May 22, 2025 • 21 mins
Proudly supported by NRMA Insurance.
In this episode of the Black Magic Woman Podcast, I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down on beautiful Gimuy (Cairns) Country with Juan Walker—founder of Walkabout Cultural Adventures and proud Kuku Yalanji man.
Juan shared with me his journey from being a shy young fulla to running one of the most respected cultural tourism businesses in the country. His tours don’t just take you across land—they connect you deeply to story, culture, and the responsibilities we carry. From mud-crabbing with the kids to learning about his family's history on Country, this yarn was filled with so many gems about what it means to be grounded in who you are while running your own business.
Juan’s passion for culture, education, and empowerment is infectious. Whether he's teaching tourists, schoolkids, or mentoring other mob, he's walking the walk—literally and figuratively. This episode is all about that connection to Country, the power of lived experience, and why culture is our biggest asset.
Proudly supported by NRMA Insurance, this episode highlights the power of Blak business, community, and leadership. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Want to learn more about Juan and his work?
🌐 Website: https://walkaboutadventures.com.au
📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/walkaboutculturaladventures
Website: www.blackmagicwoman.com.au
Follow us on Instagram - @blackmagicwomanpodcast
The Black Magic Woman Podcast is hosted by Mundanara Bayles and is an uplifting conversational style program featuring mainly Aboriginal guests and explores issues of importance to Aboriginal people and communities. Mundanara is guided by Aboriginal Terms of Reference and focusses more on who people are rather than on what they do.
If you enjoyed this episode, please ‘Subscribe’ on Apple Podcasts or ‘Follow’ on your Spotify app and tell your friends and family about us! If you’d like to contact us, please email, info@blackmagicwoman.com.au
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
Black cast, Unite our voices. Black Magic Women Podcast acknowledges
the traditional owners of the land we have recorded this
episode on. We also acknowledge traditional owners of the land
where you, the listener or viewer, are tuning in from.
We would like to pay our respects to our elders
past and present and acknowledged that this always was Aboriginal
(00:25):
land and always will be Aboriginal land. Welcome to the
Black Magic Woman Podcast with Mandinara Baals. Thank you for
joining me for another episode of the Black Magic Omen Podcast.
This is an episode that is proudly supported by NRMA
(00:48):
Insurance where I get to speak to three Indigenous First Nations,
black entrepreneurs, business owners that are doing some really deadly things.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
So there are lessons to.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
Learn, but more importantly talking about culture, identity here, resilience
and all things that kind of make us black and deadly.
So today I'm yearning with brother Juan Walker from walk
About Cultural Tours.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
We're here in beautiful Gimoi.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
For people that don't know where Gimoi is, you should
google it, but I will help you out. It's actually
here in far North queens and Cans. I've flown in
here to do some recording, but also to have some
time out. So I want to hand over to my
brother Juan, who I had the pleasure meeting. We'll talk
about this in the yarn. I got to meet you
(01:40):
with my husband and my children, and we got to
do one of your tours.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
So I can't wait.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
For my audience, listeners and our viewers on YouTube to
also hear about your deadly business. So my brother, as always,
we ask our mob when we're meeting each other or
connecting for the first time, to which iduce themselves based
on who you are and where you come from.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Who's your mob? So I'm gonna hand over to you.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
Oh Yelda.
Speaker 4 (02:05):
First of all, I'd like to thank the Yidingji bummer
for having us in Gimwi today. That's the local people
here the Cans area. My country is a little further north.
You got the Yidinge families down here in Cans. A
little bit further north up in the mountains you have
the Jabbleguy families. Then along the coast, Barren River Mob
or Rigenji mob. And then on the next step up
(02:25):
north the google Allergebomma and our place extends from Port
Douglas north through to Cooktown, so massive, very about a
four hundred lmeter stretch along the.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
Coast, and they said, this country is where the Great
Barrier reef meets the most ancient rainforests, So rainforest meeting
the sea. That's probably one of the things that I
remember coming here is that I didn't realize how amazing
this country was until you go and see the country
(02:56):
with someone local like yourself.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
Yeah, we're very, very spoiled here. This place.
Speaker 4 (03:00):
Have beautiful mountain rainforest, mountains coming down and freshwater creeks,
river systems, estuaries everywhere, then down to the coast, mangrove ecosystems,
and then you have the beautiful grape berry reef at
a doorstep as well.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
Too deadly.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
So, brother, tell me how did you were first growing
up here on your country.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
How did you go into business?
Speaker 1 (03:23):
Was it something that you wanted to do from a
young age or has business been in your family for generations?
Speaker 2 (03:30):
Tell us about how you got into business.
