As many as four out of every five Indigenous souvenirs sold to tourists are fake, a parliamentary inquiry has been told.
The Indigenous Art Centre Alliance’s (IACA) submission towards the investigation into Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander craft products, claims 80 per cent are inauthentic.
The group state many items are often misrepresented to travellers and are calling on the government to make it illegal to sell or supply them.
As many as four out of every five Indigenous souvenirs sold to tourists are fake, a parliamentary inquiry has been told (Pictured are inauthentic boomerangs)
While galleries provide documentation as proof of authenticity, few safeguards exist in the arts and crafts industry aimed at tourists (Pictured are authentic didgeridoos from Spirit Gallery in Sydney, made from native Eucalyptus trees by recognised Aboriginal craftsmen)
Places alleged to distribute the fake copies include souvenir shops Sydney’s The Rocks and Melbourne’s Flinders Street.
While the IACA’s submission lists Cairns airport and night markets, as well as shops in nearby Kuranda and Port Douglas as ‘hotspots’ with 90 per cent of items inauthentic, due to a high tourist presence.
Many products lining the shelves of these stores are often made from non-traditional materials or feature designs that are not hand-painted by Indigenous artists.
Under the Indigenous Art Code, authentic items are those made by, or under licence from, Indigenous artists, which come with the artists details.
The Indigenous Art Centre Alliance’s (IACA) submission to an investigation into Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander craft products, claims 80 per cent are inauthentic, with many sold at souvenir shops in Sydney, Melbourne and Cairns (Pictured are fake items from Kuranda)
Deceptive labelling can trick holidaymakers into thinking the souvenir is authentic art made by Indigenous artists when it is not
‘There are approximately 500 Indigenous artists in the IACA membership and many produce authentic merchandise and souvenirs that are not able to get a space on the shelves of shops across Australia due to the prevalence of fake products,’ the IACA wrote.
‘This fake art gains profit and sales that rightfully should go to the makers of authentic Australian Indigenous art.’
Other organisations and artist representatives backed up the claims, stating fakes are cheaper to maker and quicker to produce, The Sydney Morning Herald reports.
While galleries provide documentation as proof of authenticity, few safeguards exist in the arts and crafts industry aimed at tourists.
Many products lining the shelves of these stores are often made from non-traditional materials or feature designs that are not hand-painted by Indigenous artists (pictured are fake items from Kuranda)
The IACA suggests passing laws on the illegality of products is one way to target the fake market, with the Arts Law Centre of Australia taking a similar stance (Pictured are fake items from Kuranda)
The IACA suggests passing laws on the illegality of products is one way to target the fake market, with the Arts Law Centre of Australia taking a similar stance.
‘A prohibition on the sale of inauthentic products at all levels of the supply chain in the easiest and most efficient approach to address the problem,’ they wrote in their submission.
‘The proliferation of inauthentic Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art and associated misappropriation of culture is an issue of national importance that should be addressed at a national level.’
Problems currently encountered include labels stating the item was ‘inspired’ by Indigenous art and copyright expiring 70 years after an image was first produced.
Recommendations from the inquiry will be made next year.
Other problems encountered include labels stating the item was ‘inspired’ by Indigenous art or was ‘Australian made’, with recommendations from the inquiry to be made next year (Pictured are fake items from Kuranda)