Tourism Australia statistics show that many overseas tourists, as well as Australians, are keen to learn more about Australia's first peoples. And while the Indigenous tourism industry continues to grow, no comprehensive travel guide is currently available.
Marcia Langton: Welcome to Country is a curated guidebook to Indigenous Australia and the Torres Strait Islands. In its pages, author Professor Marcia Langton offers fascinating insights into Indigenous languages and customs, history, native title, art and dance, storytelling, and cultural awareness and etiquette for visitors. There is also a directory of Indigenous tourism experiences, organised by state or territory, covering galleries and festivals, national parks and museums, communities that are open to visitors, as well as tours and performances. This book is essential for anyone travelling around Australia who wants to learn more about the culture that has thrived here for over 50,000 years. It also offers the chance to enjoy tourism opportunities that will show you a different side of this fascinating country - one that remains dynamic, and is filled with openness and diversity.
Barb takes care of the web orders here at Boffins, and is your contact for book club enquiries. She spends all her spare time curled up on the couch reading and for the last several years has reviewed books on the Afternoon Program on ABC radio Perth.
This is such a well put together book, great to read and full of practical advice. Two thirds of the book is literally a travel guide to indigenous Australia, with a chapter for each state and territory as well as the Torres Strait Islands. Festivals, art, dance, sport, camping, walking, guided tours are just some of the topics covered, with a plethora of contact information provided. I particularly enjoyed the first third of the book - some 70 pages or so - which gives an introduction to indigenous culture. From pre-history to language, clan groups to art, land rights and white settlement, this is a clear, readable and informative overview, full of pictures and illustrations, that would be of interest to anyone.