Speaker 4 (03:33):
Well, I wasn't sure if I wanted to start a
business when I was younger. I sort of just fell
into it when I finished high school, did a bit
of odd jobs here and there, working on boardwalks, at
parks and wildlife, then a bit of a tree planning
and rainforest rehabilitation stuff, and then started working in tourism
when I was nineteen up at a little resort up
(03:56):
in Daintree called the Dainty Ecologe and that's why I
did all of my tour guiding training. A butt a
four month traineeship did that, and that was just teaching
me how to display knowledge, display information because I was
a pretty shy Murray back then. I had a bit
of trouble talking to strangers. So I did this course
and I was very fortunate my employers. They were really
(04:17):
supportive and taking small steps getting me to take people
out in the country. So I started with that, did
that for nine years. And while I was working up there,
they taught me the entire industry. Taught me the tourism industry,
so from how you know, they get bookings in from
travel agents overseas, working with wholesalers in bounderies, the whole
(04:41):
nuts and crannies of the whole industry. And after nine years,
I felt as though, you know, I was getting a
bit stale with what I was doing and wanted to
step out and do my own.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
Thing or do something for your own family and community,
because a lot of us are working for someone else,
right the tourism industry, and a lot of the opportunities
are usually non indigenous tourism operators.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
So there's this big it's not even that big, but
there is.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
I'm seeing more and more Aboriginal and terrest trade islander
too operators that are popping up now and recently I
got to see it the ate in Brisbane on Yagura
Country where we were able to connect with mob all
around the country. So tell me how it's been in
terms of being able to work for your for yourself
(05:29):
now right, working for yourself, but also doing something that
you love, like it's your culture. You're sharing your culture
with the rest of the world.
Speaker 4 (05:39):
Yeah, so it's it's pretty amazing really being able to
spend every day on country. You know, I have to
do these trips, so like I was in yager Country
you know the other week as well at at but
it's it's awesome just to be able to shell people home.
I designed a tour of for what I did as
a kid with my grandparents and with my family so
(05:59):
when we were younger, you know that take us down
to the beach, do some mud crabbing, spear fishing, and
and then you know, other days we'd be up in
the rainforest teaching us all the medicine crafting skills and
swimming in a fresh water up there. So decided to
hook it all up together and spend a day where
you can showcase the beaches and coastline and salt water,
and then head up into the forest and check out
(06:19):
the ref freshwater, river systems and what the rainforest has
to offer as well.
Speaker 3 (06:24):
So it's been a great thing.
Speaker 4 (06:26):
And I've also now branched out into working with the
local schools, so not just teaching foreign visitors from around
the world, global visitors, but now I get into the
schools and I can teach the local school kids all
about the place that they actually live and give them
a better understanding and respect for you know, Google all
and juland history culture and you know the resources that
(06:48):
we have there.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
How to look after the right way deadly.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
So there's this fine balance between you know.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
Your obligations to your community, family, cultural obligations, obligations to country,
and then you've got business walking in these two wheldsry
to navigate this amazing kind of opportunity with being in business.
But then you've also got your family, community and culture.
(07:14):
If you could share some reflections, how do you manage
risk and responsibility.
Speaker 4 (07:21):
Yeah, there's there's lots to think about when you're developing
it from development stage. So I've been very fortunate. I've
had family that's always been there to support me. My
grandmother was the first one, and then they just taught
me when you're going out in country, do the stuff
with people the way we torture, because it's the safest
(07:42):
way to do it. So using those those old knowledge
systems of when to go fishing, when to go mud
crabbing with your tides, seasonal change, and up in the
forest as well. Doing all of that same stuff with
your cultural knowledge is the way to mitigate risk and
to minimize any any problems that you might have, especially
(08:03):
you know, you dealing with the Americans and people from
all around the world. You don't want to have them
hurt because you could get sued.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
Of course, that's the biggest thing right people need to understand,
especially our mob. If you are thinking about starting a business,
there's a lot that you need to think about. You've
done a course, you've done training, you work for the people,
and then you built yourself up to your knowledge confidence
to go out and do it yourself. I know for
a fact by doing the tour with my kids, walking
(08:30):
in those mangroves and all of the mud, I wore
a white skirt.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
There's photos on Facebook.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
I thought I was going to go and watch my
kids participate in the mud crabbing and getting the mangrove muscles.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
I end up obviously coming with you. You could leave me behind.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
There would have been a risk as well leaving me behind,
but anyways, I thought, I knew you know, I'm all good.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
I'll just follow you.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
And as we got more and more into it, it
was the first time my kids had ever been knee
deep in mud, climbing over some branches and sticks, and
I thought, what an amazing oportunity for my kids, who
have grown up in the city to go on a
holiday to Port Douglas, your country, but now actually go
and do an experience or a cultural immersion with local
(09:14):
mob and actually get our hands dirty. My two boys,
Jidon Lamechi even Tigerly, but Jida Lemechy, I know it
was an experience that they would never forget. First experience.
