Wilgie Mia ochre use - TODAY!

WA Museum - Geraldton hosting an interesting lecture tonight:

Pigment use from the ochre mine of Wilgie Mia

In the Wild West Lecture - S2 2011

Vicky Winton, Eureka Archaeological Research and Consulting, UWA & Ansell Egan, Wajarri Traditional Owner

10.00am, Thursday 27 October - Geraldton
7.00pm, Thursday 27 October - Geraldton

Explore research investigations by Wajarri Traditional Owners and UWA archaeologists to trace the use of ochre at the nationally heritage-listed Aboriginal ochre mine of Wilgie Mia in the Mid West region of WA.

Book online at: http://www.museum.wa.gov.au/whats-on/whats-on-now/#geraldton

Author Talk: James and Tania Park

JAMES AND TANIA PARK ON “THE ONLY WAY I KNOW”

“This book is about how our fear affects your psyche and how to overcome those fears.”

It was James Park’s back injury and forced rest two decades ago, that led him to write about his childhood. James wrote down everything he could remember and with the assistance of his wife, Tania, the notes turned into a book, ‘The Only Way I Know’, published earlier this year.

The book tells James’ life story, starting with the traumatic memories of his childhood amongst his nine siblings in the shadow of his overpowering and often drunken drover father. Hard discipline, hard physical labour and the fear of punishment for slightest infraction of his father’s demands coloured his life. Against all odds he managed to overcome the legacy of his brutal childhood, started a family and became a successful businessman.

James and Tania Park will discuss the process of writing the book and James’ life story at the Geraldton Regional Library on Thu 10 November, 2011 at 12.00-13.30 and at Mullewa Library on Fri 11 November, 2011 at 12.00-13.30.

Please let us know if you'd like to attend by phoning 9956 6659.

The book is available for sale for $20 in both locations.  

Out with the Old - Halloween Market Day

Community Group of Greenough is organising a family fun day themed Out With The Old - Halloween Market Day at the Pioneer Museum on 30 Oct from 10am - 3 pm. Events include: treasure hunts, horseshoe throwing, face painting, raffles, races, live music, sausage sizzle, local produce and garden tours amongst many others.

If you'd like to book a stall or volunteer at the market day, you can contact Peter or Gary at 9926 1729 or greenough@westnet.com.au. A fee of $10 is applicable per stall.

October Oral History Morning

The October Oral History interview will be with our Freeman of the City, Mr Phillip Cooper. As a member of a large family Phil Cooper recalls a happy childhood growing up near Nabawa in the Chapman Valley. After leaving school Phil worked on a farm for four years before becoming the mail-truck driver on the Nanson-Nabawa-Yuna run. He then established his own successful trucking business. He sold this business in 1984 and moved into a B.P. service station where he was ably assisted by his wife, Waltraud. It was in 1963 that Phil Cooper commenced his record contribution to local Government. He served 19 years as a Town Councillor and 13 years as Mayor of Geraldton. On April 2001 he was declared a Freeman of the City.

This Oral History Morning will be held in

Geraldton Regional Library on

Wednesday 19th October at 9 am.

Please note change in usual time.

Shapes and meanings

Sometimes trying to decipher old handwriting can be a real agony, not to mention the changes in the meanings and words. Here are some links to assist you to make sense of artistic, old handwriting:

UK National Archives:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/palaeography/default.htm

Tips and interactive tutorials (and a great ducking stool game)

Cambridge English Renaissance Electronic Service:

http://www.english.cam.ac.uk/ceres/ehoc/alphabets.html

Alphabets (in the link – click on each letter and see alternative forms of writing)

Deciphering Old Handwriting by Sabina J. Murray:

http://amberskyline.com/treasuremaps/oldhand.html

Tips on abbreviations etc and commonsense advice.

Old English was used prior to the 12^th century and it was followed by Middle English, which was used until the late 15^th century. 

You can access a free online book: A Concise Dictionary of Middle English by Mayhew and Skeat on Project Gutenberg’s site at:

http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/10625

Middle English was followed by Early Modern English (period of Shakespeare etc) that was used until the 18^th century.

University of Toronto houses an online Early Modern English dictionary, which, unfortunately, is not free. In case you are interested, you can find it here:

http://leme.library.utoronto.ca/

Google has digitised Samuel Johnson’s A Dictionary of the English Language, 1768, which is accessible for free (it takes a while to download).:

http://books.google.com/books?id=bXsCAAAAQAAJ&pg=PT7#v=onepage&q&f=false

You may also find some very useful links in the following page:

http://www.lexilogos.com/english/english_modern_early.htm

Happy transcribing!

Great win for Aboriginal heritage protection

The National Native Title Tribunal has rejected a mining application in Weld Range in the Mid West. It is only the second such ruling in the history of the Tribunal. The area in question is located on Wajarri Yamatji native title claim and includes the ancient Wilgie Mia ochre mine, which was added to the national heritage list earlier this year, and other sacred and culturally important sites.

More at:

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/state-politics/native-title-blocks-weld-range-mine-project/story-e6frgczx-1226144919702