Executive Summary
Field trips serve
one vital function as far as education is concerned. Field trips link the
classroom experience with the outside world in so doing they not only improve
learning, but also give both the learner and educator valued practical
experience (Jin and Lin, 2012). The tour they took with Greg Nannup of the
Indigenous Tours WA was an interesting one judging by the varied lessons that
we had to receive. This report is prepared to that effect. It details the
events and the lessons learnt from the field trip conducted with the said tours
agency. This particular trip visioned at improving their knowledge base
grounded in the classroom concerning indigenous tourism. During this event,
they encountered several wonderful spectacles like the magnificent shipwreck
gallery in Fremantle. This gallery with its combined history and culture offers
the tourists come visiting with a lively tourism site. The field trip owed its
success to the tour guide, Greg Nannup who engaged the students in legends
throughout the trip. A majority of his legends concerned the variety of tourist
attractions that the students came across including the architectural
buildings, the Freemantle Prison, and the Swan River. A brief detail of this is
discussed in this report. In due course, the report provides information on the
aboriginals’ connection with Fremantle, which actually is the basis of the
indigenous tourism in the place.
Introduction
Within the Perth region, the Fremantle Heritage Tour is among the oldest
indigenous experience. It starts at the Fremantle Maritime Museum next to the
waterfront and wander pasts other spectacular sites along the Swan River
(Smith, 2011). Tourists in the region enjoy the view of the Nyoongar homelands,
which is famous for wildlife spotting, bush-tucker searches, and weapon
demonstrations. Other than Fremantle’s well-illustrated history, covering the
last two hundred years lays the colourful and rich native history of over forty
thousand years (trip advisor, n.d). Fremantle, which is located next to the
Perth and the mouth of the Swan River, was home to the indigenous people of
Australia for a very long time. The Nyoongar makes up the local aboriginal
language group living in this area.
The aspects of the life and history of the Aboriginal
Nyoongar population enlightens within the Fremantle Aboriginal Heritage Walking
Tour (Rivera, 2012). Tourists exploring the indigenous culture plus the history
in Fremantle discover that Swan River is an important part of the Aboriginal
Dreamtime. Tourists get familiar withthe story of Wagyltogether with the
aspects of the aboriginal history within the Fremantle area during the
aboriginal Heritage Walking Tour. The field trip’s main goal was exploring the
rich history that the Fremantle area holds, and in this regard, discovering the
multi faceted nature of Fremantle’s heritage, both before and after the
European settlement. This particular report explores a field trip that took
place at the Fremantle Aboriginal Heritage Walking Tour.
Background
As a requirement of the course, students are expected to take part in a field
trip to an indigenous tourist destination. In this regard, the indigenous
destination that is the subject of this report is the Fremantle, a place well
known for its well-preserved architectural heritage. The Fremantle Aboriginal
Heritage Walking Tour bequeathed the students with a pleasant and exceptional
walking experience, which absorbed them into the culture of one of Australia’s
most attractive cities. The students had the chance of exploring Perth’s
natural charm and its hidden treasures. In addition, they engaged in its
colourful history, starting from its colonial and indigenous beginnings to its
current boomtown, filled with corruption and crime. The students gathered
outside the shipwrecks gallery in Fremantle, an area bordering the Fishing Boat
Harbour. They were led by Greg Nannup of the Indigenous tours WA in the trip
that took one and a half hours to complete.
Aims of the Report
Field trip reports improve the educational value of a trip (Kolin, 2012). The trips
deal with the spatial relations among data and the time relationships like the
cultural history or geological processes. This report addresses two chief
functions. First, it provides the practical experience that persuades students
to realize the theoretical and conceptual discussions of their studies.
Secondly, it improvesthe process of information gathering,as students are able
to step outside their imaginedperceptions to collecttheir experiences as the
data for the knowledge founded on interpretation. In equal proportions, the
report imitates the learning and experience achieved during the field trip.
Consequently, through the preparation of the report, students are able to
ponder their enhancement proficiency within this field of indigenous tourism.
