Spotlight on Indigenous Tourism - Unkya and Wajaana Yaam sharing Gumbaynggirr language

On the mid-north coast of NSW, Unkya Cultural Eco Tours, at Scotts Head, and Wajaana Yaam Adventure Tours, in Coffs Harbour, are running tours using the local Gumbaynggirr language and sharing the stories of their people.

Scotts Head and Coffs Harbour are situated in Gumbaynggirr country – Gumbaynggirr is one of 250 distinct Aboriginal language groups that have existed on the continent of Australia since time immemorial.

Both Aboriginal owned and operated, Unkya and Wajaana Yaam’s tours take place on the homelands of the Gumbaynggirr tribal nation and all guides are Gumbaynggirr people or Aboriginal people who have strong familial ties to Gumbaynggirr country.

Unkya Cultural Eco Tours

Sharing local language and the strong cultural connection to Gaagal Wanggaan National Park, Unkya Cultural Eco Tours offer two different two hour tours which share the Gumbaynggirr people’s creation stories of the how the sea was made and their traditions, customs and lore.

The local guides use the land, language and stories to take visitors on a journey as they walk on this traditional land to learn about the Gumbaynggir people and their culture, and participate in an important smoking and cleansing ceremony.

From June to November, visitors can also take part in cultural ceremonies that welcome and offer safe passage for the Humpback and Southern Right Gurruuja (Whales) as they journey through Gumbaynggirr homelands.

Wajaana Yaam Adventure Tours

Living on the coast, Gumbaynggir are saltwater people. Wajaana Yaam Gumbaynggirr Adventure Tours celebrates this connection to the sea with a 2.5 hour adventure paddle in Coffs Harbour’s Solitary Islands Marine Park.

The local guides, who are direct descendants of the world’s first stand up paddlers, share their connection to land and sea through stories and language, and give visitors the chance to collect and taste seasonal bush tucker.

Wajaana Yaam is a social enterprise, providing training and an employment pathway for Gumbaynggirr youth and community members through the acquisition of knowledge of language and culture. Furthermore, a proportion of the profits are invested in Bularri Muurlay Nyanggan Aboriginal Corporation which runs a weekly after school learning centre, cultural camps and extensive Gumbaynggirr language revitalisation initiatives.

For more Indigenous tourism experiences in NSW go to www.visitnsw.com/