Indigenous Social Entrepreneurship: The Gumatj Clan Enterprise in East Arnhem Land

Abstract

Despite a continuing commitment by the Australian Federal Government to develop entrepreneurial business opportunities for Indigenous people as a strategy to reduce their socio-economic disadvantage, there is scant documentation of rigorous assessments of sustainable Aboriginal enterprises. This article delineates an Indigenous social entrepreneurial business that is gaining traction in the Gove Peninsula of East Arnhem Land of Australia. A conceptual framework focuses attention to the phenomenon of visionary leadership for fostering value creation, innovation and social capital, to create a pathway for alleviating poverty and enhancing the socio-economic environment of an Indigenous community. An appreciation of the role of existing social structures, the imperative of operating at the local level and the importance of cultural heritage are vital components in the pursuit of economic and social goals of sustainable Indigenous social entrepreneurship.