But then the pride and the excitement and how deadly
they felt when they you caught that mud crab, right,
(09:36):
And then we got the muscles and we went and
cooked them, and just sitting there having that feed. You know,
that's all part of this amazing experience, and.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
You can't plan it right.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
Each day is different, each.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
Day is different.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
So we're pretty lucky that we've got one mud crab.
We've got about a dozen of those muscles, and your
beautiful mother cooked us the most amazing It was a damper,
and I'll tell you I don't like damper. And we
went back for seconds, my kids, little banana bread cakes,
a little muffins. So the tour that we went on
(10:08):
was a half day experience. You come, picked us up
at our hotel, you took us down to the beach,
and you properly welcomed us onto your country. And for
us as visitors here, I can't express two people that
are traveling this beautiful country and going to different places
how important it is.
Speaker 2 (10:29):
And it should be a muster, you know.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
Like go and seek out your local indigenous tours that
are there and get them to welcome you to country.
And we had the best time in those two weeks,
just spending half a day with you, but the knowledge
from the different things we're picking up and you're saying,
taste this and eat this and have look at this.
Like my kids, I don't think yeah would have ever
(10:54):
had that experience if we just come and stay at
a resort. So I can say from my kids doing
this tour it is worth every single dollar and you
will not be disappointed.
Speaker 3 (11:11):
And I say that to people all the time.
Speaker 4 (11:12):
You know, when you're going to a place, if you
have the time, you know you want to learn more
about that place, You've got to do a tour with
a bumma from that area, you know, with a local
Aboriginal person, because you and to connect to that place,
you have to be on the land as well. You
can't learn about the land from reading it out of
a book.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
Or watching it on a video.
Speaker 4 (11:30):
You know, you learn little bits and pieces wave able way,
but you'll truly understand it. You have to go with
the people and they will show you the intricate details
and it teaches you how to look at country, land, sea,
and sky in different eyes and you'll get a much
better appreciation for what's around you.
Speaker 3 (11:48):
When you go back home.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
As well, and they won't forget that story about that mountain.
Speaker 3 (11:54):
Yeses the hell out of everyone.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
Yes, And it was just just for my kids to
open their eyes. We've been, you know, going to New
Zealand for how they go to Fiji for holiday, go
down Sydney Gold Coast. You know, we live on the
Sunshine Coast. Beautiful places to go visit. But I can
tell that those memories from those stories that that would
be in my kid's hearts and their minds forever. So
(12:17):
I'm going to say thank you for that amazing opportunity.
With other mob that are coming, what's the other experiences
that you run.
Speaker 4 (12:26):
So that's a half day where we do the spearing,
mud crabbing and then up to the river for a
swim and a cook up. And then we have a
full day experience which is a little more in depth.
Speaker 3 (12:38):
So we'll get people up.
Speaker 4 (12:39):
We'll do a bit more family history stuff, so we'll
show them the Danger River, We'll talk about where my
grandfather was born, the old camps up there. Then the
transition period, the moving from the bush to the missions
and reserves and all of that, you know, the messed
up period for our people and then you know how
we've come through that into maintaining culture, managing culture, sharing
(13:02):
it and make making sure that we teach our next generation.
So and then of course you know it's all all
out and about so seeing the places and getting a
true feeling for that for the stories that we're teaching people.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
What's been some of your biggest challenges? One, if you
think about running this business, some of the biggest challenges
in the past, or even if in the past or
even today, maybe even.
Speaker 4 (13:27):
They're still happening running a business that never ends. You're
on the clock twenty four seven. But when I first started,
I didn't have anything under my bell. I had no cars,
no money. I was pretty broke when I first started,
got down to about four bucks in my wallet. So
if you ever want to get it you keep your
business going, you've got to be committed, and you've got
(13:48):
to give up things, to sacrifice bits of your life
that you know for luxuries. You've got to stop those things,
and you know, stick to what you really want to do.
And if you stick to those dreams, that would become
out comes in the end.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
I was going to switch it then, So what's been
some of your biggest wins being in business.
Speaker 4 (14:05):
Well, being able to become a steady, stable, very well
known business probably the biggest thing from initial startup. And
now I employ two other Bummers. I've employed about seven
eight over the years, but I've got two people working
with me, so Aaron Pauty, gorg yell Angie Bummer from
Julie and I've got my niece working for me now
as well.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
And how deadly is that now you're providing opportunities back
to family and community. What advice if you could, you know,
in part some of your knowledge onto some of the
younger mob that are listening to this podcast or watching
on YouTube, because if there are YouTubers, what would some
advice be for some young mob that are looking to
start a business.
Speaker 4 (14:45):
If you want to start a business, do it with
something that you love doing. Find something that you have
a passion for. And there's always a way to create
an income with what you want to do, but you've
got to have passion and you've got to be committed.
That's pretty much the best advice anyone's ever given me.
Speaker 1 (15:03):
Walk about cultural adventures. What's the best way for people
to reach out and connect with your business?
