Anangu Tours the Aboriginal Tour Company
Anangu Tours: Responsible tourism in practice
Responsible Tourism for Anangu Tours is not a marketing
Device. Responsible tourism principles are our very reason for
Existence. We exist in order to provide jobs and economic
resources to some of the most disadvantaged people in Australia.
In the process we give our people a renewed sense of pride in our culture, and a reason for creating a better future.
Our Mission Statement
- to deliver the highest quality cultural touring in Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park and surrounding region;
- to be a profitable tourism business that returns a healthy dividend to Anangu (Aboriginal) owners, for community development programs;
- to provide meaningful employment for as many local Anangu people as possible;
- to employ and train local Anangu (Aboriginal) staff within all areas of the business;
- overall, to be guided by and correctly represent Tjukurpa (the cultural values of Anangu). To provide a good understanding of Tjukurpa and our lifestyle for all visitors to our country;
- To operate a sustainable tourism enterprise that enhances the cultural and environmental values of our region (Central Australia).
Social responsibility:
Tjukurpa is our law, culture, history, and our world view all bundled into one. Our ancestors have lived around Uluru (Ayers Rock) for many thousands of years, maintaining Tjukurpa, the law of the ancestors. Our grandparents taught us our Tjukurpa, just as their grandparents taught them.
It is important that all visitors to our country gain an understanding of Tjukurpa, and it is our role to pass it on. As a visitor we help you learn from the beginning, just like our children, a little bit at a time, so you understand properly.
We have designed our tours to give visitors of all ages the opportunity to learn Tjukurpa, and something of our lifestyle and history. Each of our tours focuses on a different Tjukurpa from a different ancestor.
We want you to see what we see inside that big Rock, and take home some of our spiritual feelings for this place.
Our Language: Anangu speak a range of dialects that collectively are called Western Desert languages. The most predominant of these languages spoken by the staff at Anangu Tours are Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara. Our languages are a very important part of our culture. We speak our language to keep it strong and to keep our culture strong. Speaking in our language empowers us!
On all of out tours we speak to you in our language and this is interpreted by a language interpreter. Our interpreters are good English speakers and we have trained them in our language. We work as a very good team.
Governance
Anangu Tours Pty Ltd is governed by a board of directors, which is made up entirely of local Aboriginal people, elected by the Aboriginal people in the Uluru region. They make up the membership of Nyangatjatjara Aboriginal Corporation. Profits from the company are distributed to our three local Aboriginal communities for community development purposes.
Anangu Tours Pty Ltd is a private company whose shares are held in trust by Nyangatjatjara Corporation. The Nyangatjatjara Corporation is the Aboriginal resource and development organisation for the members of the Aboriginal communities of Imanpa, Mutitjulu, and Kaltukatjara which are located in Central Australia. We are Pitjantjatjara and Yangkuyntjatara speaking communities who still maintain strong traditional associations and affiliations with our homeland.
Economic responsibility: Anangu Tours is owned by Anangu (local Aboriginal people), though our Aboriginal Corporation. We provide real jobs for local people; we employ Anangu to deliver all touring activities that are conducted by the company and to represent the company at trade and industry events.
Anangu Tours and associated companies have delivered in excess of $5 million dollars in dividends for distribution in the past 9 years. These dividends have been used for many different community development purposes, including contributing to the following projects:
- Development of a local high school for Aboriginal students.
- Purchase of a cattle station, which is being developed as a tourism destination;
- Purchase of local roadhouse that services Aboriginal people and visitors;
- Purchase of vehicles and sporting goods for petrol sniffing alleviation programs;
- Support for Aboriginal youth programs;
- Purchase of infrastructure to improve housing and community services;
- Development of a camel farming project;
- Purchase of a local community store that provides for our people.
We utilise local Aboriginal owned service providers and where possible purchase all other supplies and services from Aboriginal owned companies.
We are proud of the way our company conducts tours, and the way we can help make our communities stronger through involvement in tourism. We know you will enjoy our tours and come away feeling you have had a very special experience. You will also know that you have contributed to our local economy in a very meaningful way.
