What are the social and cultural pressures on the Naxi community with the development of ethnic tourism?
Author: Ping Li
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What are the social and cultural pressures on the Naxi community with the development of ethnic tourism?
Author: Ping Li   University: University of Wolverhampton
Abstract:
This essay is going to critically analyse the social and cultural issues associated with ethnic tourism from the perspectives of the degradation of ethnic values, the excessive commercialization, philistinism of traditional culture, and the standardisation of ethnic tourism. The focus of the essay will be on the Naxi ethnic minority, which is located in a well-known tourist destination in Lijiang, Yunnan Province, China.
Keywords:
Ethnic tourism, commodification, standardization, staged authenticity
Discussion Paper:
What are the social and cultural pressures on the Naxi community with the development of ethnic tourism?
With the rapid development of tourism industry, ethnicity has been used by many countries and ethnic communities to attract tourists and to create income and foreign exchange (Jamison, 1999 and Wood, 1998 and Li, 2010). Many governments obtain both economic benefits and cultural development through increasingly promoting ethnic tourism (Henderson, 2003,Walsh and Swain, 2004 and Yea, 2002). Meanwhile, with the growth of ethnic tourism, it also helps ethnic minorities to protect their culture and inherit their traditions (Swain, 1989 and Swain, 1990, Santos and Yan, 2008). However, while ethnic tourism has the potential to generate positive impacts both on economy and society, it can also serve as a supportive force for peace, foster pride in cultural traditions and help avoid urban relocation by creating local jobs. On the other hand it can bring changes and negative impacts because of the commodification and marketing of ethnicity in value systems/behaviour, community structure, family relationships, collective tradition lifestyles, ceremonies and morality (Oakes, 1998 and Picard and Wood, 1997; Smith, 1989 and Li, 2008).
According to Yang (2008), among all of the ethnic communities in China, Lijiang is one of the most successful models of ethnic tourism. While, as one of 55 recognized ethnic minority groups in China, the Naxi have settled the Old Town of Lijiang since the 13th century after migrating from Tibet, and became the original inhabitants and founders of the region (UNESCO, 2009). In 1997, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization added the city of Lijiang to its prestigious World Heritage list. That "means that international experts have designated the site of world value worthy of preservation for all mankind," says Edmond Moukala (2008), a UNESCO official in Beijing. "When a site is listed for preservation, the tourist industry is attracted and visitors start flowing in." Yang and Jackson (2006) suggest that in the Naxi community, the ancient traditions can be practiced, Naxi music can be performed for generating income, weaving and dyeing of indigo cloth, ancestral secret recipes can be sold in the pharmacy and finally traditional food can be served in the restaurants. In addition to the economic benefits that ethnic tourism can bring to the local community, it is also beneficial to enhance national cohesion. Yantzi and Rosenberg (2008) discussed that the traditional rituals of the torch festival of Yi ethnic minority in Shilin, Yunnan, recognising the traditions of the Dai ethnic minority can help to enhance the national identity and to promote national unity.
Indeed, there is no denying that tourism development brings opportunity to develop the less developed minority areas, to enhance the self-confidence of the nation, to cherish and protect the traditional culture, and, to a certain extent, to revive the local characteristic culture that is disappearing (Yang, Wall, and Smith, 2006). However, Li and Jackson (2006) highlight that during the exploitation of some ethnic tourism attractions, too much attention is focused on economic interests, and that will bring some stress to the host ethnic community.
Yang (2012) states that if the value of the minority changes, then the traditional culture is bound to change, and finally the survival and developing foundation of the ethnic tourism will be shaken. Previously, the folk custom of minority areas is simple, friendly and hospitable, and the people in minority areas are hard-working, helping and appreciating each other (Yang, 2010). However, with the development of ethnic tourism, some simple folk customs and cultural values have obviously degenerated, and the traditional beliefs of minorities are impacted by the concept of the market, economy (Wang and Yang, 2010). Chen and Li (2009) suggest that in some parts of Naxi ethnic community, the phenomenon, which tourists are under siege of vendors who use all kinds of methods to sell products to tourists, and tourists often buy things that are not the correct weight or right quality, this, causes bad social influences and, in particularly, causes the degradation of ethnic values.