Speaker 4 (15:09):
Go to the website walk about contraventions dot com dot au. Yeah,
you'll find all my contact details there. And now you
can make a booking directly online on on booking systems
even if you just want to emails shout out do
that and on all the socials and review sites as well,
Trip Advisor, Google, my Business, nd all of them, so
(15:30):
you can find me all over the web.
Speaker 1 (15:32):
Look this fellow keeping up with technology, and if you
don't keep up with technology, you'll get left behind, right,
that's right, And a lot of our mob If you're
not able to access smartphones and iPhones and getting onto emails,
you'll miss out on these bookings. So you have to
be up to speed and be savvy tech savvy, or
if you don't have those skills, you can always outsource
(15:53):
it and find someone to support you in your business. Brother,
what keeps you grounded, what keeps you even motivated?
Speaker 4 (16:00):
Keep me grounded is family. And in my country, you know,
there's great places to see around the world. Like I've
traveled the world a few times and there's nothing like home.
So every time I come back in it's awesome just
to sit back on a beach or up in a
forest by a creek, relax and watch my kids play
and enjoy that place that I grew up as well.
Speaker 3 (16:20):
So family keeps me grounded and the land and see
keep me grounded.
Speaker 1 (16:24):
As final words here, even thoughts around protecting country culture,
how do you do that in a way that's also
you know, passing on that knowledge and education to people
who get to experience these amazing tours.
Speaker 4 (16:40):
So when I, like I said, when I designed my tour,
I did it if all my cultural knowledge that I've
learned over the years, and I tried to do it
as with minimal impact as possible. So looking after country
small groups, so we can only take a maximum of
eleven people and our tours, so our impact on the
land taking that small.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
Group through is very very small. When we go spear.
Speaker 4 (17:00):
Fishing, mud crabbing, you know, we only take what we're
going to carry in their hands and what we're going
to eat that at the time. If it's more than
we can eat, no need to take it. So just
look after the land.
Speaker 3 (17:10):
Just to do the things that you were taught as
a kid. Don't be greedy and don't be selfish.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
Deadly brother, what's your hopes for the next generation and
are coming through, especially opportunities now when it comes to tourism.
But at the Brisbane twenty thirty two Olympics coming up,
you know, it's only you know before you know it
to be tomorrow. What's some of your hopes for the
future for our young mob.
Speaker 4 (17:31):
I just hope to see that, you know, there's more
more indigenous owned business around Australia, not just in my country,
but right across the country. There's so many opportunities for
people nowadays, and people are asking for especially in tourism.
Speaker 3 (17:44):
There's a thirst and a hunger for.
Speaker 4 (17:48):
More and more products to be developed in tourism, but
also in health, you know, bush medicine, bush food, the
opportunities analysts. It's really just, you know, I hope our
younger generation have the drive and the want to do
their own thing and create these businesses for themselves.
Speaker 1 (18:05):
I'm always fascinated and I always forget to ask people this,
but it's a really important question. Who are your mentors?
Who do you turn to for support when it comes
to running a business, in particular in this tourism industry.
Speaker 4 (18:18):
Yeah, I don't really have anyone I really go and
turn to in regards to business because none of my
family have ever really owned a business before. My brother
now has got my brothers have their own business now,
so we bounce ideas and different things off each other.
But we're all first time business owners in family.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
So do you want to give your brothers a shout
at their businesses?
Speaker 4 (18:38):
Yeah, So my brothers their businesses Google Allergy, Cultural Habitat
tours and they based up in Cey Beach as well.
Just doing a mudcrab walk down on Keey Beach.
Speaker 2 (18:47):
Deadly my brother listen.
Speaker 1 (18:48):
I just want to say, it's been an absolute privilege
one to be able to meet you, and my children
to have and my family, my husband to have a
life changing experience of getting in the mud, getting dirty,
but also just going out hunting, finding their own food
and then feeding themselves. I could tell it was something
(19:09):
that them young boys in the city, a lot of
them don't have those opportunities. And I knew that these
kids they felt grateful. You know that you was able
to show them and teach them things that you know
their dad probably can't teach them as a Fijian man,
but living in the city, you know, you just can't
go mud crabbing. So I just want to say thank
you for yeah, the friendship and the relationship that we've
(19:31):
got from coming up here in holiday on your beautiful country,
but also for sharing your knowledge here on this podcast
for people not just in this country in Australia, but
people all around the world to be inspired by the
deadly Black fellows that are doing some really good things
but no one really gets to hear about us. So
thank you for jumping on this podcast and having a yarn.
Speaker 4 (19:53):
No, it's been a pleasure and have been a pleasure,
you know, getting to know you and your family as well.
And you know, I'm always happy to share knowledge and
information because you know that's all we can take really
with us in the end, as that's saying goes, you know,
knowledge and health as wealth, that's more important than junger
money will ever get you to deadly.
Speaker 1 (20:13):
I know that you fellows have enjoyed this amazing yarn.
