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