Eco Holidays

posted by Catherine on Jul 26

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Did you know that climbing Ayers Rock is offensive to the locals?

So is calling it Ayers Rock if you think of it.  And so is calling the people that live there ‘the locals’.

But, how often do you read up about indigenous cultures and beliefs before you set of on your green holidays?  How many countries have you already been to that you didn’t really know anything about?

We need to be more considerate of other cultures and religions before we traipse around their villages and ’sites’.

Ayers Rock In Australia:
Recently, this large red sandstone formation in Northern Territory is becoming known by it’s ‘original’ name of Uluru - as according to the 2 Aboriginal tribes in the area: the Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara.

For years tourist have driven to the middle of the ‘Outback’ to see and climb this giant ‘rock’, not having a clue that it is extremely disrespectful to the local people to do so.

Yes, there is a path to the top, with a loose handrail hammered into the stone itself to help you on your way - but it doesn’t mean that we ever had any right to just clamber all over it.

To tourists it’s just an public Australian natural landmark - just like a mountain or something - and therefore it is assumed that we have a right to do what we want to it.  However, to people from the Pitjantjatjara or Yankunytjatjara it is like a church or other sacred or personal building.

Turning this on it’s head then is like tourists coming to London and climbing up the side of Westminster Abbey and sitting on the roof eating lunch.  Or hacking a path across the faces of Mount Rushmore in South Dakota.

What would you think of that?

Another World Heritage Site At Risk?
Tongariro in New Zealand is also a place where traditional Maori culture has been ‘taken over’ by tourists.

In 1887 a local Maori chief gave the volcanic peak and the surrounding region to Queen Victoria so that it would be protected for the future - but other tribes in the area are now hoping to claim it back and stop tourists walking all over it!

Apparently the local chief who gave it away was only one of the many chiefs that worshipped and revered the volcanic peaks of this area - and now the others are trying to have their say as they want to keep their cultural rights alive and give the region the respect it deserves.

What can you do?
Before traveling to areas where indigenous people still live and work - find out a bit about them.

Find out how to act in their prescence, how to react to their questions and what not to do!  The latter is probably the most important.

Find out a few words in their language as well so that you can let them know that you planned to visit them and wanted to make the effort to be welcomed - rather than get dragged there by a tour guide and offend them left right and center with your behaviour.

Mistakes could be a simple as keeping your shoes on in buildings, showing your bare soles to elders, pointing, baring your shoulders and all sorts of other everyday things in our culture!

It only takes a second to offend someone - so take care not to!

posted by Catherine on Feb 17

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Instead of visiting a jungle to help plant trees - why not learn how to live there and survive using it’s natural resources?

There is an ethical company that can offer the opportunity to venture deep into jungles, learn a second language, teach children and adults, and even learn to dive. Their motto is ‘tread lightly…. go far’ and they have a great reputation - even training up Bruce Parry and employing him for years!

Who Are They?
Since starting in 1990, TrekForce have offered expeditions and adventures into some of the most remote locations in the world, helping local communities along the way.

They have also been responsible for setting up over 100 new national parks, carried out biodiversity studies, completed hundreds of separate local projects, planted a quarter of a million trees (they are running as a carbon neutral company now) and placed over 600 teaching assistants in over 300 community schools overseas.

They also run packages for charities and CSR - Corporate Social Responsibility - which can boost big company profiles and help to attract future employees.

What Do They Offer?
As part of their packages - and depending on how long you can travel with them - they offer a whole host of skills and experiences. These include the following:

Jungle Training - Instructors will help train you to set up camp, how to navigate, find food and water and basically make it through the night in the jungle.

Explore New Locations- They will set you on a challenge in some remote location at the request of the country you are visiting. This could include cataloging and mapping new areas or archaeological sites - never before visited. It could include building or repairing important structures for research and community support - and supporting local wildlife and conservation.

Living With Host Families- While traveling into these areas you will live with families across the region, learning the language and the culture. You can travel independently during this time, or spend more time with the local community.

Teaching - You have the opportunity to be placed as a teaching assistant within local schools within small or large communities. You may well be involved with field trips, helping to practice your leadership and language skills along the way.

Diving Lessons - Some courses end in a dive party having learnt PADI basics in location, then you can enjoy the clear waters to refresh your mind after all the hard work of the previous months!

Where And When?
Eco holiday destinations include Guatemala and Belize, Ecuador and Peru, Borneo, Papau New Guinea, Nepal, Morocco and Australia.

The adventures range from as little as 2 weeks (basic jungle skills) for around £1200, all the way up to 5 months (the full package) for up to £4100 - that’s less than £30 a day!!!!  Cheaper than a night in a Bed and Breakfast!

And don’t forget that that price includes a pre departure meeting, all meals and accommodation, transfers, training and emergency back-up - and a meet-up reunion afterwards. Not bad in my book.

The trips to Ecuador and Australia include the long term possibility of working there for up to a year from as little as £900 fully supported, and there is also an extended course where you can train to be a qualified expedition leader for over £6000 - this is real serious stuff and could lead you on a whole new career! Just ask Mr Parry about that!!!!!

Are you up for the challenge?

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