Really grateful to NROM Insurance for supporting this episode talking
about deadly Black follows in business.
Speaker 2 (20:25):
Look, I hope you've enjoyed this year. Until next time,
Bye for now.
Speaker 1 (20:30):
If you'd like any more info on today's guest, please
visit our show notes in the episode description. A big
shout out to all you Deadly Mob and allies who
continue to listen, watch, and support our podcast.
Speaker 2 (20:44):
Your feedback means the world.
Speaker 1 (20:47):
You can rate and review the podcast on Apple and Spotify,
or even head to our socials and YouTube channel and
drop us a line.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
We'd love to hear from you.
Speaker 1 (20:56):
The Black Magic Woman podcast is produced by Clint Curtis
Speaker 3 (21:05):
Be Ba
Black cast, Unite our voices. Black Magic Women Podcast acknowledges
the traditional owners of the land we have recorded this
episode on. We also acknowledge traditional owners of the land
where you, the listener or viewer, are tuning in from.
We would like to pay our respects to our elders
past and present and acknowledged that this always was Aboriginal
(00:25):
land and always will be Aboriginal land. Welcome to the
Black Magic Woman Podcast with Mandinara Baals. Thank you for
joining me for another episode of the Black Magic Omen Podcast.
This is an episode that is proudly supported by NRMA
(00:48):
Insurance where I get to speak to three Indigenous First Nations,
black entrepreneurs, business owners that are doing some really deadly things.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
So there are lessons to.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
Learn, but more importantly talking about culture, identity here, resilience
and all things that kind of make us black and deadly.
So today I'm yearning with brother Juan Walker from walk
About Cultural Tours.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
We're here in beautiful Gimoi.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
For people that don't know where Gimoi is, you should
google it, but I will help you out. It's actually
here in far North queens and Cans. I've flown in
here to do some recording, but also to have some
time out. So I want to hand over to my
brother Juan, who I had the pleasure meeting. We'll talk
about this in the yarn. I got to meet you
(01:40):
with my husband and my children, and we got to
do one of your tours.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
So I can't wait.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
For my audience, listeners and our viewers on YouTube to
also hear about your deadly business. So my brother, as always,
we ask our mob when we're meeting each other or
connecting for the first time, to which iduce themselves based
on who you are and where you come from.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Who's your mob? So I'm gonna hand over to you.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
Oh Yelda.
Speaker 4 (02:05):
First of all, I'd like to thank the Yidingji bummer
for having us in Gimwi today. That's the local people
here the Cans area. My country is a little further north.
You got the Yidinge families down here in Cans. A
little bit further north up in the mountains you have
the Jabbleguy families. Then along the coast, Barren River Mob
or Rigenji mob. And then on the next step up
(02:25):
north the google Allergebomma and our place extends from Port
Douglas north through to Cooktown, so massive, very about a
four hundred lmeter stretch along the.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
Coast, and they said, this country is where the Great
Barrier reef meets the most ancient rainforests, So rainforest meeting
the sea. That's probably one of the things that I
remember coming here is that I didn't realize how amazing
this country was until you go and see the country
(02:56):
with someone local like yourself.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
Yeah, we're very, very spoiled here. This place.
Speaker 4 (03:00):
Have beautiful mountain rainforest, mountains coming down and freshwater creeks,
river systems, estuaries everywhere, then down to the coast, mangrove ecosystems,
and then you have the beautiful grape berry reef at
a doorstep as well.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
Too deadly.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
So, brother, tell me how did you were first growing
up here on your country.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
How did you go into business?
Speaker 1 (03:23):
Was it something that you wanted to do from a
young age or has business been in your family for generations?
Speaker 2 (03:30):
Tell us about how you got into business.
Speaker 4 (03:33):
Well, I wasn't sure if I wanted to start a
business when I was younger. I sort of just fell
into it when I finished high school, did a bit
of odd jobs here and there, working on boardwalks, at
parks and wildlife, then a bit of a tree planning
and rainforest rehabilitation stuff, and then started working in tourism
when I was nineteen up at a little resort up
(03:56):
in Daintree called the Dainty Ecologe and that's why I
did all of my tour guiding training. A butt a
four month traineeship did that, and that was just teaching
me how to display knowledge, display information because I was
a pretty shy Murray back then. I had a bit
of trouble talking to strangers. So I did this course
and I was very fortunate my employers. They were really
(04:17):
supportive and taking small steps getting me to take people
out in the country. So I started with that, did
that for nine years. And while I was working up there,
they taught me the entire industry. Taught me the tourism industry,
so from how you know, they get bookings in from
travel agents overseas, working with wholesalers in bounderies, the whole
(04:41):
nuts and crannies of the whole industry. And after nine years,
I felt as though, you know, I was getting a
bit stale with what I was doing and wanted to
step out and do my own.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
Thing or do something for your own family and community,
because a lot of us are working for someone else,
right the tourism industry, and a lot of the opportunities
are usually non indigenous tourism operators.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
So there's this big it's not even that big, but
there is.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
I'm seeing more and more Aboriginal and terrest trade islander
too operators that are popping up now and recently I
got to see it the ate in Brisbane on Yagura
Country where we were able to connect with mob all
around the country. So tell me how it's been in
terms of being able to work for your for yourself
(05:29):
now right, working for yourself, but also doing something that
you love, like it's your culture. You're sharing your culture
with the rest of the world.
