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- Convenors:
-
Antonio Arantes
(UNICAMP - State University of Campínas, Brazil)
Michel Bouchard (University of Northern British Columbia)
- Stream:
- Worlds in motion: Cultural Heritage, Artefacts and Tourism/Mondes en mouvement: Héritage culturel, artefacts et tourisme
- Location:
- FSS 1030
- Start time:
- 6 May, 2017 at
Time zone: America/New_York
- Session slots:
- 2
Short Abstract:
The dynamics of heritage and social memory in the politics of identity and citizenship of 'intangible cultural heritage holders' or people living in heritage sites, in times of climate change, extreme poverty, population displacements, territorial disputes, social conflicts and war.
Long Abstract:
The practical and symbolic uses of safeguarded sites, artifacts, knowledge systems, cultural performances, rituals and of narratives about the past are materials that have been central to anthropological literature for many decades. However, the theme gains particular shapes and qualities in the present times, raising a growing interest in contemporary academia as well as in national and international public spheres, as well as in multilateral institutions such as UNESCO and WIPO. Climate change, extreme poverty, population displacements, territorial disputes, social conflicts and war are themes increasingly taken into account by researchers on cultural heritage and memory.
Adopting this broader frame of reference, this panel focuses on the dynamics of heritage and social memory as part of the politics of identity and citizenship embedded on the lives and experiences of 'intangible cultural heritage holders' or of people living in heritage sites. The topic includes - but is not restricted to - the following subthemes: public policies, expert regimes and indigenous initiatives of heritage management; the objectification and display of selected tangible or intangible 'cultural elements' as seen from post-colonial perspectives; the place of heritage and memory in people's aspirations and struggle for cultural rights and social well-being.
We encourage the use of multimedia materials.
Accepted papers:
Session 1Michel Bouchard (University of Northern British Columbia)
Paper short abstract:
As Métis history is being debated in Canadian courts to determine who is Métis and what collective rights may be granted, the politics of who can claim to be Métis are exacerbated as well as the discord over what intangible culture is authentic and who can claim ownership of culture and identity.
Paper long abstract:
As states seek to recognize the rights of aboriginal, indigenous and ethnic minority populations within their boundaries, new tensions emerge as communities seek to define membership, inclusion and exclusion. This is evident in the Canadian context as courts, governments and communities seek to define who is Métis and can rightfully claim the intangible culture that is the Métis legacy which has gained both symbolic and potential monetary capital, as well as yet to be fully defined constitutional rights. Invariably, history—popular and academic—is the battleground, as differing definitions are based on contradictory readings of history. This is in turn muddied by the fact that the history was either buried or stigmatized for decades or even centuries. Under such conditions mythic histories are too easily imposed. Researchers thus must navigate turbulent waters seeking to be credible scholars not disregarding cultural and historical evidence, while having to present research that may contradict strongly held beliefs in the communities themselves, communities that can be too easily reified from within. This presentation will examine the challenge of defining (a) Métis nation(s) in Canada and the ways in which national narratives invariable create exclusionary boundaries that in turn can be used by the state to perpetuate colonial inequalities.
Silvia Galuppi (ANPIA)
Paper short abstract:
Le récif corallien de la côte sud-ouest du Madagascar est lié au patrimoine culturel des communautés vivant dans son espace. Pour survivre les pêcheurs changent leurs techniques avec une relecture des connaissances, qui détermine l'orientation des processus de patrimonialisation.
Paper long abstract:
Le patrimoine des savoirs des communautés est étroitement lié à l'équilibre naturel du récif, les activités de la vie qui dépend de la mer ont lieu dans l'eau et sur la plage: lieux des pratiques symboliques et festives où vivent les esprits, mais aussi lieux où les familles transmettent la mémoire des activités de travail.
Les mouvements migratoires de l'intérieur du pays vers les côtes, favorisés par la désértification croissante, orientent la population vers la pêche. L'augmentation des activités aggrave la situation du récif qui fournit toujours moins de nourriture et les téchniques pour assurer la pêche deviennent davantage sophistiqués. A côté des fonctions habituelles les pêcheurs pratiquent l'algueculture, et les connaissances autochtones sont également exploitées par des activités liées à la présence de touristes: guides des pirogues autour du récif, récolte des coquillages et création d'objets souvent loins de la mémoire locale, en renouvelant connaissances et stratégies pour la survie.
La perception du patrimoine par les pêcheurs est donc liée à la présence de poissons et de la vie autour du récif nécessaire à leur subsistance, tandis que les interventions extérieures identifient le récif comme un patrimoine naturel à «protéger»: la conservation du récif avec de réserves marines peut sembler pour les pêcheurs une perte de leurs biens et la patrimonialisation des savoirs une reconstruction forcée. Le patrimoine récifal comprend des valeurs naturelles et des connaissances culturelles distinctes, mais en interaction et dont le caractère changeant peut favoriser de nouvelles connaissances pour la sauvegarde et la survie.
Karoline Guelke (University of Victoria)
Paper short abstract:
In Peru's Cusco area, a form of Andean New Age spirituality is marketed to tourists. Brokers are often local men seeking relationships with foreign women. While this commodification perpetuates historical power hierarchies, it also allows locals to challenge and renegotiate these inequalities.
Paper long abstract:
Tourism is defined by the movement of bodies, goods, and money, but intangible factors like belief systems and emotional responses are also mobilized. In Peru's Cusco region, a form of spirituality that combines pre-colonial and New Age beliefs is marketed to tourists. The brokers are often local men who seek relationships with Western tourists, resulting in an entanglement of spiritual practice with sex and romance. The objectification and commodification of beliefs and bodies for Western consumption perpetuates neocolonial power inequalities; these processes also further marginalize indigenous people whose culture is appropriated by urban mestizos who know how to market it successfully.
However, I argue that this does not simply constitute a selling out to foreign demands. By producing narratives about a glorified Inca past and presenting themselves as direct descendents of this heritage, local men can actively manage social memory and construct new and powerful identities. Positioning themselves like this also facilitates romantic relationships with foreign women that can result in significant material and emotional support.
This work is part of my doctoral research examining gender issues and tourism development in the Sacred Valley near Cusco. It included ten months of ethnographic research with local people, tourists, and foreign residents in the community of Ollantaytambo which is fast becoming a major tourist destination. My findings indicate that, while spirituality and romance are commodified to meet tourist demands, this can also serve as a strategy of resistance and allow local people to renegotiate unequal power relations.