards

Noongar author Kim Scott has won the most prestigious literary award in Australia, the Miles Franklin Award, for his novel That Deadman Dance. Kim was the first Aboriginal writer to win the Miles Franklin in 2000 for his earlier novel Benang, and is now the first Aboriginal writer to win the Miles Franklin twice. See page 10 of the August 2011 newsletter. On 3 March 2011 it was announced that Kim had won the Commonwealth Writers' Prize for best book in the south-east Asia and Pacific region for That Deadman Dance. Read more.

SWALSC Book wins Human Rights Commission award

The book telling the story of the survival and resilience of the Noongar people has just won the 2010 Australian Human Rights Commission Non-Fiction Literature award. Read more about the book below, or view the media release.

SWALSC to host 2012 World Indigenous Women's Wellness Conference

Watch this space for news of this global event which is expected to take place in the second half of 2012.

Kaartdijin Noongar website launched

The Kaartdijin Noongar cultural heritage website was launched on Monday 13 December at the SWALSC offices. If you'd like to know more about the site please call (phone) 9358 7400 or (email) kaartdijin@noongar.org.au To visit the site...Link to site.

2010 Annual Report

The SWALSC 2010 Annual Report has been published and is now available on the SWALSC website. Download here.

SWALSC book wins research prize

The book about the history of the single Noongar claim "It's still in my heart, this is my country" has won the 2010 Margaret Medcalf Award for excellence in research... See below.

SWALSC collection priceless

A recent study by eminent local historians has found that SWALSC holds one of the most comprehensive collections on Noongar language, culture and history in Australia... Read more.

Kaartdijin Noongar - Sharing Noongar Knowledge with Noongars

Kaartdijin Noongar or Noongar Knowledge is part of a project aimed at collecting, storing and sharing Noongar information with Noongar people... Read more.

Kaartdijin Noongar - Sharing Noongar Culture with the wider community

Kaartdijin Noongar is the other part of the Noongar Knowledge project aimed at collecting, storing and sharing information about Noongar culture with the wider community... Read more.

Swan and Canning Iconic River Trails Project

Do you have any stories or yarns from the past or present about the Swan or Canning rivers? We are asking Noongar people to share their knowledge of the rivers as part of a project... Read more.

The Noongar Dialogue Report, February 2010

The Noongar Dialogue brought together Noongar leaders from many different fields for an ongoing conversation about how Noongar people could take another step towards taking more control over their own destiny by sharing ideas and learning from each other... Download here.

State Government signs historic framework agreement with SWALSC

On 17 December 2009 the State Government signed a Heads of Agreement with the South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council aimed at resolving the six Noongar native title claims... Read more.

History of the Single Noongar Claim

In October 2009 SWALSC launched the book: "IT'S STILL IN MY HEART, THIS IS MY COUNTRY" The Single Noongar Claim History, which is a history of the Noongar people and... Read more.

History of Single Noongar Claim wins research excellence prize

The book telling the story of the Single Noongar Claim has won the 2010 Margaret Medcalf Award recognising work that showed excellence in using State Archives. The WA Minister for Culture and the Arts, Mr John Day, said at the award presentation on 19 May that “the judges felt this book had the potential to alter the path of historical Aboriginal research and that the work has led to a paradigm shift in the way Aboriginal culture and identity are defined and understood.

In October 2009 SWALSC launched the book: "IT'S STILL IN MY HEART, THIS IS MY COUNTRY" The Single Noongar Claim History, which is a history of the Noongar people and their survival. The book is based on the history report prepared by John Host and Chris Owen that was tendered as expert evidence in the Single Noongar Claim.

The book's title comes from the evidence of Noongar elder, Angus Wallam, sworn before the federal court. In this book, and in the original report to the court on which the book is based, SWALSC sought to challenge existing versions of history and the related anthropology about Noongar people. Download the full press release.

Published by University of WA Publishing, it is available from the UWA bookshop (rrp $39.95). SWALSC members can order the book directly from SWALSC for $36 (include another $6 for postage, total cost including postage is $42). For details call SWALSC on 9358 7400 or send an email to: reception1@noongar.org.au

 

Native title negotiation information meetings:

• Watch this space for details of the next round of meetings providing information about the negotiations with the WA Government aimed at resolving the Noongar native title claims. For details of SWALSC's normal Working Party and Family meetings, click the following link:
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Membership form for new members click here then print, complete the form and post to us. Members who need to change address click here then print, complete the form and post to us.