Come and Know a Little about Your Own Backyard: Transformative Learning Potentials through Knowledge Sharing in Indigenous Tourism in Australia

For adults who completed their schooling in Australia, it is likely that little was learnt about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. And, what was taught was likely racist, with Indigenous Australians portrayed as uncivilised and unintelligent. How can adults learn about true Australian history and unlearn prejudices that are widely held? As a site of adult informal education, Indigenous tourism represents one context where the visibility and recognition of Indigenous peoples as knowledge holders can be promoted and celebrated, as co-author Ngarluma and Yindjibarndi man and Indigenous tourism operator Clinton Walker expresses: “Western society within mainstream Australia can learn a lot from Aboriginal people”. This chapter reports the findings of a constructivist grounded theory study, positioned within a critical Indigenous methodological approach, privileging the experiences of Aboriginal tourism operators in sharing their cultural knowledges with visitors. Opportunities for transforming visitor frames of reference are identified through respecting Indigenous sovereignty, valuing Indigenous knowledges, and supporting Indigenous affairs. These transformative learning potentials can open doors for a more coherent and inclusive national narrative, with cultural competency seen as an ongoing commitment and practice rather than a form of tick-box tokenism. Here, visitors must be open to deeply listening and reflecting on their biases and privileges. We discuss how raising community awareness and fuelling social momentum is one pathway to exerting pressure on decision makers to protect environmental and cultural heritage at Murujuga, Burrup Peninsula.