Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation (YMAC) is the native title representative body for the
Pilbara, Murchison and Gascoyne regions in Western Australia. YMAC anthropologists and
archaeologists are heavily involved in applied heritage activities including cultural heritage
surveys, native title research, cultural mapping projects for Prescribed Bodies Corporate
(PBCs), collaboration with Indigenous ranger groups, traditional ecological knowledge
programs, and social impact assessments.
This workshop was an opportunity for YMAC anthropologists and archaeologists to come
together in a collaborative professional development workshop to further their understanding
on issues arising from their current roles and growing trends in heritage practice in Western
Australia.
Through an interactive format grounded in real-world case studies and co-designed by
leading heritage professionals in Western Australia, the workshop fostered critical dialogue
around issues the role of social scientists (in particular, anthropologists and archaeologists)
in heritage protection. This workshop employed local case studies and personal experiences
of the convenors to deepen attendee’s understandings of ethical engagement, cultural
protocols, methodologies and conceptual frameworks which inform heritage research in their
practice. The workshop equipped early- and mid-career researchers with the critical
knowledge and reflective skills essential for culturally responsive and effective heritage
practice.