Into The Outback Tjapukai Cultural Theme Park Opens A Window On Australia’s Aboriginal World

Gliding above the tree canopy of one of the oldest rain forests on Earth, we could see Australia’s Far North countryside, from mountains to Coral Sea, stretched out before us.

We were only 15 minutes from Cairns, the base from which we were exploring Australia’s Great Barrier Reef and Queensland, but aboriginal designs on the roofs of the buildings below heralded the magic space we were about to enter.

It might seem a giant leap to go from the sophisticated technology of the world’s longest gondola cableway - just opened a year ago - to immersion in the “Dreaming,” a 50,000-year-old culture. But the Tjapukai Cultural Theme Park makes it seem like baby steps.

The idea for the park was conceived by the multi-award winning Tjapukai Aboriginal Dance Theatre group. For the past nine years, the dancers have successfully pushed the envelope on cultural tourism, performing for millions of people worldwide on stage, television, film and recordings.

Tjapukai (pronounced “Jab-bu-Guy”), the tribal word for rainforest, is also the aboriginal name for the region, the people and their language.

The $8.8 million theme park welcomed visitors for the first time in this past summer on 25 acres of land in Caravonica Lakes near Smithfield. The design of the building echoes the hills that rise behind it.

In four theaters, capable of staging different yet interwoven productions, the Tjapukai dramatize their response to some of the many questions and misconceptions about their identity. It would be hard to leave here without taking away a better understanding of what may be the oldest surviving oral culture on earth.

Using the latest high-tech effects, the Tjapukai relate the ancient legends, traditions and religious beliefs of Australia’s indigenous people.

One theater spotlights spiritual and traditional beliefs according to aboriginal mythology, re-enacting a Genesis-like creation of the world. The Dreaming religion also includes a moral code and a belief in immortality after death. Although the story is told in the Tjapukai language, state-of-the-art headsets relay translations in English and six other languages.

In a second theater, an historical documentary of the past 120 years of European settlement is screened, showing aboriginal culture both before and after the encounter with “the white man,” as well as hopes for the future.

Some of the community’s original tribal artifacts from the Queensland Museum in Brisbane are now on long-term loan to the park. An extensive museum area showcases 40 pieces, featuring the work of current community artists, as well.

A stroll across a 111-foot-long covered suspension bridge strung over a man-made lake takes visitors to the park’s Dance Theatre, set outside in a rainforest.

The original Tjapukai Dance Theatre was started in 1987 through the collaborative efforts of theater artists Don and Judy Freeman with their aboriginal partners, David and Cindy Hudson.

Despite the fearsome appearance of the dancers, their performances feature a disarming whimsy that captivates audiences.

Nearby, a Cultural Village offers the chance to interact with members of the community in an aboriginal encampment setting. You can try your hand at throwing the boomerang and “woomera” spear, fire-making or playing the didgeridoo (a wind instrument made from a hollowed out tree limb). Or, learn about bush foods and medicines.

If time permits, opt for what is dubbed “The Ultimate Kuranda Experience.” We chose to begin our day, in the cooler morning hours with a leisurely trip up the mountains on the historic Kuranda Scenic Railway, built by hand 110 years ago. The train winds past waterfalls, through dense tropical rainforest and 15 hand-carved tunnels, along the Barron Valley gorge.

Fittingly, you are traveling the traditional lands of the Tjapukai. Departure is from the charmingly Victorian Freshwater Station. (Don’t miss the locally mined and machined marble fittings in the rest rooms.)

Kuranda is worth a trip in its own right. Its station comes closer to looking like a botanical garden than a railway stop. Open-air markets feature local crafts, produce and findings from around the world, every day but Saturday and Monday. Enjoy a leisurely lunch at one of the many sidewalk cafes.

Coming back down, as we did, on Skyrail gives you an even clearer view of why this area was included in the World Heritage listing in 1988.

It is a living museum that protects endangered species such as the flightless Cassowary bird, the symbol of the Tjapukai people.

Likewise, their language and traditions, endangered for so long, now seem well positioned to endure.

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: If you go Getting there: United flies from Spokane to Cairns via San Francisco and Sydney without the necessity of an overnight stopover, about $1,354 round-trip midweek. Weather: Most of the region’s 160 annual inches of rain falls from December to April, which are also the hottest months. May through November, maximum temperatures average 84-88. Accommodations: Lodging ranges from high-rise waterfront luxury hotels to motels and inexpensive hostels. Meals: Garden Cafe offers light lunches in an outdoor setting overlooking the lake. The air-conditioned Boomerang Restaurant caters breakfast, buffet-style lunch and fine dining. Touring: The Ultimate Kuranda Experience includes pickup and return to accommodation, Kuranda Scenic Rail, Skyrail, Tjapukai Cultural Theme Park. Cost through March 1997 is $77 Australian, or about $56 U.S. Tjapukai Cultural Theme Park includes pickup and return to accommodation for $31 Australian (about $24.50 U.S.). Open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily except Christmas and New Years. Shows run continuously all day. Allow 2 hours for the total experience. Located in Caravonica Lakes near Smithfield, immediately adjacent to the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway. Facilities are accessible to disabled. For more information, contact your travel agent or the Australian Tourist Commission, 1-800-333-0262.