Unless you have a sharp eye for detail, it’s entirely possible that the next indigenous souvenir you buy could be a fake.
According to consumer advocacy group, CHOICE, artefacts such as boomerangs are often made offshore and then sold as genuine products to unsuspecting buyers.
When it comes to telling the difference between a souvenir that’s genuine and one that’s a cheap knock-off there are a few key things you need to know.
So do you think you could spot a fake?
When it comes to telling the difference between a souvenir that’s genuine and one that’s a cheap knock-off there are a few key things you need to know
Up to 80 per cent of Aboriginal-style souvenirs in tourist shops are ‘fake’ or ‘inauthentic’, the publication reported.
Joe Skeen, founder of Murra Wolka, a 100 per cent Aboriginal-owned business said it was time to highlight problems within the souvenir industry – ‘especially the Aboriginal art section’.
Mr Skeen said many souvenirs are made in China or Indonesia and that imports should either be banned entirely or clearly display a country of origin label.
CHOICE said one of the first things to look for was a label that explains where the product is from or who painted it
This infographic reveals what you need to know in order to tell the difference between an Australian product and one that’s been imported
That way it would be possible to distinguish what has been made overseas and what has been produced in Australia.
When it comes to buying souvenirs, CHOICE said one of the first things to look for was a label that explains where the product is from or who painted it.
‘Fake or inauthentic can mean an Indigenous artist didn’t create the product or didn’t license the design on the product to be reproduced,’ it states.
Secondly, if the store you are buying from displays an image with the wording ‘Indigenous Art Code’ you can be assured the goods you are buying are ethically sourced.
This infographic reveals what you need to know in order to tell the difference between an Australian product and one that’s been imported
‘The Indigenous Art Code prevents exploitation of Indigenous artists and promotes ethical ways to buy Indigenous art.’
If the store you are buying from displays this image you can be assured the goods you are buying are ethically sourced
Glen Timbery, an Indigenous artist the publication spoke to said he paints and sells boomerangs for $10 that are made out of local plywood.
He revealed how he uses his family’s ‘burning-in’ method to imprint each boomerang with a unique design – and he writes his name on all the goods he creates.
‘I write ‘Aboriginal, Glen Timbery, Sydney, Australia’, so when you see the ones that don’t come from Australia, that aren’t Aboriginal made, a non-Aboriginal person won’t write their name on them.’