Rripaŋu Yidaki†

†This article follows orthography conventions for Yolŋu words and names developed by Lowe, and used today to teach literacy of Yolŋu languages in Yolŋu community schools and at Charles Darwin University (see Christie & Gaykamaŋu, 2001; Lowe, 1996; and http://learnline.cdu.edu.au/yolngustudies/index.htm). A glossary, with notes on pronouncing non-Roman characters may be found at the end of the article.

: Aboriginal social frameworks in a Musical Ecotourism Business

Abstract

Rripaŋu Yidaki is a grassroots tourism business, dedicated to the craft and study of the didjeridu, initiated, owned, and maintained by one Aboriginal family in the far north of Australia. Its business model, while unconventional, is premised on long-standing local Aboriginal social frameworks, such as kinship networks and exchange customs. Field research and communication with the family and its visitors carried out over the past 2 years indicate that these social frameworks are uniquely suited to meet the stated needs and desires of this family enterprise and its self-selecting clientele. The family's business model also avoids the inequities inherent in the models of more developed and capitalised Aboriginal tourism enterprises seen elsewhere in Australia. While some visitors and promoters have described Rripaŋu Yidaki as an ecotourist enterprise, the term ‘ecotourism’ remains a foreign category to local Aboriginal systems of thought and valuation. Yet virtually all of Rripaŋu Yidaki's operations fit within accepted definitions of ecotourism, and the family accepts the label as a valid description of their business. This fully indigenous ecotourism venture, based on local social frameworks and visitor participation, could serve as a model for encouraging grassroots ecotourism in other indigenous communities without massive outside investment.

Keywords:

• indigenous peoples
• cross-cultural exchange
• indigenous economies
• grassroots tourism
• ecotourism
• didjeridu

Acknowledgements

The author wishes to express his deep gratitude to Djalu’, Dhäŋgal, and Gunariny Gurruwiwi for offering so much guidance, love, and hospitality over the past 3 years. Gabriel Solis, Randin Graves, Guan Lim, Tom Bassett, Omid Laridjani, Jamie Nelson, Richard Millott, and Ben Hicks all offered valuable input, guidance, and support for this project. Thanks are also due to the two referees for this article whose feedback contributed greatly to the quality of discussion and analysis of a subject admittedly outside the author's own field.

Notes

†This article follows orthography conventions for Yolŋu words and names developed by Lowe, and used today to teach literacy of Yolŋu languages in Yolŋu community schools and at Charles Darwin University (see Christie & Gaykamaŋu, 2001; Lowe, 1996; and http://learnline.cdu.edu.au/yolngustudies/index.htm). A glossary, with notes on pronouncing non-Roman characters may be found at the end of the article.