Name and Country |
Do you agree or disagree with this practice? |
Please provide your reasons for agreeing or disagreeing with imports of Aboriginal arts and crafts into Australia |
| Alan Thornsberry from USA |
I strongly disagree with imports |
Native artisans should be respected and cherished and not exploited |
| Anonymous |
I strongly disagree with imports |
To cheapen the custom and the tradition of a group of people's culture I feel is simply seen as exploiting the group's uniqueness and treating them as marketable products. |
| Alexander Keane from USA |
I disagree with imports |
First off those in China India Indonesia probably have not been taught the proper methods of crafting these pieces. Nor do the companies in charge give the proper reverence toward the products they create. |
| Anonymous from Spain |
I disagree with imports |
I like aboriginal art but I don't like false aboriginal things |
| Amanda from USA |
I disagree with imports |
It's not real and unfair to the native peoples |
| Andrew from USA |
I strongly disagree with imports |
I disagree with imports because it is taking away from the aborigines way of life and culture. They're making it harder for the aborigines to sustain their way of life in a rapidly industrializing world. So the aborigines lose out while large companies make a quick profit off of the true Australians culture. |
| Andri from Switzerland |
I disagree with imports |
The only reason why I could agree with this practice is to give a bit more protec tion to the australian flora |
| Angus Liedtke from Canada |
I disagree with imports |
It is not authenicly aborignal and that is what people are looking for so they can bring home presents and tell their kids or friends that this actually made in Australia |
| Anonymous from Germany |
I strongly disagree with imports |
They should better produce their own arts and crafts and live their traditions. Traditions are very important and they mustn't die out. |
| Anonymous from USA |
I strongly disagree with imports |
I have never been to Australia and although I don't know much about the country's history or its people I would expect the nation to have pride in its art and culture and smash down all counterfeiters. |
| Aydan from United Kingdom |
I disagree with imports |
Because it is not genuine products and has little meaning! |
| Benoit from France |
I strongly disagree with imports |
First of all what's the point of taking home a souvenir from your trip to Australia that's not even Australian! (i didn't know of this practice its very sad!). I believe arts and crafts are the natural offspring of culture. Bringing back an item as a souvenir of the culture visited is one thing. I even think if you travel and visit the people as a person what you bring back are gifts from the people and the have no money value. Tourist shops selling items is another business and often has little to do with the culture no?. Soulless objects with no use nor reason... Some kind of result of the globalisation(in other words manufacturing) of cultural items. This is a global problem that all cultures suffer nowadays even in my home France. If you want real french culture you won't find it in paris you have to go deep in the countryside meet the REAL people and the local cheese and wine (for example we don't just do cheeses and wines!) will be offered to you not sold! I imagine it is exactly the same in Australia. |
| Blake Simpson from USA |
I strongly disagree with imports |
Bogus is bogus |
| Brad Bevis from Australia |
I strongly disagree with imports |
Because it takes away from the importance of our culture and deprives true Aboriginal artiest of of a living. |
| Anonymous |
I disagree with imports |
Aboriginal instruments/artifacts should be made by aboriginal people |
| Anonymous |
I strongly disagree with imports |
Simply the fact that you want an original piece of art/musical instrument NOT a cheaper version from somewhere else. |
| Anonymous |
I disagree with imports |
I don't like the idea of importing aboriginal arts from overseas and sold as australian aboriginal art. It's not and the money does not go to the aboriginal tribes |
| Anonymous |
I disagree with imports |
I don't know. |
| Anonymous from Australia |
I strongly disagree with imports |
I disagree strongly because it can't be genuine aboriginal arts and crafts if it is not made by an aboriginal And the people importing this crap are putting the australian aborigines out of jobs and are giving money overseas where it should be kept in australia and to the aboriginal people. |
| Anonymous |
I strongly agree with imports |
Most likely lowers the value and decreases market for genuine aboriginal art. |
| Anonymous |
I strongly disagree with imports |
I disagree because if I was purchasing any Aboriginal art I would expect that this was made and crafted by Aboriginal culture. |
| Carole Stedronsky from USA |