Speaker 4 (05:39):
Yeah, so it's it's pretty amazing really being able to
spend every day on country. You know, I have to
do these trips, so like I was in yager Country
you know the other week as well at at but
it's it's awesome just to be able to shell people home.
I designed a tour of for what I did as
a kid with my grandparents and with my family so
(05:59):
when we were younger, you know that take us down
to the beach, do some mud crabbing, spear fishing, and
and then you know, other days we'd be up in
the rainforest teaching us all the medicine crafting skills and
swimming in a fresh water up there. So decided to
hook it all up together and spend a day where
you can showcase the beaches and coastline and salt water,
and then head up into the forest and check out
(06:19):
the ref freshwater, river systems and what the rainforest has
to offer as well.
Speaker 3 (06:24):
So it's been a great thing.
Speaker 4 (06:26):
And I've also now branched out into working with the
local schools, so not just teaching foreign visitors from around
the world, global visitors, but now I get into the
schools and I can teach the local school kids all
about the place that they actually live and give them
a better understanding and respect for you know, Google all
and juland history culture and you know the resources that
(06:48):
we have there.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
How to look after the right way deadly.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
So there's this fine balance between you know.
Speaker 1 (06:54):
Your obligations to your community, family, cultural obligations, obligations to country,
and then you've got business walking in these two wheldsry
to navigate this amazing kind of opportunity with being in business.
But then you've also got your family, community and culture.
(07:14):
If you could share some reflections, how do you manage
risk and responsibility.
Speaker 4 (07:21):
Yeah, there's there's lots to think about when you're developing
it from development stage. So I've been very fortunate. I've
had family that's always been there to support me. My
grandmother was the first one, and then they just taught
me when you're going out in country, do the stuff
with people the way we torture, because it's the safest
(07:42):
way to do it. So using those those old knowledge
systems of when to go fishing, when to go mud
crabbing with your tides, seasonal change, and up in the
forest as well. Doing all of that same stuff with
your cultural knowledge is the way to mitigate risk and
to minimize any any problems that you might have, especially
(08:03):
you know, you dealing with the Americans and people from
all around the world. You don't want to have them
hurt because you could get sued.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
Of course, that's the biggest thing right people need to understand,
especially our mob. If you are thinking about starting a business,
there's a lot that you need to think about. You've
done a course, you've done training, you work for the people,
and then you built yourself up to your knowledge confidence
to go out and do it yourself. I know for
a fact by doing the tour with my kids, walking
(08:30):
in those mangroves and all of the mud, I wore
a white skirt.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
There's photos on Facebook.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
I thought I was going to go and watch my
kids participate in the mud crabbing and getting the mangrove muscles.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
I end up obviously coming with you. You could leave me behind.
Speaker 1 (08:46):
There would have been a risk as well leaving me behind,
but anyways, I thought, I knew you know, I'm all good.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
I'll just follow you.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
And as we got more and more into it, it
was the first time my kids had ever been knee
deep in mud, climbing over some branches and sticks, and
I thought, what an amazing oportunity for my kids, who
have grown up in the city to go on a
holiday to Port Douglas, your country, but now actually go
and do an experience or a cultural immersion with local
(09:14):
mob and actually get our hands dirty. My two boys,
Jidon Lamechi even Tigerly, but Jida Lemechy, I know it
was an experience that they would never forget. First experience.
But then the pride and the excitement and how deadly
they felt when they you caught that mud crab, right,
(09:36):
And then we got the muscles and we went and
cooked them, and just sitting there having that feed. You know,
that's all part of this amazing experience, and.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
You can't plan it right.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
Each day is different, each.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
Day is different.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
So we're pretty lucky that we've got one mud crab.
We've got about a dozen of those muscles, and your
beautiful mother cooked us the most amazing It was a damper,
and I'll tell you I don't like damper. And we
went back for seconds, my kids, little banana bread cakes,
a little muffins. So the tour that we went on
(10:08):
was a half day experience. You come, picked us up
at our hotel, you took us down to the beach,
and you properly welcomed us onto your country. And for
us as visitors here, I can't express two people that
are traveling this beautiful country and going to different places
how important it is.
Speaker 2 (10:29):
And it should be a muster, you know.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
Like go and seek out your local indigenous tours that
are there and get them to welcome you to country.
