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Respecting Our Culture certified, cultivated by a passionate team and managed by the Indigenous community, the Pamagirri Aboriginal Experience at Rainforestation Nature Park provides a platform for Indigenous culture to come alive.

Pioneered in 1993, with the permission from local Elders, the Rainforestation Pamagirri Aboriginal Experience includes a Pamagirri Aboriginal Dance show in a rainforest amphitheatre, a Dreamtime Walk and a Rainforest Walkabout. These products showcase hunting techniques along the likes of spear and boomerang throwing, as well as enhancing visitors’ knowledge of Aboriginal traditions that were learnt in the wilderness on the spiritual transition into manhood. By bringing these tourism experiences to life, local Indigenous people are given a platform to share their culture, history and stories.

The Indigenous guides at Rainforestation Nature Park convey their heritage and culture in a hands-on manner. Since the beginning, the Rainforestation team has encompassed influential Indigenous figures of the community to ensure factual and authentic experiences for everyone who visits. An excellent example of this is the input from William Enoch Tranby, who currently works as the Cultural Development Officer for the CaPTA Group and is a Traditional Owner in Kuranda and Cairns tribal groups.

Without the appropriate recognition and authority, the experiences delivered would not be of such a high standard as they are at Rainforestation Nature Park. It is through the team’s expertise, forward thinking and cultural appropriateness that Rainforestation Nature Park are leading the way in cultural preservation.

“It means a lot to share the language of the oldest continual living culture in the world,” says Amanda Perry from Rainforestation Nature Park. “It ensures that this incredible culture is kept alive and known by guests from all over the world.”

Local Indigenous dialect is infused into all aspects of the Pamagirri Aboriginal Experience. This includes the Aboriginal words for cassowary and honey tree in the dance show. The Pamagirri dancers also introduce themselves as their totem names, which is something that audiences may have never heard of before. Stories are weaved throughout all of the Aboriginal experiences in an entertaining and engrossing manner.

With input form the Indigenous community for every step of the process, Indigenous people of the area are able to express themselves and their culture and traditions to visitors, in turn preserving one of the worlds oldest and most beautiful cultures alive.

Thank you, Rainforestation, for sharing your story with us!

Have you read the other articles in this series?

THE USE OF SILENCE TO HELP PRESERVE A CULTURE – featuring 1770 LARC! Tours

AN HONOURABLE MISSION – featuring Wajaana Yaam Gumbaynggirr Adventure Tours

AN IMMERSIVE ISLAND EXPERIENCE – featuring Straddie Kingfisher Tours

INDIGENOUS CULTURE AT THE FOREFRONT – featuring Cairns Adventure Group

On June 18-19, GSTC Member Taiwan Tourism Bureau (Sun Moon Lake National Scenic Area Administration Taiwan) and GSTC Member Sustainable Travel Taiwan (STT) hosted the first “Global Sustainable Tourism Practical Workshop” in Sun Moon Lake, Taiwan. The aim of the Workshop was to help DMOs, tour operators and hotels of the area to learn how […]

The post GSTC in Taiwan: Global Sustainable Tourism Practical Workshop in Sun Moon Lake appeared first on Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC).

Wildlife Tourism Australia (WTA) is a not for profit incorporated association that represents tourist operations, educators, researchers, businesses and societies that support sustainable wildlife tourism within Australia.

Founded in 2003 and chaired by Ronda Green, owner/operator of Advanced Ecotourism Certified Araucaria Ecotours, WTA is a direct result of Australia’s first national conference on wildlife tourism in Tasmania. With an elected committee and up to six non-executive committee members across Australia, WTA’s mission is to promote the sustainable development of a diverse wildlife tourism industry that supports conservation.

WTA provides a forum for collaboration and communication between all wildlife tourism stakeholders to work towards increased conservation and awareness of ecosystem preservation through the tourism industry.

Ronda Green, as well as chairing WTA, was instrumental in the most recent review of Ecotourism Australia’s certification criteria, and was recently featured in Ecotourism Australia’s Everyday Ecotourism Heroes campaign.

With objectives to minimise environmental impacts, support conservation of wildlife and habitats and promoting the importance of Australian native wildlife, we are proud to have WTA onboard as an Ecotourism Australia Business Member.

If you would like to know more about Wildlife Tourism Australia, visit their website here.

Operating in the prehistoric surroundings of the Daintree, Cairns Adventure Group believe it is imperative to keep Indigenous culture at the forefront of their guests’ entire experience, beginning with proper Australian welcome. Traditional Owners, the Kuku Yalanji people, offer daily welcome to country and smoke ceremonies for all new visitors, showcasing traditional Australia on a worldwide scale. This gives guests insight into the Kuku Yalanji’s special relationship with this iconic location as well as supporting the Mossman Gorge center’s Indigenous training program. 

Ensuring that Indigenous culture is at the forefront of their visitors’ experiences is important to Cairns Adventure Group as this highlights the cultural significance of the land which international guests are visiting, and helps ensure that language is preserved for the local community. The focus on Indigenous culture is carried through the day tours as the Kuku Yalanji’s home in the Daintree rainforest is explored through fun adventure experiences.

“The Kuku Yalanji’s relationship with the Daintree is fascinating. Their understanding of the weather and its influences on the cycles of the rainforest has enabled the community to flourish in what is a challenging environment,” explains team member Sophie Hamilton.

Cairns Adventure Group has recognised international intrigue in Indigenous culture and provide education on the use of plants and the wide range of bush foods available that is often unheard of in their region of the world. The group feel it’s important to keep the history of their region alive, both for Indigenous communities but also for the wider population and generations to come. They have successfully been able to tie in Indigenous cultural teaching and experiences into their operations whilst supporting locals and sharing their culture.

“We will continue to visit our friends, the Kuku Yalanji at Mossman Gorge to support them and help their community to thrive,” says Sophie.

Cairns Adventure Group work hard to bring traditional Australian culture to a global audience. In this way they hope that their guests will leave with a newfound understanding of how people once lived in with the land and the importance of protecting and celebrating Australia’s rich and diverse culture.

Thank you, Cairns Adventure Group, for sharing your story with us!

Have you read the other articles in this series?

THE USE OF SILENCE TO HELP PRESERVE A CULTURE – featuring 1770 LARC! Tours

AN HONOURABLE MISSION – featuring Wajaana Yaam Gumbaynggirr Adventure Tours

AN IMMERSIVE ISLAND EXPERIENCE – featuring Straddie Kingfisher Tours

Jennifer Wesselhoff, President and CEO of the Sedona Chamber of Commerce, speaks about Sedona, Arizona’s new sustainable tourism plan following their 2016 GSTC Destination Assessment. Sedona is applying the GSTC Criteria for Destinations, applying key tactics to keep their resident and visitor experience top-notch while the population *doubles* daily from tourism–a $1B business for Sedona. […]

The post Sustainable Sedona Tourism appeared first on Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC).