Workshop attendees heard from Dr Nicolas Smith based on his native title field research in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.
Central Desert Native Title Services, Goldfields Land and Sea Council and Yamatji Marlpa Aboriginal Corporation joinded forces with CNTA for a lively two day workshop on the topic 'Around the edges: Claim formations in complex and contested situations'. The workshop was held at the UWA Club in Perth.
The topic for the workshop was devised out of consultations with each of the NTRBs/NTSPs and their geographic priorites for claim progression. Particular areas of interest were claims around the boundaries of each of the organisations and at the furtherst extents of regional cultural blocs.
The event also promoted inter-organisation communication, with many of the attendees meeting one another for the first time. New staff particularly benefited from the opportunity to hear from consultant anthropologists who had worked in Western Australia for many years, including on key native title claims.
13 anthropologists attended from the three organisations along with six presenters including Dr Scott Cane, Associate Professor Lee Sackett, Dr Fiona Skyring, Dr Nicolas Smith.