About US

Ngadju Native Title Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC

The Federal Court of Australia granted native title to the Ngadju people on 21st November 2014, and 17th July 2017. The Ngadju people’s traditional ownership of 102,000 km2 of land surrounding the town of Norseman was recognised, including exclusive Native Title rights to 41,300 km2, which is the highest level of Native Title Rights that can be granted.

Strategic Objectives Poster Ngadju

Strategic Objectives

Ngadju Community

The Ngadju community is an immensely proud First Nations people who continue to develop the Ngadju membership, and we want all Ngadju people to experience improvements in physical and spiritual health and to assist with teaching, learning Ngadju culture to provide many opportunities to lead connected and fulfilling lives.

Ngadju Landscape trees

Ngadju Heritage

Ngadju Aboriginal Cultural Heritage is the practices and people, objects and places that are valued, culturally meaningful and connected to identity and Country.

Aboriginal Cultural Heritage shapes identity and is a lived spirituality that is fundamental to the wellbeing of communities through connectedness across generations.

Ngadju Cultural Heritage has been passed from the Ancestors to future generations through today’s Traditional Owners whose responsibilities are profound and lifelong.

Ngadju Country

Ngadju country expands the pristine Woodlands forests between Kalgoorlie and Esperance. Known for its extensive biodiversity, there are numerous species of Flora and Fauna of international significance. The Ngadju people have lived on this land for perhaps as long as 50,000 years, living a simple lifestyle as hunter gatherers.

The Ngadju Native Title determination area extends in the South-East of Western Australia covering an area in excess of 120,000 square miles (covering an area greater than the United Kingdom).

Running south from Goddard Creek to Mount Ragged, Israelite Bay and Point Malcolm. The last-named area was land they claim in contention with the Nyunga branch of the Wudjari. Their western borders were around Fraser Range. The eastern frontier was in the vicinity of Narethal and Point Culver. Mount Andrew and Balladonia were also part of Ngadju territory.

In 2014 and 2017 the Federal Court recognised Ngadju traditional ownership of over 102,000 square kilometres, after a long legal proceeding which began in 1995. The land includes exclusive native title over approximately 45,000 square kilometres, east and west of the town of Norseman.

In 2020 the Ngadju Indigenous Protected Area was dedicated on Ngadju land. The Ngadju serve as traditional custodians of the area, which covers 43,993.01 km2, about a quarter of the Great Western Woodlands.

ngadju aboriginal site

Map of Ngadju Native Title Determination

See full map
Ngadju Native title determination

Ngadju Culture

The Ngadju Native Aboriginal Title Corporation RNTBC is committed to developing an appreciation and respect for Ngadju culture by raising awareness, recognising and celebrating our First Nation’s people.

All cultures have customs, values, and codes of behaviour that are important. These contribute to the cultural diversity now cherished by Australians. For Ngadju people this is just as important as it is for other cultures. But for Ngadju people much of their culture has been lost as a direct result of previous policies of all spheres of government. It is important that this knowledge is rebuilt and acknowledged. Like most tribal groups, the Ngadju people developed their own language and were proud of their important role as the carers and custodians of their land.

Being spiritual people, they practiced sacred ceremonies and dances, many sites of significance remain important places for men and women to connect to country today.

Cultural Awareness

The Ngadju Native Aboriginal Title Corporation RNTBC is committed to developing an appreciation and respect for indigenous culture by raising awareness, recognising and celebrating First Nations people.

Learning about Ngadju cultures is essential to develop the ability to engage, coexist, and communicate with people of different cultural backgrounds. The information shared in this course will assist in becoming more culturally aware and competent in Ngadju culture. The course is designed to give you a simple-to-comprehensive overview of Indigenous culture with a particular focus on the Ngadju people, their country and heritage.

Cultural awareness is a basic understanding that there is diversity in cultures across the population. Cultural competency extends beyond individual skills or knowledge to influence the way that a system or services operate across cultures. It is a process that requires ongoing learning.

Respect and acknowledgment are essential to good working relationships with Ngadju community and should be a priority. For example, discussing when and how to use Traditional Welcomes and Acknowledging Traditional Owners will show that you are respectful of Ngadju people’s connection to the land. This demonstration of your respect will make it easier to set up mutual standards of respect and trust and will make it easier for consultation and negotiations to take place effectively.

The objective of this course is to enable culturally sensitive interaction with the Ngadju peoples. All cultures have customs, values, and codes of behaviour that are important. These contribute to the cultural diversity now cherished by Australians. For Ngadju peoples this is just as important as it is for other cultures. But for Ngadju much of their culture has been lost as a direct result of previous policies of all spheres of government. It is important that this knowledge is rebuilt and acknowledged.

The rebuilding and acknowledgement of Ngadju  culture shows respect and is vital in the development of strong and equal partnerships with Ngadju Community. We encourage all our business and community partners to undertake this valuable training as we are confident it will develop increased understanding of Ngadju culture and heritage.

Pillars of Aboriginal Society

Aboriginal Society is underpinned by six cultural pillars
Pillar Law

Law

The system of rules which a particular country or community recognises as regulating the actions of its members and which it may enforce by the imposition of penalties.

Pillar Lore

Lore

Lore is a system of traditions and knowledge on a subject held by particular groups, typically passed from person to person by way of mouth. Lore is often the politeness that keeps society running smoothly.

Pillar Language

Language

Language is the method of human communication, both spoken and written and including body language, consisting of words and movements that are use to communicate. Aboriginal people often had very complex nonverbal languages.

Pillar Land

Land

Land refers to the parcel of land an Aboriginal person has cultural and historical ties to. Aboriginal People refer to themselves as custodians of land rather than owners in European Sense. Custodians may also be referred to as traditional owners.

Pillar Kin

Kin

The kinship system consists of prescribed relationships between people, animals, plants, and spiritual beings. In some Aboriginal cultures, kinship may include the stars and planets as well. Through this system, each person knows who they are related to, how they are related and what is expected of the socially.

Pillar reciprocity

Reciprocity

Reciprocity is the practice of exchanging things with others for mutual benefits. Reciprocity is the underpinning economy of aboriginal society. People share in culturally determined ways dictated by aboriginal law. The practice of reciprocity underpinned the economic system for the cultures.

Our Perth Team

Ngadju Member Directors

Thelma Dimer

Chair

Christine Donaldson

Director

Natalia Harder

Deputy Chair

Pamela Kaye

Independent Director

Harold Graham

Director

Our Norseman Team

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Elders Advisory Group

Gavin Smith (Snr)

Jacobs

Grantley Flynn

Flynn

Allison Dimer

Donaldson

Diane Clinch

Wilson/Nine

Valma Schultz

Wicker

Les Schultz

Schultz

Stephen Rule

Rule

John Graham

Graham

Jennifer Woods

Dalgety/Ray/Munroe

Betty Logan

Belang

Get in contact with us

Get in touch with us using the following form or give us a call on (08) 9462 3500
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reception@nntac.org.au
(08) 9462 3500
Level 1, 1138 Hay Street, West Perth 6005

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this website may contain images, voices or names of deceased persons in photographs, film, audio recordings or printed material.The NNTAC website acknowledges the traditional owners of country throughout Australia and their continuing connection to land, culture, and community.
We pay our respects to elders past, present, and emerging.