And we had the best time in those two weeks,
just spending half a day with you, but the knowledge
from the different things we're picking up and you're saying,
taste this and eat this and have look at this.
Like my kids, I don't think yeah would have ever
(10:54):
had that experience if we just come and stay at
a resort. So I can say from my kids doing
this tour it is worth every single dollar and you
will not be disappointed.
Speaker 3 (11:11):
And I say that to people all the time.
Speaker 4 (11:12):
You know, when you're going to a place, if you
have the time, you know you want to learn more
about that place, You've got to do a tour with
a bumma from that area, you know, with a local
Aboriginal person, because you and to connect to that place,
you have to be on the land as well. You
can't learn about the land from reading it out of
a book.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
Or watching it on a video.
Speaker 4 (11:30):
You know, you learn little bits and pieces wave able way,
but you'll truly understand it. You have to go with
the people and they will show you the intricate details
and it teaches you how to look at country, land, sea,
and sky in different eyes and you'll get a much
better appreciation for what's around you.
Speaker 3 (11:48):
When you go back home.
Speaker 2 (11:49):
As well, and they won't forget that story about that mountain.
Speaker 3 (11:54):
Yeses the hell out of everyone.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
Yes, And it was just just for my kids to
open their eyes. We've been, you know, going to New
Zealand for how they go to Fiji for holiday, go
down Sydney Gold Coast. You know, we live on the
Sunshine Coast. Beautiful places to go visit. But I can
tell that those memories from those stories that that would
be in my kid's hearts and their minds forever. So
(12:17):
I'm going to say thank you for that amazing opportunity.
With other mob that are coming, what's the other experiences
that you run.
Speaker 4 (12:26):
So that's a half day where we do the spearing,
mud crabbing and then up to the river for a
swim and a cook up. And then we have a
full day experience which is a little more in depth.
Speaker 3 (12:38):
So we'll get people up.
Speaker 4 (12:39):
We'll do a bit more family history stuff, so we'll
show them the Danger River, We'll talk about where my
grandfather was born, the old camps up there. Then the
transition period, the moving from the bush to the missions
and reserves and all of that, you know, the messed
up period for our people and then you know how
we've come through that into maintaining culture, managing culture, sharing
(13:02):
it and make making sure that we teach our next generation.
So and then of course you know it's all all
out and about so seeing the places and getting a
true feeling for that for the stories that we're teaching people.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
What's been some of your biggest challenges? One, if you
think about running this business, some of the biggest challenges
in the past, or even if in the past or
even today, maybe even.
Speaker 4 (13:27):
They're still happening running a business that never ends. You're
on the clock twenty four seven. But when I first started,
I didn't have anything under my bell. I had no cars,
no money. I was pretty broke when I first started,
got down to about four bucks in my wallet. So
if you ever want to get it you keep your
business going, you've got to be committed, and you've got
(13:48):
to give up things, to sacrifice bits of your life
that you know for luxuries. You've got to stop those things,
and you know, stick to what you really want to do.
And if you stick to those dreams, that would become
out comes in the end.
Speaker 1 (14:00):
I was going to switch it then, So what's been
some of your biggest wins being in business.
Speaker 4 (14:05):
Well, being able to become a steady, stable, very well
known business probably the biggest thing from initial startup. And
now I employ two other Bummers. I've employed about seven
eight over the years, but I've got two people working
with me, so Aaron Pauty, gorg yell Angie Bummer from
Julie and I've got my niece working for me now
as well.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
And how deadly is that now you're providing opportunities back
to family and community. What advice if you could, you know,
in part some of your knowledge onto some of the
younger mob that are listening to this podcast or watching
on YouTube, because if there are YouTubers, what would some
advice be for some young mob that are looking to
start a business.
Speaker 4 (14:45):
If you want to start a business, do it with
something that you love doing. Find something that you have
a passion for. And there's always a way to create
an income with what you want to do, but you've
got to have passion and you've got to be committed.
That's pretty much the best advice anyone's ever given me.
Speaker 1 (15:03):
Walk about cultural adventures. What's the best way for people
to reach out and connect with your business?
Speaker 4 (15:09):
Go to the website walk about contraventions dot com dot au. Yeah,
you'll find all my contact details there. And now you
can make a booking directly online on on booking systems
even if you just want to emails shout out do
that and on all the socials and review sites as well,
Trip Advisor, Google, my Business, nd all of them, so
(15:30):
you can find me all over the web.
Speaker 1 (15:32):
Look this fellow keeping up with technology, and if you
don't keep up with technology, you'll get left behind, right,
that's right, And a lot of our mob If you're
not able to access smartphones and iPhones and getting onto emails,
you'll miss out on these bookings. So you have to
be up to speed and be savvy tech savvy, or
if you don't have those skills, you can always outsource
(15:53):
it and find someone to support you in your business. Brother,
what keeps you grounded, what keeps you even motivated?