Henderson (2003) suggests that in order to satisfy the tourists’ psychology, striving for new things, tourism operators often package ethnic culture using the form of modern art, and making it theatrical and sequencing without thinking the importance of its value, which leads national culture to lose its original cultural connotation and increasingly becomes commodified. Meanwhile, Li (2009) states that some of the ethnic minority areas, driven by economic benefits, make the spiritual beliefs as ethnic tourism products to show to curious visitors, whose consequence is causing the weakening of ethnic spirit and faith, accelerating the collapse of traditional culture. Moreover, Yang, Su and Li (2012) discuss that though some of the traditional ethnic culture itself has shortages, many tourism operators indiscriminately develop ethnic tourism without thinking the importance of the essence of traditional culture because of the driving of economic interests, which will lead to the vulgarisation of ethnic culture.
Zhang and Zeng (2011) suggest that the unique ethnic culture, which is created by ethnic community residents, relying on their own living environment, constitutes the core attraction of the development of ethnic tourism. Whereas standardization causes the locals to copy foreign culture, and this kind of copying focuses too much on the performance of culture, ignoring the deep connotation of the culture (Zeng, 2011). For example, the frequent performances of Dai’s water-splashing festival and the torch festival of Yi, which are performed as tourism projects, losing its significance as the original symbol and just exists as a kind of cultural body form (Li,2009). Henderson (2003) states that the loss of the cultural personality is not only the sorrow of ethnic culture, but is the sorrow of world’s culture, because only the nation’s is the world’s.
References:
Henderson, J. 2003,â€Ethnic heritage as a tourist attraction: The Peranakans of Singaporeâ€,International Journal of Heritage Studies, vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 27–44
Jackson,J. 2006, “Developing regional tourism in China: The potential for activating business clusters in a socialist market economyâ€, Tourism Management, vol. 27, pp. 695–706
Yang, L. 2011, "Ethnic tourism and cultural representation",Annals of tourism research, vol. 38, no. 2, pp. 561-585.
Author: Ping Li   University: University of Wolverhampton
Abstract:
This essay is going to critically analyse the social and cultural issues associated with ethnic tourism from the perspectives of the degradation of ethnic values, the excessive commercialization, philistinism of traditional culture, and the standardisation of ethnic tourism. The focus of the essay will be on the Naxi ethnic minority, which is located in a well-known tourist destination in Lijiang, Yunnan Province, China.
Keywords:
Ethnic tourism, commodification, standardization, staged authenticity
Discussion Paper:
What are the social and cultural pressures on the Naxi community with the development of ethnic tourism?
With the rapid development of tourism industry, ethnicity has been used by many countries and ethnic communities to attract tourists and to create income and foreign exchange (Jamison, 1999 and Wood, 1998 and Li, 2010). Many governments obtain both economic benefits and cultural development through increasingly promoting ethnic tourism (Henderson, 2003,Walsh and Swain, 2004 and Yea, 2002). Meanwhile, with the growth of ethnic tourism, it also helps ethnic minorities to protect their culture and inherit their traditions (Swain, 1989 and Swain, 1990, Santos and Yan, 2008). However, while ethnic tourism has the potential to generate positive impacts both on economy and society, it can also serve as a supportive force for peace, foster pride in cultural traditions and help avoid urban relocation by creating local jobs. On the other hand it can bring changes and negative impacts because of the commodification and marketing of ethnicity in value systems/behaviour, community structure, family relationships, collective tradition lifestyles, ceremonies and morality (Oakes, 1998 and Picard and Wood, 1997; Smith, 1989 and Li, 2008).
