THINKING beyond the canopy
Patrice LEVANG and Miyako KOIZUMI
Congress of the International Society of Ethnobiology Montpellier, 20-25 May 2012
HUNTER-GATHERERS’ CULTURE,
A MAJOR ATTRACTION AND HINDRANCE TO TOURISM DEVELOPMENT:
THE CASE OF THE PUNAN OF EAST KALIMANTAN
Ecotourism: a way to conserve and develop
indigenous communities and their environment?
• The concept: nature-based tourism managed by indigenous communities results in conservation of natural resources and in increased development.
• Basic assumptions: indigenous groups are inherently environmentalists; they want to continue to live in harmony with nature.
A major unsolvable contradiction
Borneo A major attraction: primary forests and headhunters
Existing experiments: 30 years of Culture and Nature Tourism
in Sarawak
Major attractions:
• Nature: pristine, virgin, untouched forests, rivers, waterfalls
• Adventure: longboat ride, river safari, rapids, skulls and remnants of headhunting
• Authentic culture: long houses, noble savages, exotic, primitive, traditional, untouched by the modern world, close to nature
Existing experiments: 30 years of Culture and Nature Tourism
in Sarawak
Impacts:
• Employment: river transportation, handicrafts, low qualified jobs in hotels and restaurants, cultural shows and performances, guides, porters…
• Construction of an “authentic culture” that suits tourists’ expectations: no development artifacts, traditional houses and clothes…
• Total control by tour operators: play the game or be put off the tourism map; always looking for more authentic longhouses…
The quest for authenticity
East-Kalimantan: “untouched wilderness” and “traditional peoples”
East-Kalimantan: major attractions
• Pristine forests
• River safaris
• Traditional culture
• Noble savages, traditional Dayak and Punan hunter-gatherers
• Etc.
Pristine forests
River safaris
Long houses
Traditional culture
Hunting
and
gathering
East-Kalimantan: numerous hindrances
• Bad accessibility
• High costs
• Absence of infrastructures, lack of comfort,
• Risks, insurance, health,
• No efficient tour operators
East-Kalimantan: numerous hindrances
• Bad accessibility
• High costs
• Absence of infrastructures, lack of comfort,
• Risks, insurance, health,
• No efficient tour operators
A major hindrance: Punan culture
Immediate return-systems or “Enjoy the present, tomorrow is another day”
• Means no planning, no preparation, no savings…
• Increasing rates, decreasing quality
• The good boat is not available but we have another one
• Absence of accountability
• The money for the fuel is finished, give me more money
• The food is finished, give me more money
A major hindrance: Punan culture
The value of sharing… it’s natural to ask for a share from somebody who has more than you
also means: Give me your shirt!
A major hindrance: Punan culture
A vanishing culture
• No traditional music and dances
• No loincloths but jeans
• TVs, videos, HP…
East-Kalimantan: a reality far from expectation
Conclusion: Ecotourism and development?
• An untapped opportunity
• But a huge lack of infrastructure and capacity
• An inherent contradiction : development without (visible) change
• The solution: fooling the tourist, but how long will it last?
• As usual, the Punan will be on the losing side