RECORDS OF THE WESTERN AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM 81 145–182 (2013) DOI: 10.18195/issn.0313-122x.81.2013.145-182 SUPPLEMENT Island country: Aboriginal connections, values and knowledge of the Western Australian Kimberley islands in the context of an island biological survey T. Vigilante1, J. Toohey1, A. Gorring1*, V. Blundell2, T. Saunders3, S. Mangolamara4, K. George1, J. Oobagooma5, M. Waina6, K. Morgan6 and K. Doohan7 1 Kimberley Land Council, PO Box 2145, Broome, Western Australia 6725, Australia. 2 Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1S 5B6, Canada. 3 PO Box 10, Derby, Western Australia 6728, Australia. 4 Wunambal Gaambera Aboriginal Corporation, PMB 16, Kalumburu via Wyndham, Western Australia 6740, Australia. 5 Dambimangari Aboriginal Corporation, PO Box 648, Derby, Western Australia 6728, Australia. 6 Balanggarra Aboriginal Corporation, c/- Kimberley Land Council, PO Box 821, Kununurra, Western Australia 6743, Australia. 7 PO Box 5404, Albany, Western Australia 6330, Australia. *Corresponding author:
[email protected] ABSTRACT – Our paper describes Aboriginal connections, values and knowledge of the Kimberley islands and their resources in the context of a terrestrial biological survey of 24 islands, initiated by the Western Australian Government and coordinated by the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC). The Kimberley islands represent part of the traditional lands of Aboriginal people in the region and hold great signifi cance and value for them. The Kimberley Land Council (KLC) facilitated the participation of 50 Aboriginal Traditional Owners in this survey, which spanned fi ve Native Title areas, three of which have now been determined (Bardi and Jawi, Wanjina Wunggurr Dambimangari and Wanjina Wunggurr Uunguu) and two of which are still in mediation (Balanggarra and Mayala).