I strongly disagree with imports |
The practice of making poor copies of Aboriginal art muddies the awareness and appreciation of true Aboriginal art. Authentic Aboriginal art is more than items with stereotypical artistic features. Aboriginal art is spiritual as well as cultural. It is the lifeblood of the people. It is their voice and their song. The Aboriginal people have had so much of their lifestyle and culture misunderstood interfered with wounded and taken from them. The people are faced with the often overwhelming problem of trying to survive live and maintain their culture in spite of the encroachment of other people. Their art is their treasure.... for themselves.... but also it is something of true value which they can share with the rest of the world and market to help their survival. So much has been taken from the Aboriginal people. To steal their art by copying it and selling it as genuine Aboriginal art in my mind is a kind of rape. It is cultural violence done to a spiritual uniquely creative people. Like copyright infringement copying Aboriginal art and selling it as genuine is both misrepresentation and theft of original creative design. |
| Anonymous |
I disagree with imports |
Because if they do this they are cheating on the tourists there is plenty of beautiful art craft in australia to be importing things from other countries |
| Anonymous |
I strongly disagree with imports |
Takes away regions income |
| Cathy from Canada |
I strongly disagree with imports |
Income from aboriginal arts and crafts should benefit the aboriginal people.This also encourages the current generations to learn their history and the rich spiritual fibre that runs through their arts and craft so they keep their pride and don't loose their roots.Also its a scam if people are told its genuine aboriginal art and its not. |
| Charles from USA |
I strongly disagree with imports |
I visited Sydney Brisbane and Port Douglas this past march. The aboriginal art and crafts were expensive. I think it is wrong for stores to sell as authentic if they were not. |
| Anonymous |
I disagree with imports |
There should at least be some labelling and certification standards for genuine aboriginal pieces. |
| Craig from USA |
I strongly disagree with imports |
To me that would be like the USA importing "Native American crafts" from China to sell to tourists who are looking for an authentic and meaningful piece of art. If these were sold as genuine the people buying them would have little clue that they were actually cheating the culture itself. Aboriginal populations everywhere should be the only ones making a living off of their valuable contributions to world culture. |
| Curtis Hegwood Sr from USA |
I strongly disagree with imports |
If called aboriginal then it should be at least from their own country |
| Daniel from Australia |
I strongly disagree with imports |
Aboriginal arts and crafts are indigenous australia's culture and should not be forged. People buying these products would more than likely be buying it for what it represents. When it is crafted by Aboriginal Australians it has meaning and is telling a story. These forgeries have no meaning and tell no stories. I am fortunate enough to have purchased a beautiful canvas painting from an aboriginal man I sat with him while he painted and he told me the story and meaning behind it all. That is a treasured memory of mine. I would not want to take away from that art by putting cheap imported rubbish alongside it! |
| Danny from USA |
I strongly disagree with imports |
I believe that everything about a country should be from the country and made by the countrymen. Origin and authenticity is what makes things more personally valuable |
| Danny from Belgium |
I strongly disagree with imports |
They are abusing the authentic Aboriginals and are destroying their beautiful culture by importing cheap stuff that is nothing compared to the made-out-of-the-hart-and-soul didges that are made by aboriginal people. We all have to put a stop to it and keep buying true authentic aboriginal product to ensure their ways of living. |
| Darin from USA |
I disagree with imports |
Its not that importing is bad. Its passing off the import as a genuine aboriginal art. Real art should be designated as such but the cheap imitations should be designated as perhaps "exact aboriginal art copy or simulant" |
| David from USA |
I disagree with imports |
Importing goods and calling them genuine products makes the education and experience of the actual product harder to find. |
| Anonymous |
I disagree with imports |
They should sell local authentic products |
| Anonymous |
I strongly disagree with imports |