According to Yang (2008), among all of the ethnic communities in China, Lijiang is one of the most successful models of ethnic tourism. While, as one of 55 recognized ethnic minority groups in China, the Naxi have settled the Old Town of Lijiang since the 13th century after migrating from Tibet, and became the original inhabitants and founders of the region (UNESCO, 2009). In 1997, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization added the city of Lijiang to its prestigious World Heritage list. That "means that international experts have designated the site of world value worthy of preservation for all mankind," says Edmond Moukala (2008), a UNESCO official in Beijing. "When a site is listed for preservation, the tourist industry is attracted and visitors start flowing in." Yang and Jackson (2006) suggest that in the Naxi community, the ancient traditions can be practiced, Naxi music can be performed for generating income, weaving and dyeing of indigo cloth, ancestral secret recipes can be sold in the pharmacy and finally traditional food can be served in the restaurants. In addition to the economic benefits that ethnic tourism can bring to the local community, it is also beneficial to enhance national cohesion. Yantzi and Rosenberg (2008) discussed that the traditional rituals of the torch festival of Yi ethnic minority in Shilin, Yunnan, recognising the traditions of the Dai ethnic minority can help to enhance the national identity and to promote national unity.
Indeed, there is no denying that tourism development brings opportunity to develop the less developed minority areas, to enhance the self-confidence of the nation, to cherish and protect the traditional culture, and, to a certain extent, to revive the local characteristic culture that is disappearing (Yang, Wall, and Smith, 2006). However, Li and Jackson (2006) highlight that during the exploitation of some ethnic tourism attractions, too much attention is focused on economic interests, and that will bring some stress to the host ethnic community.
Yang (2012) states that if the value of the minority changes, then the traditional culture is bound to change, and finally the survival and developing foundation of the ethnic tourism will be shaken. Previously, the folk custom of minority areas is simple, friendly and hospitable, and the people in minority areas are hard-working, helping and appreciating each other (Yang, 2010). However, with the development of ethnic tourism, some simple folk customs and cultural values have obviously degenerated, and the traditional beliefs of minorities are impacted by the concept of the market, economy (Wang and Yang, 2010). Chen and Li (2009) suggest that in some parts of Naxi ethnic community, the phenomenon, which tourists are under siege of vendors who use all kinds of methods to sell products to tourists, and tourists often buy things that are not the correct weight or right quality, this, causes bad social influences and, in particularly, causes the degradation of ethnic values.
Henderson (2003) suggests that in order to satisfy the tourists’ psychology, striving for new things, tourism operators often package ethnic culture using the form of modern art, and making it theatrical and sequencing without thinking the importance of its value, which leads national culture to lose its original cultural connotation and increasingly becomes commodified. Meanwhile, Li (2009) states that some of the ethnic minority areas, driven by economic benefits, make the spiritual beliefs as ethnic tourism products to show to curious visitors, whose consequence is causing the weakening of ethnic spirit and faith, accelerating the collapse of traditional culture. Moreover, Yang, Su and Li (2012) discuss that though some of the traditional ethnic culture itself has shortages, many tourism operators indiscriminately develop ethnic tourism without thinking the importance of the essence of traditional culture because of the driving of economic interests, which will lead to the vulgarisation of ethnic culture.
Zhang and Zeng (2011) suggest that the unique ethnic culture, which is created by ethnic community residents, relying on their own living environment, constitutes the core attraction of the development of ethnic tourism. Whereas standardization causes the locals to copy foreign culture, and this kind of copying focuses too much on the performance of culture, ignoring the deep connotation of the culture (Zeng, 2011). For example, the frequent performances of Dai’s water-splashing festival and the torch festival of Yi, which are performed as tourism projects, losing its significance as the original symbol and just exists as a kind of cultural body form (Li,2009). Henderson (2003) states that the loss of the cultural personality is not only the sorrow of ethnic culture, but is the sorrow of world’s culture, because only the nation’s is the world’s.
References:
Henderson, J. 2003,â€Ethnic heritage as a tourist attraction: The Peranakans of Singaporeâ€,International Journal of Heritage Studies, vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 27–44
Jackson,J. 2006, “Developing regional tourism in China: The potential for activating business clusters in a socialist market economyâ€, Tourism Management, vol. 27, pp. 695–706
Yang, L. 2011, "Ethnic tourism and cultural representation",Annals of tourism research, vol. 38, no. 2, pp. 561-585.