Speaker 4 (16:00):
Keep me grounded is family. And in my country, you know,
there's great places to see around the world. Like I've
traveled the world a few times and there's nothing like home.
So every time I come back in it's awesome just
to sit back on a beach or up in a
forest by a creek, relax and watch my kids play
and enjoy that place that I grew up as well.
Speaker 3 (16:20):
So family keeps me grounded and the land and see
keep me grounded.
Speaker 1 (16:24):
As final words here, even thoughts around protecting country culture,
how do you do that in a way that's also
you know, passing on that knowledge and education to people
who get to experience these amazing tours.
Speaker 4 (16:40):
So when I, like I said, when I designed my tour,
I did it if all my cultural knowledge that I've
learned over the years, and I tried to do it
as with minimal impact as possible. So looking after country
small groups, so we can only take a maximum of
eleven people and our tours, so our impact on the
land taking that small.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
Group through is very very small. When we go spear.
Speaker 4 (17:00):
Fishing, mud crabbing, you know, we only take what we're
going to carry in their hands and what we're going
to eat that at the time. If it's more than
we can eat, no need to take it. So just
look after the land.
Speaker 3 (17:10):
Just to do the things that you were taught as
a kid. Don't be greedy and don't be selfish.
Speaker 1 (17:14):
Deadly brother, what's your hopes for the next generation and
are coming through, especially opportunities now when it comes to tourism.
But at the Brisbane twenty thirty two Olympics coming up,
you know, it's only you know before you know it
to be tomorrow. What's some of your hopes for the
future for our young mob.
Speaker 4 (17:31):
I just hope to see that, you know, there's more
more indigenous owned business around Australia, not just in my country,
but right across the country. There's so many opportunities for
people nowadays, and people are asking for especially in tourism.
Speaker 3 (17:44):
There's a thirst and a hunger for.
Speaker 4 (17:48):
More and more products to be developed in tourism, but
also in health, you know, bush medicine, bush food, the
opportunities analysts. It's really just, you know, I hope our
younger generation have the drive and the want to do
their own thing and create these businesses for themselves.
Speaker 1 (18:05):
I'm always fascinated and I always forget to ask people this,
but it's a really important question. Who are your mentors?
Who do you turn to for support when it comes
to running a business, in particular in this tourism industry.
Speaker 4 (18:18):
Yeah, I don't really have anyone I really go and
turn to in regards to business because none of my
family have ever really owned a business before. My brother
now has got my brothers have their own business now,
so we bounce ideas and different things off each other.
But we're all first time business owners in family.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
So do you want to give your brothers a shout
at their businesses?
Speaker 4 (18:38):
Yeah, So my brothers their businesses Google Allergy, Cultural Habitat
tours and they based up in Cey Beach as well.
Just doing a mudcrab walk down on Keey Beach.
Speaker 2 (18:47):
Deadly my brother listen.
Speaker 1 (18:48):
I just want to say, it's been an absolute privilege
one to be able to meet you, and my children
to have and my family, my husband to have a
life changing experience of getting in the mud, getting dirty,
but also just going out hunting, finding their own food
and then feeding themselves. I could tell it was something
(19:09):
that them young boys in the city, a lot of
them don't have those opportunities. And I knew that these
kids they felt grateful. You know that you was able
to show them and teach them things that you know
their dad probably can't teach them as a Fijian man,
but living in the city, you know, you just can't
go mud crabbing. So I just want to say thank
you for yeah, the friendship and the relationship that we've
(19:31):
got from coming up here in holiday on your beautiful country,
but also for sharing your knowledge here on this podcast
for people not just in this country in Australia, but
people all around the world to be inspired by the
deadly Black fellows that are doing some really good things
but no one really gets to hear about us. So
thank you for jumping on this podcast and having a yarn.
Speaker 4 (19:53):
No, it's been a pleasure and have been a pleasure,
you know, getting to know you and your family as well.
And you know, I'm always happy to share knowledge and
information because you know that's all we can take really
with us in the end, as that's saying goes, you know,
knowledge and health as wealth, that's more important than junger
money will ever get you to deadly.
Speaker 1 (20:13):
I know that you fellows have enjoyed this amazing yarn.
Really grateful to NROM Insurance for supporting this episode talking
about deadly Black follows in business.
Speaker 2 (20:25):
Look, I hope you've enjoyed this year. Until next time,
Bye for now.
Speaker 1 (20:30):
If you'd like any more info on today's guest, please
visit our show notes in the episode description. A big
shout out to all you Deadly Mob and allies who
continue to listen, watch, and support our podcast.
Speaker 2 (20:44):
Your feedback means the world.
Speaker 1 (20:47):
You can rate and review the podcast on Apple and Spotify,
or even head to our socials and YouTube channel and
drop us a line.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
We'd love to hear from you.
Speaker 1 (20:56):
The Black Magic Woman podcast is produced by Clint Curtis
Speaker 3 (21:05):
Be Ba
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