ABORIGINAL
CORPORATION
Keewong family descendants, Ngyiampaa- Ngemba clan together with other Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal extended family members represented by Winangakirri Aboriginal Corporation (WAC) have long fought for access and rights to look after our traditional ngurrampaa (country), to continue the role of our ancestors. Mawonga Station, Indigenous Protected Area (IPA) is a 22,020-hectare property in central-western New South Wales, located 95km north of Hillston. For Ngiyampaa Wangaaypuwan people it is a significant part of our traditional lands.
OUR VISION
Our vision of Mawonga IPA is to...
OURSTORY
The Winangakirri Aboriginal Corporation (WAC) was founded in 2005 by a group of Keewong family descendants. At present (2019) WAC has a membership of 41 Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people, 31 of which are Ngiyampaa traditional owners. Our main focus, since inception, over the past nine years has been to purchase Mawonga Station, hold camps, facilitate the transfer of cultural knowledge and enable revival. Mawonga was divested to WAC in September 2015.
HISTORY OF THE ORGANISATION
Winangakirri Aboriginal Corporation was formed & incorporated in December 2006 under Commonwealth legislation.
In mid 2007, Winangakirri received funding through the Commonwealth Governments ‘Maintenance of Indigenous Languages and Records’ program to conduct 4 x cultural camps within a 12 month period. These camps commenced in March 2008 at several locations around the Hillston area.
In 2008 program funding was provided by the Alcohol Education & Rehabilitation (AER) Foundation to conduct an additional 2 x camps to focus on substance misuse
CULTURAL CAMPS
All Winangakirri camps are ‘dry’, with zero tolerance on alcohol and other drugs. The camp philosophy is well known amongst members and participants. The combination of no alcohol and cultural activities provide participants with a supportive learning environment with a strong cultural focus.
MAWONGA
‘Mawonga’ is a 22,373 hectare holding with considerable areas of cultural significance to Ngiyampaa Wangaaypuwan people.
ACQUISITION OF MAWONGA
Application was made under the Commonwealth government’s ‘Caring for Our Country’ program during 2008, with Winangakirri receiving notification in December 2008, that the application was successful, but funding would only cover two thirds of the purchase price. The challenge was then to secure the additional one third of the purchase price, which was done through the Indigenous Land Corporation (ILC).
Fortunately, the ILC application was also successful, with the organisation receiving notification in April 2010. Winangakirri members then worked with the ILC and key stakeholders to build capacity and the official hand back of the property occurred on 26th September 2015.
WHO WE ARE
Winangakirri Aboriginal Corporation is an organisation made up predominantly of Ngiyampaa Wangaaypuwan people, the traditional owners of the area outlined in white on the map. This is not meant to be an exact representation of the traditional lands of the Ngiyampaa Wangaaypuwan people.
