The Yiriman Project Experience

Yiriman activities incorporate ‘back to country’ trips and walks, in projects that focus on youth at risk.

The Yiriman project’s main focus is building confidence through culture, working alongside young men and women between 14 to 30 years old.

“We want to do more of these sorts of walks; looking after country, ‘Jila’ (water) and looking after animals—instead of young people stopping around towns and those places…where suicide, drinking and other bad things happening,” explains Nyikina Elder and experienced Cameleer, Harry Watson.

Yiriman works in partnership with Indigenous organisations in the Kimberley on joint projects, giving youth the opportunity to participate in a variety of projects, including land and sea management projects with the Kimberley Land Council—Land and Sea Unit, the Kimberley Regional Fire Management Project, Kimberley Language Resource Centre, NAILSMA, Natural Heritage Trust, Australian Quarantine Inspection Service, Macquarie and Murdoch Universities.

Youth have also participated in art and crafts trips/ workshops with Mangkaja Arts, community-driven programs involving preventative bush medicine trips (with Derby Aboriginal Health Service), diversionary programs (camel walks), case management with the Departments of Justice and Community Development), cultural youth exchanges (Shire of Derby West Kimberley), cultural land management, video documentaries, performing arts and more.

Yiriman maintains support, creates awareness and builds relationships with young men and women throughout these language regions. It also assists the wider Kimberley community by developing opportunities for community youth with a cultural focus.

The Yiriman project currently has limited resources; hence partnerships and project sharing are vital to the sustainability of remote area work. In the future, Yiriman Cultural Advisors would like to support all our communities with similar youth leadership initiatives.