Site Description
Fremantle serves as a habitat to a majority of iconic and well-recognized
tourist attraction sites. This makes it a notorious destination both for
interstate and international visitors. Fremantle was originally home to mass
accumulation and whaling stations. It is an attractive little city, famous for
its vast multicultural historical sites and restaurants. In equal measures, it
includes convict built colonial epoch edifices in addition to one of the most
tarnished prisons within the larger British Empire called ‘the World Heritage
Listed Fremantle Prison’. While people are busy exploring the place, they are
likely to hear surprising noises of Irish prisoners as well as the comical
British Bushrangers escaping. This is the result of the World War II and the
dishonourable eviction of the aboriginals to the Rottnest Island. In the past
years when passenger ships served as the common means of transport for
international travellers, Fremantle remained the western entrance to Australia.
Several migrants arrived via the ship making this place their home. However,
the jet travel changed Fremantle’s fame as a destination, following which the
port city appeared the centre of global attention during Australia’s defence of
American Cup in the year 1987. Currently, Fremantle still holds on to much of
its usual charm. Most of Fremantle’s old edifices have been carefully restored
and as well, the west end of the port is officially among the outstanding
archetypes of a Victorian port streetscape in the universe. Fremantle enjoys a
lively atmosphere given that there is always something taking place around the
city, ranging from exhibitions, markets and concerts, festivals, to street
performances.
The Field Trip/
Literature Review
The experience during the Fremantle Aboriginal Heritage Walking Tour was one to
die-for. With the radiant, educational, and entertaining experience, the trip
was a success. It gave the student visitors the story of the Wagyl together
with the bit on the aboriginal history within the Fremantle area. An instance
is the Fremantle Round House, which was constructed in 1831on Arthur Head. This
building is not just Fremantle’s oldest edifice, but was also once a local
prison. In the following years, it served as a holding cell to the aboriginal
prisoners before they could proceed to the prison on the Rottnest Island.
Yangan, an aboriginal resistance hero, is known to be among the first prisoners
in Round House. After his rebellion against the white settlers, he was trailed
and murdered. His head was cut off from the body, after which it was brought to
England. After an exhibition in a Liverpool museum, it was buried in a mass
grave. However, after some years, the head was exhumed and an aboriginal
delegation brought it back to Perth.
The tale of the disastrous rates of indigenous
imprisonmentwithin Australia in the modern day and the twentieth century was
explained to the students and they could not help but question on the relevance
of the prison museum to the children of an aboriginal background. Greg
explained that the prison presents itself mainly as a site of convict
imprisonment and virtually fails to notice the many years that after the
convict period. This act stresses the diverse and fundamentally contested
importance of such sites (Frew and White, 2011). Greg continued on the
Fremantle prison saying that as an iconic architectural entity, the prison
stands as an example of Australia’s legal, institutional, and social history,
and, therefore, a monumental signifier of national identity. Convicts built the
old Fremantle prison between the years 1851 to 1855. The prison contains an
underground tunnel. The students were able to learn new information concerning
the convicts, maritime legends, and stories of free settlers. One surprising
discovery for them was that the prison has numerous paranormal activities in
the form of ghosts, who have been living in the prison from the past. Besides,
the prison’s history includes sufferings and hardships, which are observed on
the brick walls as a lingering imprint. For example, the red, yellow, and black
aboriginal flag is a major symbol of resistance and nationalism (Wilson, 2008).
It is to be seen in a variety of places on the cell walls, in common places,
and even as carved into sandstone walls.
Just as the Western Australian Indigenous Tourism Operators
Council (2011) state, while on an one-hour walk in Fremantle with an aboriginal
guide, tourists are likely to learn concerning the importance of Fremantle to
the Nyoongar people in addition to the dreaming tales concerning the area. The
main experiences include the aboriginal culture plus history, traditional
aboriginal hunting and gathering, aboriginal dreamtime, plus the tours of
historic and sacred aboriginal sites. Starting from the Fremantle Town Hall,
the tour took a non-traditional route through Freo, at the same time getting to
know of the precise, irrelevant, and subjectiveinformation of this place en
route for the energetic cappuccino strip as well as the Roundhouse. The one and
a half hour walk through the historic streets of the town, beginning at the
Maritime Museum, through to the Roundhouse was of great significance. It gave
the students a powerful insight into the aboriginal people’s experiences, plus
how the settler invasion had an effect on them. A variety of aspects covering
the history and life of the aboriginal Nyoongar populace became apparent within
the Fremantle Aboriginal Heritage Walking Tour.
