What Does “Authentic” Tourism Really Mean?

Summary

このビデオ脚本では、デンアがタイの山岳部族を訪れ、彼らの文化を体験する2つの異なるツアーを探求しています。山岳部族村での生活と手作りの工芸品の販売、そしてカレン民族のホームステイでの体験を通じて、観光客が求める「本物の体験」と地元住民の生活との間の境界線を探求します。脚本では、観光が彼らの生活に与える影響と、彼らがどのように観光客のニーズに応えるかについても触れています。

Takeaways

• 🚶‍♀️ 旅行者たちは新しい経験を求めて、時には少数民族や先住民の村を訪れる。
• ⚠️ 記者のDenaはコロナウイルスの世界的な流行前にタイを訪れた。
• 🏔️ タイの山岳地帯にはさまざまな少数民族が住んでおり、各部族には独自の文化と言語がある。
• 🛍️ 観光客のために設立された村では、手作りの工芸品や大量生産された土産物が販売されている。
• 📸 これらの村は観光客の視覚的な楽しみのためにデザインされており、文化の展示と観光資源のバランスが難しい。
• 🌍 観光が少数民族の生活と収入に大きな影響を与えており、彼らの文化が観光のために変更されることもある。
• 🏡 Karen族の女性Nukulは観光客向けのホームステイを運営しており、観光を通じて経済的に安定した生活を送っている。
• 🍽️ Nukulは観光客のために伝統的な料理をアレンジし、彼らの快適さを優先している。
• 🧳 観光客は村の本当の生活や文化を完全には体験できず、観光のためにステージングされたものを見ることが多い。
• 📉 コロナウイルスのパンデミックにより、タイの観光業が大きな打撃を受け、少数民族の収入源が減少している。

Q & A

デナはどのような目的でタイに旅行をしましたか？

デナは「本物体験」と「文化の悪用」の境界を探るためにタイに旅行しました。

デナが訪れたヒルトラブとはどのような場所ですか？

ヒルトラブはタイ北部のチェンマイ郊外にある観光スポットで、7つの異なるヒルトラブの家族が住んでおり、手作りの工芸品を販売しています。

ヒルトラブの人々が持つ特徴的な文化的な特徴は何ですか？

ヒルトラブの人々は独自の文化や言語を持っており、特にカエン族の女性は首に重い銅の輪を巻いたことで知られています。

観光客がヒルトラブの人々をどのように見ているかについて、デナはどのような疑問を持っていますか？

デナは観光客がヒルトラブの人々を「人間の動物園」と見るかもしれないという疑問を持っています。

マプレイはどのようにして観光地に来たのですか？

マプレイは夫が隣接する象のキャンプで働くため、6年前にこの場所に来ました。

マプレイは観光客からの見え方をどのように感じていますか？

マプレイ自身の意見は明かされていませんが、彼女は観光客の目を避けることはできない状況にあると感じている可能性があります。

ヌクルが運営するホームステイはどのようなものですか？

ヌクルのホームステイは、観光客が彼女の家族に会って彼らの文化を学ぶことができる場所です。

観光客が訪れることでカルン族の生活はどのように変化しましたか？

観光客のためにカルン族は生活環境を変更し、例えば屋内のトイレを設置したり、料理の辛さを控えるようにしたりしています。

デナは観光客がカルン族の家に泊まる場所についてどう思いましたか？

デナはカルン族の家に泊まる場所として新しい竹の小屋が建てられ、それらは観光客の快適さを確保するために「グランピング」と呼ばれています。

新型コロナウイルスパンデミックがタイの観光業にどのような影響を与えていますか？

タイの観光業は大きな打撃を受けており、今年は数百万の観光客が失われる見通しで、国内総生産の5分の1を占める観光業にとって大きな財政的影響を及ぼしています。

デナはこの旅行から何を学びましたか？

デナは観光客が彼らの文化を展示したり、観光客を開放したりする2つの異なるヒルトラブ体験を通じて、これらの方法がタイの少数民族が十分な暮らしをするために持っている少数の方法の一つであることを学びました。

