"Fair Trade" didgeridoos

ididjaustralia · **Posted:** Thu Jan 24, 2008 12:27 pm

Here's exactly what I was talking about previously about "Fair Trade" didgeridoos. Hans picked this one up, thanks mate:

Bali didgeridoo

The description goes:

Quote:

Hardwood didgeridoo, 130 cm long, 9 cm wide, decorated with multicolored swirling Australian Aboriginal-type designs. It was made in the village of Tegallalang in the mountains of Bali, Indonesia. It plays well. Fair trade.

Pic below.

Be warned, don't fall for the "Fair Trade" didgeridoos, avoid them at all cost!

Guan

ididjaustralia · **Posted:** Sat Jan 26, 2008 12:49 am

I took the opportunity to ask a retailer offering "Fair Trade" products like boomerangs what exactly this term meant to them and got the following response:

Quote:

Q: I am curious why you describe these as Fair Trade? I would be interested in learning more, thank you. Cheers and all the best.

A: Hello Thank you for your interest in Fair Trade which is important to us. This boomerang is purchased from a Fair Trade Supplier/Manufacturer who works closely with a network of workshops and artisans. They ensure that the families work in safe, healthy environment and are paid a fair wage and treated fairly offering advice on health and safety. The company we deal with also have workshops of their own where craftsmen/women who previously worked for privately owned companies now work less hours in better conditions, paid more, are treated in a fair way with their varied cultural and religious holidays being recognised.

Anyone want to comment on the response? Does anything seem out of place here?

Guan

flyangler18 · **Posted:** Sat Jan 26, 2008 1:00 am

Quote:

Does anything seem out of place here?

I'd say so. Sounds like assembly-line production work- a euphemized sweatshop- to me:

Quote:

This boomerang is purchased from a Fair Trade Supplier/Manufacturer who works closely with a network of workshops and artisans.

Quote:

paid a fair wage and treated fairly offering advice on health and safety.

Quote:

now work less hours in better conditions

kdidj · **Joined:** Fri Mar 23, 2007 1:03 am **Posts:** 470

The response is worded to sound like this is a just action that looks out for the welfare of the 'artisans'.

This is strange wording: "company we deal with also have workshops of their own where craftsmen/women who previously worked for privately owned companies now work less hours in better conditions, paid more, are treated in a fair way with their varied cultural and religious holidays being recognised."

Does this not mean that they now work for this Privately Owned Company?

There is no reference however to the issue of authenticity and whether or not these people should be crafting boomerangs in the first place.

Ben · **Posted:** Wed Feb 04, 2009 1:06 pm

Quote:

A: Hello Thank you for your interest in Fair Trade which is important to us. This boomerang is purchased from a Fair Trade Supplier/Manufacturer who works closely with a network of workshops and artisans. T

That's the weirdest boomerang I've ever seen!

iDIDJ Australia Didgeridoo Cultural Hub

"Fair Trade" didgeridoos

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