Piney Lake in Perth, Western Australia - Essay Example

Piney lake in Perth, Western Australia: A Field Trip Report of 17 September Piney lake in Perth, Western Australia: A Field Trip Report Executive Summary This report details the results of an explorative and experiential fieldtrip to Piney Lake in Perth to gain firsthand understanding of the Australian aboriginal culture. The methodology consists of direct participation and primary data collection through observation and interviews. The fieldtrip offers fresh insights into the Aboriginal culture and traditions of the Noongar community. The results of the fieldtrip emphasise that Piney Lake is a unique indigenous tourism site that maintains its authenticity, cultural diversity and exemplary models of sustainable tourism development. The report applies Butler’s destination life-cycle model to the Piney Lake. The site has undergone the first two stages in the life-cycle- exploration and involvement. The tourist destination is heading towards its third stage-that of development. It seems that the Noongar community may take a long time to go through the other stages of tourism life cycle as the inhabitants are so much involved and tied to their indigenous culture and traditions. The current report emphasises the need to formulate comprehensive strategies to keep the Aboriginal culture and traditions of Noongar community intact. Researchers, students and scholars on indigenous tourism need to undertake detailed in-depth studies on the tourist destination to identify the factors that preserve its authenticity and cultural diversity. Governmental policies and interventions on indigenous tourism need to perceive tourism as a cultural phenomenon rather than an economic enterprise. It is imperative for all the stakeholders to identify the dangers of commoditization and commercialization. Above all, measures are to be undertaken to facilitate sustainable models of tourism development on the tourist site. Introduction Background to the report Indigenous tourism in Australia is flourishing day by day as aboriginal owned and operated enterprises have been attracting the attention of tourists. Indigenous tourism paves way for cultural rejuvenation of aboriginals while it also contributes immensely to the economy of the nation. Authenticity lies at the core of indigenous tourism and therefore loss of authenticity due to commoditization and commercialization of indigenous culture deserve primary attention. Contrived cultural products, tourist oriented commercial craftworks, and commercialized tourist services may adversely affect tourists’ quest for authenticity and will negate them of genuine indigenous tourism experiences. Similarly, sustainable models of tourism development are an essential prerequisite for indigenous tourism. Butler’s destination life-cycle model has offered new dimensions to indigenous tourism and as such the paper evaluates the various stages in the cycle. This report seeks to explore the indigenous cultural heritage of the Noongar community in Piney based on sustainability, authenticity and commoditization, and Butler’s destination life-cycle model Broad aims This paper aims to learn more about Aboriginal history and culture. Similarly, the paper synthesizes such issues as sustainable development, authenticity, commoditization and Butler’s theory on the life cycle. The general aim of the paper is to link one’s practical experience with theoretical knowledge on indigenous culture. The paper also enables one to critically analyze an indigenous tourism product based on one’s own observations and experiences. Site description Piney lake in Perth, Western Australia is a unique indigenous tourism centre with natural bush land, bush herbs and spices, bush tucker and the medicine plants. The centre stands as a solace to students, scholars and researchers of aboriginal culture. Literature Review Indigenous/Aboriginal Tourism Indigenous tourism aims at recognizing and promoting the cultural diversity of Indigenous inhabitants. Aboriginal tourism focuses on aboriginal culture and includes a wide range of activities including ‘heritage tours, arts and crafts, performing arts and nature based experiences’ aimed at enabling visitors to develop a clear understanding and appreciation for the unique cultural heritage of aboriginals (WAITOC, p. 4). Cultural diversity is an inevitable part of aboriginal communities and this diversity is reflected in their religious and political beliefs, cultural ceremonies and festivals, heritage, art forms, rituals, authentic products, creation of stories and history (Aboriginal Culture, 2014). Similarly, aboriginal bark paintings, musical instruments, and artifacts are characterized by their uniqueness, originality and authenticity. It is worthwhile to define Indigenous tourism. Indigenous tourism refers to such tourist endeavours and activities where indigenous people themselves “are directly involved either through control and/or by having their culture serve as the essence of the attraction” (Butler & Hinch, 2007, p. 5). Governmental agencies and media often perceive indigenous tourism as a potential means to promote cultural diversity as well as the socio-economic conditions of various aboriginal groups. However, the question whether indigenous tourism really contributes to economic independence and cultural celebration of the aboriginal population is debatable. On the other hand, it is true that indigenous cultures and indigenous sustainable tourism development models have attracted the attention of non-indigenous tourists, researchers, academicians, cultural tourists and tourism entrepreneurs. No doubt, indigenous tourism facilitates cross-cultural interaction and mutual understanding between indigenous and non-indigenous people and, as Butler and Hinch (2007, p. 3) rightly point out, it offers indigenous people a unique opportunity to address many of their ‘economic, social and cultural challenges.’ Indigenous people need to sustain their values, unique cultures and the sanctity of their land intact at the phase of growing tourist activities. The United Nations Development Program (2004) clearly outlines the unique and distinctive characteristics of indigenous groups. Indigenous groups tend to preserve their unique cultural identity; possess different linguistic identity; maintain different socio-cultural, economic, and political traditions as well as beliefs; and are tied to their traditional habitats, ancestral territories and natural resources (Butler & Hinch, 2007, p. 5). It is true that tourists visit tourist sites with a variety of purposes. Tourists undertake field trips for educational, recreational, cultural or adventurous purposes. Cultural tourists who undertake field trips to get firsthand knowledge of aboriginal culture are interested in aboriginal arts, authentic products, eco-friendly ambience, cultural heritages, and indigenous cultural festivals. Sustainability and Aboriginal Tourism Governmental policies and initiatives of WAITOC (Western Australian Aboriginal Tourism Operators Council) are aimed at promoting unique Aboriginal tourism experiences to tourists and this great challenge is accomplished through carefully planned sustainable tourism development. Sustainable tourism aims at the social and cultural well being of local residents through the protection of environmental resources, natural habitats and authentic indigenous products. For indigenous tourism to flourish it is essential “to sustain the number of visitors, the size or growth of industry profits, the quality of some or all environmental resources, the quality of the tourist experience, the number of tourist jobs, the quality of life of local residents, or some combination of these and other elements” (Johnston & Tyrrell, 2005, p. 2). Sustainability in tourism aims at maintaining the flow of desirable conditions for tourism and sustaining environmental resources that attract tourists is an essential prerequisite for indigenous tourism. Indigenous tourism in Australia Indigenous tourism in Australia is flourishing day by day as aboriginal owned and operated enterprises have been attracting the attention of tourists. According to Hinkson (2003, p. 296), ‘preservation and promotion of Aboriginal heritage sites’ began in the 1970s in Australia. Towards the 1990s aboriginal-owned tourism ventures became a distinguishing feature of the Australian tourism industry and many aboriginal communities regarded this as a unique opportunity to present their own cultural identity to tourists. Tourists lured at the prospect of authentic and intimate cultural experiences from indigenous tourism. Indigenous tourism has immensely contributed to the economy of the nation as well: “Indigenous tourism is a $3.8 billion annual economy, catering to 689,000 international visitors in 2010 and 306,000 overnight domestic indigenous trips” (Wranik, 2011). This has prompted the government to offer indigenous cultural and intellectual property rights to different Indigenous Australian groups to maintain and protect their cultural heritage. Aboriginal tourism in Australia consists of indigenous “traditional dance performances, Aboriginal cultural centres, Indigenous arts and crafts, rock art sites, Aboriginal cultural tours and bush tucker walks” whereas Aboriginal-owned tourism products include “cultural tours, art and craft galleries, cultural centres, resort accommodation, boat cruises and other visitor facilities” (Zeppel, 1999, p. 21). Australian Indigenous heritage and tourism ventures have benefited a number of stakeholders including various commercial tour enterprises, state, federal and aboriginal tourism agencies, hospitality industry, cultural organisations, and Aboriginal land councils. Commoditisation and Authenticity Questions of commoditisation and authenticity dominate discussions on indigenous tourism. Authenticity has been defined by Aboriginal Tourism Australia as “a declaration of identity, belonging, knowledge, respect and responsibility for Aboriginal culture” (Zeppel, 1999, p. 25). According to Harkin, tourism is a cultural phenomenon and tourists everywhere ‘seek experiences of authenticity’ (2003, p. 575). The greatest challenge for aboriginal indigenous communities is the preservation of their genuine indigenous culture in the face of emerging tourist enterprises. The great concern over the loss of authenticity due to commoditization and commercialization of indigenous culture have always found place in cultural discourses of cultural commentators as well as critics if tourism (Butler & Hinch, 2007, p. 160). The myriad dangers of commoditization have well been documented by Cohen (1988) in his seminal article on authenticity and commoditization in tourism. For Cohen, commoditization makes indigenous cultural experiences and cultural products as meaningless; destroys the authenticity of local cultural products and human relations; and poses great threat to tourist’s genuine desire for authentic experiences (Cohen, 1988, p. 372). Contrived cultural products, tourist oriented commercial craftworks, and commercialized tourist services may