As the Aboriginal guide took us through the path of native
history and culture in Fremantle, the students realized that the Swan River is
very much a part of the Aboriginal Dreamtime and the Aborigines treasure it as
the most significant Dreaming trail within the larger part of Wagyl,also known
as the winged Rainbow Serpent. In the context of Aboriginal beliefs, the
extraordinary creature, the Wagyl lived within the reaches of the Swan River.
In addition, it is linked to the development of the riverbed, which took place
when it glided through the sand. Thus, the Nyoongar belief system holds the
notion that the Swan River was formed in this way and the proof is the Wagyl’s
existence. Around the Swan River foreshore, the ENRICH (Encouraging
Reconciliation through Indigenous Culture and Heritage) trail discovers sites
of importance to the Nyoongar Aborigines (Smith, 2011). They integrate Barrack
Square, Kings Park, Heirison Island and Point Fraser, and the Supreme Court
Gardens. Others sites such as the Pinjara, the Serpentine River, and the
Mandurah as well collect the past and present rituals and traditions of
primeval ancient groups living along the coastline. Moreover, the students were
able to learn of the fact that major developments remain suitable within the
Swan River. With this in mind, CY O’Connor, the engineer-in-chief of Western
Australia from 1891 was responsible for a vital public works plan to build up
the colony (South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council, n.d.). Hence, he was
able to encourage the government that the greatest undertaking for Fremantle
involved constructing a river mouth harbour. Certainly, the project was
launched in 1892, with the harbour opening up its doors in 1897. Likewise, the
students learnt more concerning the history of the place. According to the
Nyoongar aboriginals, visitors frequented Fremantle during summer months during
which fish and shellfish were in plenty. Greg recollected the history of
fishing along the Swan River, demonstrating a way of using leaves and sticks to
catch fish and crabs along the riverbanks. At the Fremantle harbour, the
shallow waters formed a favourable environment for catching fish.
Furthermore, Greg explained on the link between Fremantle
and the aboriginals. According to Buchholtz (2005), students should make a
variety of choices regarding their host culture’s societal networks and these
choices should result in a reflective effect on the extent to which they become
socially integrated. With regard to this, Greg did elaborate on the vital sites
and their histories, and shared dreaming stories from the region. He explained
how the European settlement interrupted the local people, the link with the
Rottnest Island, and the significance of the Swan River. The lessons learnt
here included that the name Fremantle was borrowed from Captain Fremantle. On
arrival to the city, the Nyoongar people gave him food, water, and fire. In
addition, they sang throughout the night welcoming the white fella (wadjella)
arrival. This was a novel refreshing approach to the old city from the eyes of
the Nyoongar. In equal measures, the guide provided riveting insights into the
traditional uses of plants, ranging from weaving, aid from stings, bandages,
among others. There was a magnificent walk through the Perth’s striking Kings
Park where they paid close attention to the plants that were initially used as food,
medicine, and shelter by the Nyoongar tribe. The informative walk beginning
with a cultural traditional reception ritual, the tanderum in which the
visitors breathe in the strong aroma of native foliage that burns and smokes.
The walk then ends with lemon myrtle tea and a review of some traditional tools
and weapons.
Indigenous Tourism
and Sustainable Development
A variety of researchers have discovered indigenous tourism as a method for
sustainable development since it attracts visitors, stimulating local economies
via a generation of tour revenues (Shikida, Yoda, Kino &Morishige, 2009;
Choi and Sirakaya, 2005; Zeppel, 2009; Wallace & Russel, 2004;
Whitford&Ruhanen, 2010; Altman & Finlayson, 2003). Uniformly, it helps
preserve the natural, cultural, and social resources of the communities.