First of all why not give the opportunity for the Native people themselves to earn that money. Next the goods are probably cheaper because the people producing them in other countries aren't being paid a fair wage. This undermines the opportunity for the Aboriginal people to earn a fair wage. In a sense it perpetuates the cycle that was started several hundred years ago when Europeans started exploring the world for its riches. |
| Anonymous |
I disagree with imports |
Not Real? |
| Diane from USA |
I strongly disagree with imports |
Aboriginal arts and crafts belong to the aboriginals. It is their culture. |
| Donat from Belgium |
I strongly disagree with imports |
Well it cannot be aboriginal if it is imported... http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/aboriginal |
| Eddy from Australia |
I strongly disagree with imports |
Its just a copy placing original artists out of work through miss representation miss leading just wrong. |
| Eldor Karow from Germany |
I strongly disagree with imports |
Because its the wrong way they go... |
| Anonymous |
I disagree with imports |
Assuming there is no compensation to Aboriginal people it is essentially stealing Aboriginal culture. |
| Eva from Germany |
I strongly disagree with imports |
Just to fake the tourists. Less money for the original aborigines |
| Anonymous |
I strongly disagree with imports |
Importing fakes cheats the aboriginals out of the money and respect they deserve. They are being used for their culture and left to die off. |
| Anonymous from Canada |
I disagree with imports |
I think that imports are bad because Australians were the original creators of the didgeridoo and you guys should be exporting |
| Ian from USA |
I strongly disagree with imports |
Because these are items of Aboriginal design and have been for years. So They should only be made with great care by the Aboriginals as they have always been. |
| Ian Wright from USA |
I strongly disagree with imports |
I disagree because it takes away the meaning of art itself for me an uncommon sense of happiness anger or whatever that art tries to show. |
| Jackie Mcdonald from USA |
I strongly agree with imports |
Aboriginal arts and crafts are all sacred items stemming from sacred aboriginal myths beliefs and spiritualism... to copy this for profit would be very disrespectful. |
| Jakub Brezina from Czech Republic |
I strongly disagree with imports |
They were made in different culture...they have different soul which is in collision with Aboriginal culture...they can't understand your culture they are just copping "picture" not what's behind |
| Jason Kitching from Canada |
I strongly disagree with imports |
I see it as taking away from the aboriginal people. Also as lying to the tourists that think their getting original aboriginal art. |
| Anonymous |
I strongly disagree with imports |
It is a waste of time buying a copy of such a thing not to mention the impact it has on the livelihood of those who produce genuine art/crafts |
| Jeff from USA |
I disagree with imports |
It cheapens the real art and takes money out of the hands of Aboriginal artists and crafters. |
| Jeff from USA |
I disagree with imports |
Obviously the true Aboriginal communities deserve the opportunity to earn the revenue from the sale of traditional crafts. Imported crafts are not authentic and provide money for importing companies rather than the artists and craftspeople whose work should be rewarded. |
| Anonymous |
I disagree with imports |
The practice takes money away from Aboriginal people. |
| Anonymous from Australia |
I disagree with imports |
I think it defeats the purpose of an Australian Aboriginal souvenir when it is marked 'Made in China'! |
| Jim Davis from Canada |
I strongly disagree with imports |
Cheap copies of Aboriginal art takes away from the people of Australia and robs their culture |
| Jim Sziklas from USA |
I strongly disagree with imports |
It downgrades the Quality and tradition |
| John from USA |
I strongly disagree with imports |
Forging a cultures' art and heritage should never be tolerated especially by someone who appreciates and admires it. |
| John from Australia |
I strongly disagree with imports |
It is sacred work items and not to be imitated overseas. It should be kept Australian aboriginal work. |
| John Wilbur from Canada |
I strongly disagree with imports |
When people buy Aboriginal arts and crafts they want and expect them to have come from the hands of Aboriginals. Ban the fakes unless they are clearly marked as reproductions. |
| Anonymous |
I disagree with imports |
They shouldn't sell fakes claiming they are real |
| Kat Fox from USA |
I strongly disagree with imports |
The Aboriginal culture belongs to them only. It is their heritage alone and their legacy to history. No one else should be turning a profit off their unique culture. |
| Anonymous from USA |
I disagree with imports |
It exploits aboriginals as well as detracts from Australia's economy |
| Anonymous |
I strongly disagree with imports |
Things have a more "real" feel to them if they are made by the people who know and care about the "why" of what they're doing. |
