The Cultural Mapping Program is the result of a community decision to make a record of stories, dances and songs.

  These have been the effective records of Nyikina-Mangala history, language and culture, and will now be maintained and expanded instead of facing an uncertain future.
    Two small books have been recently printed (but not yet distributed) by Pindan Printers in Broome. "Balkayi" describes the way young men 'go bush' for the first time, for initiation rites. It desribes appropriate behaviour and explains the ceremonies. "Boorroo" explains the ways of observing the passing away of a fellow skin-group member.
    Johnene Watson has been working on the Cultural Mapping project for three years while Bobbette Albert has been involved for five years.
    They work out of an intense pride in, and dedication to, their culture.
  Their sense of responsibility to younger generations will ensure that a proper education will always be available to them.
   The visitor to Jarlmadangah can see that the culture, the many local languages, the age old traditions, and the more recent, and very significant, history of the area have been kept alive in this community.
     A video called "Whispering in Our Souls" will be shown this year (2002) on SBS. It tells the story of the Mowla Bluff massacre which happened nearby and was a defining moment in black-white relations in the area.
     In "Raparapa", a book about the Fitzroy River drovers, John Watson said: "Only three people survived that massacre. Two were young women that the police saved for the manager at Mowla Bluff station. According to the old fella who told me the story, there must have been three or four hundred people killed that day."
    An excellent article by Tony Stephens called "Blood and Water" is available on the Sydney Morning Herald website. You will find a link to it on the 'Resources' page of this site. It deals with the colonial history of the Kimberley, including Jarlmadangah, John Watson, and the Mowla Bluff massacre. It tells of the long road to exposure of the truth of the massacre and interracial relations in the Kimberley before the present era.
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