Funding to support connection to country in WA communities
The State Government’s Connecting to Country grant program is continuing to support Western Australia’s Aboriginal people and organisations to transfer knowledge between generations and preserve culture – 20 projects will each receive up to $25,000 this year.
A total of $500,000 will be distributed for on-country activities across the Kimberley, Mid-West, Gascoyne, Goldfields-Esperance, Pilbara, Wheatbelt, Great Southern, South West and in metropolitan Perth, with projects to strengthen communities starting from May 2024.
The recipients sharing the funding are:
- Mantjiljarra Yulparirra Pty Ltd , $25,000 for Native Flora Identification
- Edmund Rice Centre WA Inc, $24,966 for Kadijinny Boodjar
- Wanjira Nangirany Cultural Foundation LTD, $25,000 for Karajarri Cultural Revitalisation and Community Strengthening Project
- Ngalla Yorga Waangkan Aboriginal Corporation, $24,500 for Intergenerational Knowledge Sharing
- Warmun Art Aboriginal Corporation, $25,000 for the 2024 Gija Connecting to Country Program
- Theona Councillor, $24,975 for 170th anniversary of the massacre at Pelican Springs
- Undalup Association Inc, $23,875 for Kaartijin Yerunga Boodja - Knowledge on Country
- Yawuru Jarndu Aboriginal Corporation, $24,881 for Response to 'jijawiliwili niyamarri' (shell hill/midden) 'buru' (Country)
- Rohan Collard, $25,000 for Maaman Kaatadjin Boodja Bidi
- Vernice Gillies, $25,000 for Koomal Maat (Possum Tracks) Cultural Learning Project
- Community Arts Network Wes Australia Ltd, $25,000 for Unfinished Business
- City of Melville $25,000 for Connection to Country Camp with Willagee Youth Drop-in
- Tara Gower, $25,000 for Contemporary Indigenous Dance Program
- Ngarlawangga Aboriginal Corporation, $25,000 for Back to Country Fieldtrip
- Kalyuku Ninti - Puntuku Ngurra Limited, $25,000 for Wuurlkurramartaji - The Story of Belonging to Wuurlkurra
- Mirning Traditional Lands Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC, $24,940 for Mirning Language Revitalisation Strategy
- Kimberley Language Resource Centre (Aboriginal Corporation), $25,000 for Language and Culture on Country
- Studio Schools of Australia Ltd, $24,570 for Healing and lessons on Country
- Mara Arts Aboriginal Corporation, $25,000 for Banggumarrijimanha Barna - Coming together on Country
- Yanunijarra Aboriginal Organisation RNTBC, $25,000 for Ngurrara Connecting to Country Camp.
The intention of the Connecting to Country program is to:
- facilitate sharing of cultural knowledge and skills between generations, such as the preservation of language, stories and dance;
- recognise Aboriginal cultural leadership within the Aboriginal community and support leadership development in young people;
- contribute to stronger community mental health and wellbeing; and
- strengthen, protect and maintain traditional ways of maintaining cultural knowledge.