QUESTIONS
Are there award programs that highlight the best websites
of indigenous and aboriginal tourism associations or operators?
If so, what criteria are used to evaluate the sites?
What is the preferred language and spelling of the following
words: aboriginal, indigenous, native?
What are examples of tourism that includes and benefits indigenous
people?
What do out-bound tour operators and travelers suggest?
Has there been genuine consultation between indigenous
people and the government? Among indigenous people and tour
operators?
YOUR TURN
Suggestions are welcome. To contribute an article or suggest
a link, please review our writers'
guidelines.
MAKING CONTACT
Travelers are connecting with indigenous communities and vice-versa.
The Web has allowed local indigenous operators to get the word
out about their tours, their crafts and the protocols expected
of visitors. Not only do travelers learn where to go, they learn
what is expected before their arrival.
VISITOR EDUCATION
Travelers are learning where to go and how to travel in the
lands of indigenous people. Where are visitors invited? Where
are visitors asked to stay away? Many travelers are willing
to obide local protocol, but it needs to be clearly defined.
Visitor education needs to begin before arrival.
GENUINE CONSULTATION
In the development of many tourism projects, indigenous people
have not been considered as valued stakeholders from the start
and may (or may not) be invited to meetings along the way.
'Charitable' projects are developed without adequate consultation.
The question for tourism developers is how to include indigenous
contributions and fully integrate these perspectives. Indigenous
participation can no longer be considered an 'add on' for development
policy.
AUSTRALIA
In Australia
Planeta.com has collaborated with Aboriginal Tourism Australia
in developing marketing strategies for aboriginal tour operators.
We participated in the 2007
Business Development Symposium, a powerful capacity building
training seminar that brought together a number of stakeholders
to review current policy.
In December the 2008 Business Development Symposium will occur
in Melbourne.
Indigenous and aboriginal operations have a challenge not
faced by other stakeholders: succession. What if the kids do
not wish to follow? Operations that are developed and marketed
for their indigenous identity cannot be sold.
In research conducted for Australia's Indigenous Tourism Research
Agenda (pdf),
experts found that funding goes to communities, even though
the sole proprietorships and joint ventures have better chance
of financial success. "Policy-makers need better information
to shape policy," says researcher Joc Schmicchen.
MEXICO
In Mexico
Planeta.com has collaborated with the artisans in Teotitlán
del Valle in developing weaver-led tours. This is an innovative
project that has already generated a directory of weavers and
a dictionary of local Zapotec. Best of all, this work has won
approval from the artesanos themselves.
BACKGROUND: INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF ECOTOURISM
One of the major critiques of 2002's International
Year of Ecotourism came from indigenous groups, many of
which complained that they are not adequately included in tourism
development.
To the credit of the summit organizers, these critics were
included in the event and the declaration. The Summit was one
of the few recent international events that had no protesters
had the door because most had already been invited inside.
One of the results of the discussion was the addition to the
Quebec
Declaration that stressed "ecotourism must recognize and
respect the land rights of indigenous and local communities,
including their protected, sensitive and sacred sites."
During one of the meetings of indigenous peoples, one participant
remarked that it's time not only to rethink tourism, but to
redo it.
"I had the opportunity to view first-hand the efforts by Indigenous
leaders present to bring forward the concerns and perspectives
of Indigenous communities for the benefit of Indigenous peoples
and for the benefit of ecotourism and the planet," said Rick
MacLeod Farley, a development economist working with community
economic development in northern Canada.
"These efforts were treated by some of the organizers with hostility
and rudeness, and in other cases with good intentions. The process
for dealing with the input was flawed, and the impact on the
final WES declaration was much less than appropriate."
Farley added: "I came away from the WES gathering excited
by the positive energy and the passion and commitment of countless
people. However, I also came away with the realization that
there is a tremendous divide between the international agencies
and indigenous leadership. The buzzword in the research and
at the conferences is that 'local people' need 'capacity building.'
With all due sincere respect, I would like to suggest that there
is also a need for 'capacity building' within the international
agencies themselves."
The final version did not appease some of the critics, who
believe that 'First Nations' deserve a role greater than mere
stakeholders in the process. Some activists suggested that
if the consultation were not improved, representatives should
engage in active non-cooperation.
FEATURES
Aboriginal
Australia
Rethinking
Tourism - Deborah McLaren
Indigenous
People and Tourism in Mexico
Walk
with the Weavers
Community
Tourism and the Hopi and Navajo - Sue Beeton
Indigenous Tourism in Canada
REFERENCES
Native
Notebook
PLANETA FORUM
World's
Indigenous Peoples and Tourism Forum
Business
Development Symposium
Tourism
Marketing Webinar for Aboriginal and Indigenous Operators
GUIDELINES
FLICKR
Indigenous
What
is the value of attention?
Torres
Strait Islands (Australia, 2007)
Cazaneun
d'beni ruin chei laadi (Walk with the Weavers) (Mexico,
Zapotec)
yakx
to'ots (Mexico, Mixe)
Stone
Soup (Caldo de Piedra) (Mexico, Chinanteco)
Bashon
(Mexico, Zapotec)
Quiz
(Mexico, Zapotec)
Uluru
(Australia)
Bookabee
Tours
Aboriginal
Tourism
ONLINE
FLICKR
WIKI
Planeta
Wikispace
Celebración
de la Comida Indígena
Native Wiki
ONLINE
WIKI
RADIO
100
Maori words every New Zealander should know - NZ History Net
Te
Ahi Kaa - Radio New Zealand
Maori
- Radio New Zealand
AUDIO
VIDEO
Flinders
Range - Bookabee Tours
The
Indigenous Connection - Julia Butterfly Hill/Big Picture TV
VIDEO
REFERENCES
Native Web
Cultural
Survival
A
Challenge to Conservationists - Mac Chapin/World Watch
Conservation
Refugees: When Protecting Nature Means Kicking People Out -
Mark Dowie/Orion
The
Nature Conservancy and Indigenous Peoples - TNC
Re-considerando
la Certificación del Turismo - ITRI
Raiz de la imagen
- CLACPI
Respect Our
Culture (ROC)
Symposium
- ATA
Corroboree
- ATA
Incredible
Journeys: Across Indigenous Australia (PDF)
|
