“Take a Picture with a Real Indian”: (Self-) Representation, Ecotourism, and Indigeneity in Amazonia
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
“Take a Picture with a Real Indian”: (Self-) Representation, Ecotourism, and Indigeneity in Amazonia by Ami Patricia Temarantz Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts at Dalhousie University Halifax, Nova Scotia August 2011 © Copyright by Ami Patricia Temarantz, 2011 DALHOUSIE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT STUDIES The undersigned hereby certify that they have read and recommend to the Faculty of Graduate Studies for acceptance a thesis entitled “‘Take a Picture with a Real Indian’: (Self-) Representation, Ecotourism, and Indigeneity in Amazonia” by Ami Patricia Temarantz in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts. Dated: 11 August 2011 Supervisor: _________________________________ Readers: _________________________________ _________________________________ _________________________________ ii DALHOUSIE UNIVERSITY DATE: 11 August 2011 AUTHOR: Ami Patricia Temarantz TITLE: “Take a Picture with a Real Indian”: (Self-) Representation, Ecotourism, and Indigeneity in Amazonia DEPARTMENT OR SCHOOL: Department of International Development Studies DEGREE: MA CONVOCATION: October YEAR: 2011 Permission is herewith granted to Dalhousie University to circulate and to have copied for non-commercial purposes, at its discretion, the above title upon the request of individuals or institutions. I understand that my thesis will be electronically available to the public. The author reserves other publication rights, and neither the thesis nor extensive extracts from it may be printed or otherwise reproduced without the author’s written permission. The author attests that permission has been obtained for the use of any copyrighted material appearing in the thesis (other than the brief excerpts requiring only proper acknowledgement in scholarly writing), and that all such use is clearly acknowledged. _______________________________ Signature of Author iii For Dad. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES .........................................................................ix LIST OF FIGURES ....................................................................... x ABSTRACT .................................................................................xi LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS USED ................................................... xii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .............................................................. xiv CHAPTER ONE Introduction............................................................................... 1 1.2 THE EMERGENCE OF THE ECOLOGICALLY NOBLE SAVAGE .................. 2 1.3 DEFINING ECOTOURISM ........................................................ 7 1.4 ECOTOURISM WEBSITES ....................................................... 9 1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS ........................................................10 1.6 THESIS OVERVIEW.............................................................11 CHAPTER TWO Background and Methodology......................................................13 2.1 CHAPTER OVERVIEW...........................................................13 2.2 LITERATURE REVIEW...........................................................13 2.2.1 Scholarly Conceptions of Indigeneity...........................13 2.2.2 Popular Perceptions of Indigenous Peoples...................16 2.2.3 Indigenous Inclusion and Exclusion.............................17 2.2.4 The Amazon ............................................................19 2.2.5 Tourism ..................................................................21 2.2.6 Authenticity.............................................................23 2.2.7 Power and Control....................................................24 2.3 METHODOLOGY .................................................................27 2.3.1 (Self-) Representation ..............................................27 2.3.2 Using the Internet ....................................................28 2.3.3 Website Selection.....................................................29 v 2.3.3.1 Kapawi Ecolodge and Reserve................................31 2.3.3.2 Chalalán Ecolodge................................................31 2.3.3.3 Posada Amazonas ................................................32 2.3.4 The Ecologically Noble Savage Stereotype ...................33 2.3.5 Qualitative Textual and Visual Narrative Analysis ..........34 2.3.6 Ethnographic Sources ...............................................35 2.4 APPLYING THEORY, RESEARCH QUESTIONS, AND METHODOLOGY........38 2.5 CHAPTER SUMMARY............................................................38 CHAPTER THREE The Achuar and the Kapawi Ecolodge and Reserve .........................40 3.1 CHAPTER OVERVIEW...........................................................40 3.2 LOCATING THE ECOLOGICALLY NOBLE SAVAGE STEREOTYPE .............40 3.2.1 Spatial....................................................................40 3.2.2 Spiritual..................................................................44 3.2.3 Temporal ................................................................47 3.2.4 Cultural ..................................................................48 3.3 FILLING IN THE SILENCES .....................................................51 3.3.1 Overview ................................................................51 3.3.2 Warfare and Head-Shrinking......................................51 3.3.3 Political Activism......................................................53 3.3.4 Missionary and Western Influence ..............................56 3.3.5 Tourism ..................................................................59 3.3.5.1 Positive Developments..........................................59 3.3.5.2 Negative Consequences ........................................60 3.4 CHAPTER SUMMARY ............................................................61 CHAPTER FOUR The Community of San José de Uchupiamonas and The Chalalán Ecolodge..........................................................62 4.1 CHAPTER OVERVIEW ...........................................................62 4.2 LOCATING THE ECOLOGICALLY NOBLE SAVAGE STEREOTYPE .............62 vi 4.2.1 Spatial....................................................................62 4.2.2 Spiritual..................................................................66 4.2.3 Temporal ................................................................67 4.2.4 Cultural ..................................................................67 4.3 THE STEREOTYPE IN CONTEXT................................................70 4.3.1 Overview ................................................................70 4.3.2 Preliminary Background ............................................70 4.3.3 Historical Contextualization........................................71 4.3.3.1 On Being Indigenous in Bolivia ............................72 4.3.4 Why Tourism, Why San José, Why Madidi ....................75 4.3.4.1 “100% Professional Indigenous People” ................78 4.3.4.2 “He talked like a business person.”.......................79 4.3.4.3 Quechua “and” Tacana?......................................81 4.4 CHAPTER SUMMARY............................................................83 CHAPTER FIVE The Native Community of Infierno and Posada Amazonas................84 5.1 CHAPTER OVERVIEW ...........................................................84 5.2 LOCATING THE ECOLOGICALLY NOBLE SAVAGE STEREOTYPE .............84 5.2.1 Spatial....................................................................84 5.2.2 Spiritual..................................................................86 5.2.3 Temporal ................................................................88 5.2.4 Cultural ..................................................................88 5.3 POTENTIAL IMPLICATIONS.....................................................91 5.3.1 Overview ................................................................91 5.3.2 La Comunidad Nativa del Infierno ...............................91 5.3.3 Rainforest Expeditions ..............................................94 5.3.4 Posada Amazonas ....................................................95 5.3.4.1 “This is great for the brochure!”...........................96 5.4 CHAPTER SUMMARY ............................................................99 vii CHAPTER SIX Conclusion ..............................................................................100 6.1 SUMMARY OF KEY FINDINGS................................................100 6.1.1 Ecological Noble Observations ..................................100 6.1.2 (Mis) Representations .............................................103 6.1.3 Who is the Most Ecologically Noble? ..........................105 6.1.4 Staged Authenticity ................................................106 6.2 REAL INDIANS? ..............................................................108 REFERENCES...........................................................................111 viii LIST OF TABLES Table 1: Tourism’s Positive Contributions to Local Development……….……….…... 22 Table 2: Shifts in Contemporary Tourism……………………………………………... 26 Table 3: Selection Criteria for the Ecolodge Websites……………………………...…. 30 Table 4: Ethnic Composition of Infierno…………………………………………..…... 92 ix LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Connecting Research Questions, Theory, and Evidence…………………….. 38 Figure 2: The Kapawi Ecolodge……………………………………………………….. 42 Figure 3: Macaws in Flight…………………………………………………………….. 43 Figure 4: Two Achuar