adversely affect tourists’ quest for authenticity and will negate them of genuine indigenous tourism experiences. It is evident that tourists would eventually lose their interest on indigenous tourism once its authentic dimensions are lost and this thrust a great responsibility on the aboriginal communities to preserve the authenticity of their culture and products. Janke (2008, p. 65), in this respect, points out that the need for Indigenous people “to preserve, care for, protect, manage and control Indigenous cultural objects, Indigenous ancestral remains and Indigenous cultural resources” so as to continue practising their cultures. This preoccupation to protect indigenous authenticity and quality is evident in establishing a ‘stamp of approval’ or ‘certification of authenticity’ over crafts and artwork marketed by aboriginal communities (Butler & Hinch, 2007, p. 53). Authenticity has thus proved to be a benchmark in protecting the integrity of the Aboriginal tourism products as well as their unique experiences. Butler’s destination life-cycle model Butler’s destination life-cycle model proposes six stages in the life-cycle of a tourist destination: exploration, involvement, development, consolidation, stagnation and decline of rejuvenation. The model claims that tourist destination undergoes changes in response to the growth in the number of visitors (Choy, 1992, p. 29). According to Butler, the initial stage of exploration begins when small group of tourists are attracted by the destination that is marked by purity, authenticity and natural cultural conditions; second phase ‘involvement’ triggers local initiatives to develop tourist facilities; and the third phase ‘development’ marks ‘progressive growth in the number of tourists’ where natural and cultural sites may give way for artificial ones (Garay & Ca`noves, 2011, p. 653). During the consolidation stage the rate of increase in the number of visitors declines even though ‘total visitor numbers exceed the number of permanent residents’ (Butler, 1980, p. 8). The stage is characterized by expansion of the tourist economy, greater levels of artificiality, detachment between tourists and local inhabitants, marketing and advertising. This is followed by the stagnation stage where the highest number of tourists visits the place; the destination no longer is a fashionable one for the tourists and this leads to the sixth phase ‘decline’ where the destination fails to compete with its rivals. It is during the final stages of life cycle that local stakeholders and public administration undertake rejuvenation and re-orientation initiatives. Method This paper makes use of participant observational research where the researcher undertakes an explorative and experiential fieldtrip to Piney Lake in Perth, Western Australia to gain firsthand understanding of the Australian aboriginal culture there. Piney lake is a renowned indigenous tourism site and a fieldtrip to the destination would provide one with a unique opportunity to understand and assimilate the authentic and unique cultural experiences, products and values cherished by the indigenous inhabitants. The methodology consists of direct participation and primary data collection through observation and interviews. Discussions with the indigenous inhabitants and direct questions to the local guide Marissa offer the qualitative data required to know about the indigenous Noongar culture and its people. The Piney lake and Piney Lakes Environmental Education Centre are aboriginal owned and operated tourism enterprises and the visit to the place seeks to explore the extent to which this practical experience correlates with theoretical understanding of indigenous tourism and culture. The insights gained from the literature review on Indigenous/Aboriginal Tourism, sustainability, authenticity and commoditization, and Butler’s destination life-cycle model are applied to the fieldtrip experiences in the results section to arrive at the conclusions of the paper. Results The fieldtrip offered fresh insights into the Aboriginal culture and traditions of the Noongar community. The results of the fieldtrip clearly emphasise the fact that Piney lake in Perth, Western Australia is a unique indigenous tourism site that maintains its authenticity, cultural diversity and exemplary models of sustainable tourism development. The ccultural diversity of the Noongar people is very much reflected in their beliefs, cultural ceremonies, festivals, heritage, art forms and authentic products. Iindigenous tourism, for its inhabitants is a source of economic independence and cultural rejuvenation. Protection of environmental resources, natural habitats and authentic indigenous products characterize the unique sustainable tourism of the Noongar community. The fieldtrip takes one to the wonders of the natural bush land and the intimacy of the Noongar people with their land is clearly visible. Dialogues with the inhabitants and Marissa showed that the Noongar community is ‘a hunter and gatherer society’ and that “hunting kangaroos, emus, fishing, gathering nuts and berries for food are still part of [their] cultural traditions” (Bindi Bindi Dreaming: About Us, 2013). Similarly, the abundance of bush herbs and spices is another apt example for the authenticity of their indigenous culture. Marissa is so much proud about her famous lemon myrtle cake and the fact that many ask her of its recipe offers her immense satisfaction. The bush tucker and the medicine plants also reveal unique aspects of the Noongar culture. It can thus be seen that