Indigenous Peoples & Tourism

PART OF A SERIES OF INTRODUCTORY SUMMARIES ON TOPICS OF INTEREST TO OUR MEMBERS TourismConcern research briefing Indigenous Peoples & Tourism Research briefing 2017 • Helen Jennings Introduction Indigenous peoples? There are roughly 370 million Groups of people who originally populated certain parts of the world, now Indigenous people in the world often marginalised by nation states, are called by many names, for example today, belonging to 5,000 Aboriginals, First Nations and Native. In recent years the term Indigenous different groups. These groups peoples has gained currency to describe these groups, and alongside it have their own languages, has grown the term Indigenous tourism – often subsumed within ‘cultural cultures and traditions, all operating in very different tourism’. The ‘off the beaten path’ trails once reserved for specialists have political circumstances. They now become well-worn paths for millions of tourists searching for ‘authentic’ define themselves as ethnically experiences. This can be positive: it can assist cultural revitalisation and be a and culturally distinct from force for empowerment. On the other hand, it may see the often marginalised other inhabitants of the people and their villages becoming mere showcases for tourists, their culture countries/regions in which they reduced to souvenirs for sale, their environment to be photographed and left live. Typically, their cultures and traditions have had to without real engagement. withstand the social, cultural and This report aims to introduce some of the key issues surrounding Indigenous economic effects of colonialism, industrialisation and more peoples and tourism. It is split into sections dealing with main themes, offering recently, globalisation. Indigenous examples of both good and bad practice. The themes included are: marketing, peoples often have a deep affinity ecotourism, spirituality, land rights and control. Our aim is to promote with their lands and natural discussion and offer guidelines for best practice in this growing industry. environment, but have frequently been regarded as ‘inferior’ and ‘under-developed’ by mainstream Igorot Peoples from the Cordillera, Phillippines. © Judy Partlow society. Their individual and collective human rights have often been disregarded in the name of ‘development’. Indigenous peoples tend to be marginalised – geographically, politically, socially and economically. Examples of Indigenous peoples across the world include: Aboriginals in Australia, First Nations in North America, The Quechua in South America, The Masaai in Kenya, The Karen people in Thailand. Action for Ethical Tourism TourismConcern Indigenous tourism What is Indigenous tourism? ‘Indigenous tourism’ often consists of packaged tours, whether for individual tourists or for groups. This is happening in an increasing number of places, such as Kenya, Tanzania, India, Honduras, Ethiopia, Ecuador, Botswana, the Andaman Islands and Australia. A key indicator of whether a particular package is good or bad lies in the degree Xatsull Heritage Village, a and nature of the involvement tourism project belonging to of the Indigenous peoples the Secwepemc Nation in themselves. When searching for British Columbia, Canada an authentic experience, it is not enough to be simply attracted to Even well-managed tourism economic independence, cultural something marketed as ‘exotic’ comes with a cost. Tourists revival, education and can or deemed to be ‘pure’. still bring new diseases, threats create opportunities for effective There is a whole spectrum of to previously ‘safe’ regions of cross-cultural encounters. It has ways in which Indigenous people the world, pollution, and the been argued that ‘tourism in its can be involved in tourism: threat of potential displacement broadest generic sense can do from effectively being part of a if global enterprise discovers more to develop understanding human zoo, performing for the something it ‘values’ in their among people, provide jobs, benefit of visitors, to something lands. Only where host countries create foreign exchange and raise more credable where they are and their governments appreciate living standards than any other in greater control of what is the role of Indigenous tourism economic force known.’ (Kaiser on offer. The former has been in the economy is there some and Leibr, 1978). ridiculed by some of the ‘victims’ degree of protection. For some themselves, as with the Mursi Indigenous peoples, tourism is What are the concerns? in Ethiopia who, in the film one of many options available to One challenge relates to the Framing the Other speak about them to earn a living, and it thus argument that Indigenous tourism their ‘tourist song’ and how they becomes a choice, not a necessity. is another form of cultural get more money out of visitors For others, however, it can be the imperialism (Nash, 1989). There when wearing ‘strange’ and only ‘choice’ they have. are many cases throughout history ‘exotic’ costumes. At the other where tourism has proven to be end of the spectrum, however, Why do governments disastrous for for communities, we have Indigenous communities like it? and especially Indigenous groups, deciding to create a safe space New heritage attractions are resulting in conflict, violence, and where they can learn, teach and springing up in all parts of the even displacement (Colchester, share their culture – with their world, catering for the interests 2004). For example, McLaren own communities and with the of local and foreign visitors keen (1999) reported that beach hotels visitors who come to see them. to hear stories of alternative had displaced traditional fishing These communities are taking ways of living. Government communities that lived on the ownership, gaining economic aid is frequently provided coasts of Penang in Malaysia and independence and political to assist in the work of such Phuket in Thailand. Similarly, a power, and are fostering pride. attractions, since they have the Mohawk uprising in Canada was Museums, heritage sites, guided potential to bring employment, sparked by plans to extend a golf walks, land and sea adventures, pride and engagement in course on their burial grounds. And sampling of the ‘outdoor life’, regions that might need such native Sioux were employed as low local cuisine and customs have all a boost. In a wider context wage labourers in a white owned now become common ingredients too, when done well, tourism tourist industry that claimed to of Indigenous tourism. may contribute positively to promote their land and culture. www.tourismconcern.org.uk TourismConcern Indigenous tourism MacCannell (1984) warned that transformed into performances for Section Summary ‘when an ethnic group begins to popular consumption. Heritage One guiding maxim in this report is sell itself …as an ethnic attraction, can be reduced to trinkets, devoid that so long as Indigenous peoples it ceases to evolve naturally… of meaning and valued only as themselves are directly involved the group members begin to commodities. At the same time, in the decision making process, think of themselves … as a living traditional modes of sustaining tourism can be a real force for representative of an authentic way a living have been abandoned, good. Over the past two decades, of life. With that in mind, any leaving Indigenous peoples community-based approaches decision made regarding lifestyle dependent on outside visitors – have gained popularity and can is not a mere question of practical often a precarious livelihood. It make an important contribution to utility but a weighty question is true that, for many Indigenous sustainable development. They help which has economic and political peoples around the world, to improve local infrastructure and implications for the entire group’. traditional livelihoods were already generally contribute to a positive eroded – mainly due to colonialism This approach is synonymous interaction between visitor and local – long before tourism became an with ‘otherness’, where the communities, thereby promoting option. The reality of life for many dominant culture is seen increased cultural awareness and Indigenous peoples can be far from as incompatible with the respect. It is crucial to adhere to the the romantic images held in the ‘original’ culture and thus has a principle of free, prior and informed West. Yet tourists may not wish to negative effect on it, something consent, ensuring that Indigenous be faced with the stark reality of exploitative, silencing even, and peoples are fully aware of planned the real lives of their hosts, leaving obliterating. This deception might tourism activities on their lands, Indigenous peoples with the influence the ‘performers’ who are which they themselves authorise and conundrum of how to share their ‘forced to act in ways they never benefit from. culture without compromising quite were’ (Hunter, 2014). Such their integrity. Indigenous tourism is at a tentative tourism ignores how Indigenous stage of development. There are peoples themselves feel about Some tourists carry many understandable reasons for their involvement in the industry, preconceptions about what Indigenous peoples to be fearful of and overlooks the fact that all they are going to see and come tourism and reluctant to take risks. cultures are concurrently being away disappointed. For others, They have good historical reasons renegotiated and redefined, a witnessing real hardship can not to trust in government, either process in which tourism plays a leave

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