| Anonymous |
I strongly disagree with imports |
It's just plain wrong and that's it. No reason to go further it's theft of culture. |
| Anonymous |
I strongly disagree with imports |
It takes away from the culture there and makes a fake one in its place |
| Anonymous |
I agree with imports |
I think it is good to share beliefs and culture |
| Anonymous |
I disagree with imports |
Its taking their property |
| Kurt Hardesty from USA |
I strongly disagree with imports |
If its not made by Aboriginal people it shouldn't be sold as Aboriginal art. |
| Anonymous |
I strongly disagree with imports |
IT is not original and is very misleading and does not represent the true artistic talents of native persons. |
| Laurent from USA |
I disagree with imports |
I believe in supporting local markets and systems to help local economy. |
| Lisa from USA |
I strongly disagree with imports |
If it says aboriginal arts it should be made by a true aboriginal |
| Lucas Rodriguez from Spain |
I strongly disagree with imports |
Because the legacy of the aboriginal people from Australia should be preserved not copied. |
| Anonymous |
I strongly disagree with imports |
If it says it is genuine Aboriginal art then that is fraud. |
| Matt Dunne from Australia |
I strongly disagree with imports |
The Aboriginal people are the originators of their culture to imitate this in any form is wrong. They should be allowed to practice their culture without it being copied by money hungry companies looking for a quick profit at the expense of the Aboriginal people. |
| Anonymous |
I disagree with imports |
It is fake art australia should only pay the aboriginal people for their cultural art even if it is pricier. |
| Anonymous |
I strongly agree with imports |
Aboriginal arts should be from the actual Aboriginal people! |
| Anonymous from USA |
I strongly agree with imports |
FAKE IS FAKE! |
| Michael Sare from USA |
I disagree with imports |
Because the native people of australia should have sole rights to these things of portance |
| Miguel from Portugal |
I strongly disagree with imports |
We should honour the ancestors. not using slaves to make cheap imitations of our own culture. But then again tourists will always be tourists. |
| Nathan from USA |
I disagree with imports |
They claim to be "true Aboriginal" products but they are probably mass produced and lack the zeal that an Aborigine would put into it. |
| Anonymous from USA |
I strongly disagree with imports |
It's a flat out lie to those who buy it not to mention how much it takes away from real aboriginal art. |
| Anonymous |
I disagree with imports |
I do not think you should cheapen the culture with copies of precious art. |
| Anonymous |
I strongly disagree with imports |
By importing false wares the merchants are cheating the aboriginal cultures both in misrepresenting their respective cultures and in taking money from the real aboriginal artisans. |
| Noreen from USA |
I strongly disagree with imports |
Goodness! It's just not a good thing! |
| Oliver Mullins from USA |
I strongly disagree with imports |
I believe that since a lot of unique art originated with the aboriginal nations that they deserve better that to be outsold to a 3rd party nation that already exports more poor quality shit that I care to think about. |
| Padraic from USA |
I strongly disagree with imports |
Its a gross misappropriation of wealth that could possibly go to the aborigines themselves. Also I'm sure that the practices of harvest are most definitely devastating to the environment. And its just plain wrong in my mind to duplicate native art for profit. I'd rather purchase a work of native art from a native whose family has been doing it for years with spirit and meaning and deeply rooted belief. |
| Anonymous from South Africa |
I strongly disagree with imports |
I think it is wrong that the government allows this to happen. It is showing little or no support to the local Aboriginal people which is appalling! |
| Paula Hanson from USA |
I disagree with imports |
It diminishes the original art and probably decreases any revenue which could benefit the original artists. it may be OK if it was disclosed as a toy and not original it should not be claimed as native. |
| Paulo Almeida from Portugal |
I strongly disagree with imports |
I defend the sacred and original of all the traditional things is a special energy like the energy of a didgeridoo sacred real and original |
| Anonymous |
I disagree with imports |
I disagree with deception of presenting copies as originals. I believe that handicraft art should be sold as original with funds going to the artists for supplies and support. |
| Peter Britney from USA |
I strongly disagree with imports |
I don't agree if they are sold as "aboriginal" arts. They are not and it takes away from trade that could benefit local people. It also tarnishes the perception of local goods if cheap knock offs are sold just for profit |