the Noongar community in Piney lake is capable of offering experiences of authenticity to the visitors and one can undoubtedly state that the tourist destination has not been overshadowed by commoditization and commercialization of its indigenous culture. Applying Butler’s destination life-cycle model one can find that the Piney Lake has undergone only first two stages in the life-cycle, namely exploration and involvement. The tourist destination is heading towards its third stage-that of development. It seems that the Noongar community may take a long time to go through the other stages of tourism life cycle as the inhabitants are so much involved and tied to their indigenous culture and traditions. Discussion It can be seen that tourist site promotes sustainable development through indigenous and ecological tourism. Similarly, as already mentioned, the Noongar community in the Piney Lake still maintains its authenticity, uniqueness, cultural diversity and traditions. The destination has so far prevented the onslaught of both commoditisation and commercialization and offers unique indigenous cultural experiences to the visitors. The aboriginal inhabitants have successfully preserved their genuine indigenous culture in the face of emerging tourist enterprises in the tourist destination. It is worthwhile to analyze the implications of Butler’s destination life-cycle model on Piney Lake. The destination has all the conducive factors to meet the exploration stage as it is capable of attracting tourists’ attention through authenticity and natural cultural conditions. The involvement of the inhabitants is clearly visible when one visits the place and local initiatives to develop tourist facilities in the destination are in progress. However, one can only say that the destination is heading towards the third stage of development as the natural and cultural ambience of the site has not yet given way for artificial ones. The beauty, charm, uniqueness and authenticity of the destination lay in its natural surroundings, environmental richness and authentic cultural experiences. As Butler’s theory foresees when commoditization and commercialization devour its original aboriginal culture the place may not be a fascinating attraction for lovers of indigenous tourism. Conclusion/Recommendations The current report emphasises on the need to formulate comprehensive strategies to keep the Aboriginal culture and traditions of the Noongar community intact. Researchers, students and scholars on indigenous tourism need to undertake detailed in-depth studies on the tourist destination to identify the factors that help the site to preserve its authenticity and cultural diversity. Governmental policies and interventions on indigenous tourism need to perceive tourism as a cultural phenomenon rather than an economic enterprise. It is imperative for all the stakeholders associated with the tourist spot to identify the dangers and potential far reaching effects of commoditization and commercialization on this aboriginal tourism. Above all, measures are to be undertaken to facilitate sustainable models of tourism development on the tourist site. The limitations of the study are many and varied. Fieldtrips offer only limited time for the researcher to make his observations and conclusions. Studies on indigenous tourism necessitate constant observation and it is essential to undertake in-depth studies to verify the conclusions. However, the fieldtrip report offers some significant clues regarding indigenous culture and potential dangers to authenticity of the indigenous culture of the target group. References Bindi Bindi Dreaming: About Us. (2013). Retrieved September 16, 2014, from http://www.bindibindidreaming.com.au/#!about-us/c13ps Butler, R.W & Hinch, T. (2007). Tourism and Indigenous Peoples. Issues and Implications. UK: Elsevier. Choy, D.J.L. (1992). Life Cycle Models for Pacific Island Destinations. Journal of Travel Research, 30 (26), 26-31. Cohen, E. (1988). Authenticity and commoditization in tourism. Annals of Tourism Research, 15, 371-386. Garay, L & Ca`noves, G. (2011). Life cycles, stages and tourism history: The Catalonia (Spain) Experience. Annals of Tourism Research, 38 (2), 651–671. Harkin, M. (2003). Staged Encounters: Postmodern Tourism and Aboriginal People. Ethnohistory, 50 (3), 575-585. Hinkson, M. (2003). Encounters with Aboriginal Sites in Metropolitan Sydney: A Broadening Horizon for Cultural Tourism? Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 11 (4), 295-306. Janke, Terri. (2008). Indigenous cultural expression and intellectual property. In Ed. Martin Hinton, Daryle Rigney and Elliott Johnston (Ed.), Indigenous Australians and the Law (61-84). USA & Canada: Routledge. Johnston, R.J & Tyrrell, T. (2005). A Dynamic Model of Sustainable Tourism. Journal of Travel Research, 43, 1-11. Zeppel, H. (1999). Aboriginal tourism in Australia: a research bibliography. Gold Coast, Qld: CRC Sustainable Tourism. WAITOC. Making a Difference: Aboriginal tourism strategy for Western Australia 2011- 2015. Retrieved September 16, 2014, from http://www.tourism.wa.gov.au/Publications%20Library/Polices%20Plans%20and%20Strategies/Making%20a%20Difference%20final%20web%20version.pdf WAITOC. (2014). Aboriginal Culture: Cultural Protocols. Tourism Australia. Retrieved September 16, 2014, from http://www.waitoc.com/2014/cultural-protocols Wranik, M. (2011). Indigenous tourism in Australia. CNN Cable News Network. Retrieved September 16, 2014, from http://travel.cnn.com/sydney/visit/indigenous-tourism-australia-906531 Read More