Moreover, Blicker, Cottrel, and Black (2012), stress that indigenous tourism
should aim at improving the lives of indigenous people, eliminating poverty,
and contributing to environmental sustainability on a local and global extent.
Tourism is a likely source of employment and economic growth
for the indigenous population in Australia (Buultjens& Fuller, 2007), and,
thus, tourists are always invited to learn about the Aboriginal cultures within
the country (Zeppel, 1999). Fremantle relishes indigenous tourism, which is the
major source of employment and finance for the people living within the city
(PerthNow, 2012). As Schmiechen (2006) explains, the place is of vital
significance as it gives the visitors a strong focus on indigenous communities,
people, and organizations with an explicit interest and participation in
tourism. The exclusive aspects of the indigenous cultural traditions and
history of Fremantle are embedded within the cultural and heritage tourism. In addition,
the ceremonial aspects of indigenous culture are featured in Freemantle’s
special events and native festivals. As Zeppel (2007) explicates, indigenous
cultures are more often than not the basic moving factors for tourist’s visit
to exotic destinations, and tribal events.
Fremantle, while taking upindigenous tourism for sustainable
development, connects its recording facilities and institutions to the sites of
native cultural tourism (Dunbar-Hall, 2004). From this viewpoint, it provides
sustainable income to the aboriginals involved in media and music. In some
cases, these places are as well the places of aboriginal broadcasting
facilities and media relations. They observe numerous agendas. To start with,
they are the chief site for dissemination of contemporary aboriginal music.
Additionally, through indigenous control of broadcasting, they are a direct
arena of empowerment, and thus allow aboriginal involvement within publicly
available media and representations of aboriginality. In conclusion, they play
a significant role in the development, preservation, and encouragement of
indigenous cultures and languages.
Additionally, the travel guides within Fremantle are all
local people, thus they have the exact information as concerning the area.
According to Carr (2004), on-site interpretation aids to raise visitor’s
awareness that a particular place has certain special importance to the local
people, thus giving the visitors awareness of the cultural dimensions of that
particular area. Greg Nannup, being highly knowledgeable and professional,
proved to be highly engaging with the students and answered all their
questions. In fact, he made the tour environment more authentic. The very fact
that he is an aboriginal from the South Western side of Australia makes him
authentic. As Mcintyre and Gosford (2011) attest, tourism in the twenty-first
century is concerning people connecting with the globe, culture, and the bona
fide experiences as opposed to the mere taking of photographs. Moreover,
tourists are on the look out for nature-based experiences, thus they hunt for
indigenous explanation of the surrounding milieu and landscape (Kandari&
Chandra, 2004). Greg, as a travel guide puts this experience into the visitors.
In addition, he is able to relate Fremantle’s indigenous tourism to sustainable
development. Greg highlighted that his expressive voice in addition to the
value of the stories he told had been passed down from generations, thus making
them cultural in nature. Thus, he remains in a position to offer insight into
the reasons why Fremantle and its environs are such a vital place for the
indigenous population.
Greg clarified on the special link between Fremantle and its
aboriginals. The land surrounding Fremantle has always been an important place
for the aboriginals.
Discussion
The field trip was important in learning about the historic port city of
Fremantle. The students did not just wander the adventurous streets and
laneways, but also learnt about Fremantle’s rich and diverse history and
culture, which is embedded within its colourful inhabitants, well-preserved
architecture, and great food. They got the rare chance of exploring the
rationale behind it being a famous destination for both the local communities
and international visitors. One of the reasons is Fremantle’s unique character
captured by its heritage architecture, music, culture, and its restaurants.
Conclusions and
Recommendations
Field trips are a vital part of the school curriculum as they proffer students
with the necessary experience that cannot be imitated within the school
setting. Nevertheless, they are a critical part of the general knowledge.
Students affirmed that the trip to Fremantle was a tremendously optimistic
experience for them. When asked which aspects of the field trip improved their
interest and understanding of the course, they rated learning about the
historical and cultural aspects of the Fremantle aboriginals as the most
important.
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