GENERATIONS AT UTAS - Alumni & Friends - University of Tasmania

Rahai’i Pangun: This five-cabin cruise boat was named after a historical Dayak trading vessel that
voyaged as far away as China, bringing back riches. Its meaning is ‘big development’.
Foundation,” Gaye said. “We moor off these
islands and sit, and watch, and delight in
these wonderful apes.”
orangutan babies and Borneo headhunters
(for the record – headhunting stopped a
century ago) may, or may not, seem a long
way from Morris Miller Library, where Gaye
worked for 11 years. In fact Gaye said she’s
always felt at home in Borneo because it
shares many features with Tasmania, like the
wilderness, and the potential for eco-tourism.
It took a lot of work with local government
for Gaye and Lorna to set up Kalimantan
Tour Destinations – basically they had to
establish a tourism industry around their
venture. But several years later this work
has encouraged a wider, official interest in
setting aside land for reserves.
“I have a sense that our small business
can make a difference to a land that is on
the verge of massive development,” Gaye
said. “We’re trying to raise a voice that says
‘hang on a minute! Let’s set aside some
of the jungle for eco-tourism’. And, at the
moment, the doors are open to this voice
and the ears are willing to listen.
“To me, this is something we can be very
proud of getting done – working with the
villagers and promoting the value of the
forest as it is – if we can in fact achieve it.”
For more information on eco-tourism in
Borneo, go to: www.wowborneo.com
GeNeRATIoNS
Traditional dancers: Tourists are treated to
unique cultural experiences, while locals are
provided with a form of income.
Sandungs (bonehouses): Inside these small,
ornate houses are kept the washed bones of
ancestors.
aLUmni neWs | DECEMBER 2010 • Issue 38 | 9