| Peyton from Canada |
I disagree with imports |
Importing Aboriginal arts and crafts into Australia is an insult and affront to the aboriginal people who have developed this form of art and culture. I don't believe that these importers will take care to ensure proper education about and tribute to the origins of these arts and crafts. |
| Pieter Pieter from Netherlands |
I disagree with imports |
It is bad for the people that are selling those things but it is better that they can have good jobs and businesses instead of being viewed as sub-humans which is despicable viewing that they lived there a lot longer than those steel skyscrapers. They must be allowed to sell there own stuff but also it is better to have schools for them and good medical care. |
| Ricardo Mella Vivanco from Chile |
I strongly disagree with imports |
Something similar happened in my country where the aboriginal art of the mapuche people is manufactured and its sold to foreigner tourist... this is very insulting because some of this items have a religious/spiritual symbolics to them like the külthrun that is not just a drum but has resumed in its morphology and paintings all the beliefs of the mapuche people... this awful practice its extending to other aboriginal cultures as well... |
| Richard Appleton from USA |
I strongly disagree with imports |
Cultures are to be kept pure and original and separate the same as a product can have a patient placed on it to stop any imitations a tribe or culture should be able to place rights of sales and distribution on their ancient arts and crafts. |
| Robin Dewan from Finland |
I disagree with imports |
It compromises the livelihood of genuine Aboriginal craftsmen. |
| Anonymous from USA |
I strongly disagree with imports |
Takes money/culture and customs away from the originators to didges |
| Anonymous from USA |
I strongly disagree with imports |
It is wrong to barter and trade for objects that are not of true origin. Of course tourists are the main attraction for this greed. As tourists tend to have no knowledge or real care of the property they are buying. It is a simple feel that when there is a demand somebody shall try to supply it even with false merchandise. It would be better to create more knowledge amongst tourists and amongst the general populace so it is easier to spot fakes and then lesser business shall be had with false merchandising. |
| Anonymous from USA |
I disagree with imports |
While it may be cheaper to import the quality of the goods is usually inferior. |
| Anonymous |
I agree with imports |
Give a glimpse at the culture some tourists would not normally see. |
| Anonymous |
I strongly disagree with imports |
Take money away from people who make genuine aboriginal arts |
| Simon from Australia |
I strongly disagree with imports |
I want to support the indigenous population |
| Stane Andolšek from Slovenia |
I strongly disagree with imports |
Australian arts must be authentic and Australian people must have material and moral satisfaction. This art is part of their identity. |
| Anonymous |
I strongly disagree with imports |
It means less work for the native Aboriginal people. |
| Anonymous |
I don't care |
Don't care. |
| Anonymous from United Kingdom |
I strongly disagree with imports |
My belief is that the aboriginal nation has has too much taken off them already. Art is a way in which the aborigines can inform and educate other races about themselves beliefs habits and customs whilst making money. Aboriginal art is fantastic and the passion behind it cannot be copied |
| Trevor William Church from USA |
I agree with imports |
Why not? |
| Anonymous |
I strongly disagree with imports |
Australian culture is unique accept no substitutes! |
| Vincent from USA |
I strongly disagree with imports |
Authenticity is the only integrity left in this world. If you sell out your culture what do you have left? |
| William Coon from USA |
I strongly disagree with imports |
Because it is lying and it is selling something that is not as it is portrayed. also I believe in keeping as much business local as possible |
| William Wilkie from USA |
I strongly disagree with imports |
The aborigines have been taken advantage of long enough it is not right to falsify one of the oldest civilizations in the world. Why would people want to sell cheap imitations when they could sell the real thing and help the aborigines the reason is that it gives them a larger profit margin. It is the same story that is as old as man the strong and corrupt will take advantage of the week at any cost with no worry of consequence. I could write a book but why? We all know but it is easier to turn our backs or pretend we are ostriches! |
| Anonymous |
I disagree with imports |
Imports decrease the value of original aboriginal arts |
