Japanese and Chinese visitors to Tjapukai will gain a better insight into Aboriginal culture with the launch of a multilingual app interpreting the Tropical North Queensland attraction’s cultural performances.
Tjapukai General Manager Shirley Hollingsworth said the free Tjapukai Guide mobile app was built in-house with no external consultants which was a huge achievement for a business run by Traditional Owners.
“We have Chinese and Japanese speaking staff and tour groups have their own language guides, but this app will help our guests better understand the Djabugay culture,” she said.
“They will learn that djiliburay, the green ants of the rainforest, can be squeezed to make a remedy for colds and that meat is traditionally cooked in an underground oven called a banggya.
“We want visitors to learn some of the Djabugay language which has been brought back from the brink of extinction thanks to the interest in Tjapukai as a visitor attraction.
“If you don’t speak English it can be difficult to ascertain which words are Djabugay so this app will help our Chinese and Japanese speaking visitors understand our language words.
“It also gives an insight into the artists who have created the shields and paintings on our walls which all tell cultural stories.
“The park map and performance times are included to reduce the amount of paper we hand out and visitors who download the app get 10 per cent off purchases at the restaurants and retail store so it is useful for English-speaking guests as well.
“They can make bookings for Tjapukai by Day, Tjapukai by Night and the additional hands-on experiences we offer.
“We are continuing to develop the app and are working towards it being a multilingual audio guide.”
The Tjapukai app can be downloaded for free from Google Play and iOS App Store or visitors can scan the barcode when they arrive at Tjapukai, just a 20-minute drive north of Cairns city.
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