The Environment | Indigenous Australia | Souvenir Hunting | Prayer Resources | Ethical Travel Links

Did you know?

Which Australian souvenir other than the boomerang keeps coming back?

ANSWER: Pieces of rock, the rock in fact. Each year staff at Uluru National Park receive oddly shaped packages containing the red rock of Uluru.

While some packages weigh a few grams, the record so far is a 15-kilogram chunk of stone. All were returned by guilt ridden tourists.

Graeme Calma, who chairs the Mutitjulu Community Council, the representative body for Uluru's traditional owners, says many tourists return the rocks in the belief that they are cursed for stealing them. It seems people think that bad luck, from car accidents to fatalities, are a result of their ill gotten souvenir.

Interestingly, the local Anangu people say there is no cultural tradition that says stolen stones will bring bad luck, and nobody is quite sure how the myth developed.

 

 

We all know about the best things in life …

However, in the case of souvenirs, there are times when this isn’t the case:

• Plants and flowers are part of unique ecosystems and better left there.
• Coral, if you’re lucky enough to see it in the Days in the Diocese (if you see coral in Sydney you’ve wandered into the aquarium) is a living organism. Again, best to leave it there.
• Taking rocks or stones from Indigenous sites (Uluru, the Olgas, the three sisters etc.) is also not considered culturally sensitive.

It is worth reflecting that while World Youth Day Sydney is a potential boom for the Australian and NSW economies, shopping isn’t everything. Spending time, energy and enthusiasm in forming relationships is always the best investment.

Nonetheless, if you are after something special, think about where your money is going.

Locally produced Aboriginal art and craftworks make excellent gifts or mementos. However make sure you choose items designed and made by Aboriginal people. Look or ask for items that have a label of cultural authenticity.

The Association of Northern, Kimberley and Arnhem Aboriginal Artists has produced a wonderful consumer’s guide to purchasing Aboriginal art.

Following these guidelines helps to ensure that you are fostering economic support for people in Indigenous communities where there may be limited opportunities for employment.

Several reputable outlets for NSW can be explored here:

• Hogarth Galleries Aboriginal Centre
• Rainbow Serpent Gallery
• Aboriginal Art Print Network
• Coo-ee Aboriginal Art Gallery