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The women say they identified a gap in the market and a lack of representation of Aboriginal People and culture in the camping industry.<\/p>\n
“Aboriginal systems of knowledge and philosophies of connecting with and caring for Country have largely been ignored,” Kaley says.<\/p>\n
“Which is strange because who knows more about safely being on Country than us?”<\/p>\n
Not only does Yilam offer a range of ethically and sustainably sourced equipment but the concept also evolved into offering bespoke ‘On Country’ experiences for both Mob and socially conscious campers.<\/p>\n
“Pronounced ‘yil-um’ this word directly translates to ‘camp’,” Kaley explains.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n <\/p>\n “However, for our people the meaning is much deeper than that.<\/p>\n “Yilam means ‘home’ which of course, speaks to our brand ethos.<\/p>\n “We want to teach people to connect with and value nature – to treat Country as if it were their home – because ultimately it is.”<\/p>\n “We don’t want to contribute to waste so, our ‘On Country’ range of camping equipment is created with high quality, durable camping equipment made from sustainably sourced materials,” adds Joanne, a mother of seven who grew up on Barapa Barapa Country surrounded by family and culture.<\/p>\n Yilam’s On Country range offers all the basics people need when getting started out and includes a tent, sleeping bag, mug and bowls.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, the Connecting to Country packages offer intimate on Country experiences which aim to empower all people, no matter their background, to head out into the bush while also teaching participants the philosophies of caring for and connecting to Country.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n There are experiences for beginner and experienced campers, as well as one tailored to Aboriginal women to empower them, no matter their experience level, to “feel confident and safe out bush”.<\/p>\n Kaley says when they started talking to friends and family, there was a lot of interest in the inclusive On Country experiences, among both novice and experienced camping enthusiasts.<\/p>\n “What they were saying is they would be keen to understand more about Aboriginal philosophies.<\/p>\n “We have quite a light footprint when we go camping. We don’t take a lot of gear.<\/p>\n “It’s more about being On Country and connecting with the land and taking some time out from the hectic day-to-day life.<\/p>\n “We are teaching the basics of camping but also helping people to foster that connection with Country and thinking about things through that Aboriginal lens.”<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Kaley, a mum of two daughters living in Charlemont, says her love of camping was nurtured by her own mother and together the women have a lot of knowledge to share.<\/p>\n “My mum has been a big inspiration in my life and she has always taught us the importance of caring for Country and taking time out and making sure you spend time out of the city and going home. We’ve been in Geelong for about 16 years, we’re not fortunate enough to live on Country at the moment.”<\/p>\n Yilam’s In Country experiences take place in Taungurung Country including Broadford and Trawool, but there are big plans to one day roll out Yilam experiences across Australia once the framework is well established.<\/p>\n “We really want to change conversation about Aboriginal people and Aboriginal culture and create as many opportunities as possible for people to have.<\/p>\n “A lot of the time people learn about Aboriginal people and culture through the media and it might not always be from that positive perspective, whereas we think that can change if people get to spend time with us, have a safe space to connect with Country and understand our people and culture.<\/p>\n “Also, to ask those questions that people might be a little nervous to ask.<\/p>\n “Then that’s us being able to have that positive impact for other Aboriginal people and also the wider community.”<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/04\/3643DF39-FD86-4084-B3F9-8677427FCB53_2048x-1024x683.jpg?_t=1650583436\")
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