Outlines

00:00

🌏 タイの少数民族への旅

デナはタイの山岳部族を訪れ、彼らの文化と生活を探求します。山岳部族はタイの山岳地帯に住む多民族であり、タイ政府によって歴史的に差別されてきたことがあり、多くの人々が難民として扱われています。彼らの村は観光客向けに作られており、手作りの工芸品を販売していますが、これらの村は近年に急増しています。デナは文化の浸透とその利用の境界について疑問に思い、彼らが文化を売り出す感じはしないか、そして誰が「極めて本物」を決めるのかを探求しています。

05:02

🏞️ 少数民間のホームステイ体験

デナはカリン民族のヌクールさんのホームステイに泊まります。カリン民族はミャンマー出身でタイで最も大きな少数民族の一つであり、彼らの多くはタイ社会の辺緣に生きています。ヌクールは観光客向けに新しいハットを建て、英語を学び、ホームステイを運営しています。観光客が村に来ることで村の生活は変化しており、彼らは快適に滞在できるように文化を少し変えています。デナは彼らの生活環境や文化の変化について学び、観光客が彼らの文化を経験するためには彼らが自分たちの文化を多少変えていることに気づきます。

10:04

🌐 観光と少数民族の生活

デナはタイの山岳部族体験を通じて、観光客が彼らの文化を経験することと少数民族が観光を通じて生計を立てる必要性について学びました。観光は彼らにとって生活を維持するための唯一の方法の一つであり、彼らは観光客の快適さを確保しながらも自分の文化を守る必要があります。デナは、観光客が彼らの生活を完全に経験することはできないと感じ、彼らの体験は私たちの「本物」という欲求に応じて舞台設定されています。また、新型コロナウイルスのパンデミックがタイの観光業に大きな影響を与えており、山岳部族村が閉鎖され、彼らの生活に困難が生じています。デナは、状況が早期に改善されることを願い、彼らと私たちの間に存在するグローバルなパワーダイナミクスについて考えています。

Keywords

💡ヒルトリップ

ヒルトリップとは、山間部や高地部に住む民族を訪れる旅行のことです。このビデオでは、デンマーク人がタイのヒルトリップを通じて異文化体験を求める姿勢を探求しています。ビデオのテーマは、文化的な浸透と商業化の境界線を問い、ヒルトリップが提供する「本物の体験」とは何かを考察しています。

💡文化浸透

文化浸透とは、異なる文化に深く潜り込み、その生活や価値観を理解することを指します。ビデオでは、旅行者がタイのヒルトリップを通じて文化浸透を求める様子が描かれていますが、その一方で、彼らが求める「本物の体験」が実際には商業化されたものであるかどうかも問いかけています。

💡商業化

商業化とは、文化的な要素や体験を商品として提供することを指します。ビデオでは、ヒルトリップが商業化された形で提供されていること、そしてそれが地元の人々にとっての生計手段となっていることが強調されています。しかし、その結果として、文化の本来の価値や意義が損なわれることがあるという懸念もあります。

💡観光地

観光地とは、旅行者にとって魅力的な場所のことです。ビデオでは、ヒルトリップの村が観光地として紹介されており、地元の人々が観光客に向けて工芸品を販売している様子が描かれています。しかし、観光地としての商業化は、文化の変容や観光客と地元の人々との力関係に影響を与える可能性があると指摘されています。

💡カエン族

カエン族は、タイの山岳地帯に住む民族の一つで、ビデオでは彼らの文化と生活が紹介されています。カエン族の女性が英語を学び、ホームステイを運営することで、観光客との交流を通じて経済的に自立し、自分の文化を維持しようとしていることが強調されています。

💡ホームステイ

ホームステイとは、旅行者が地元の家庭に宿泊し、その生活を体験する形式の旅行です。ビデオでは、カエン族の女性がホームステイを運営し、観光客に自分の文化を紹介する場を提供している様子が描かれています。これは、文化浸透を深める一つの方法であり、観光客にとっての「本物の体験」を提供する手段とされています。

💡観光客

観光客とは、旅行を目的に特定の場所を訪れる人々です。ビデオでは、観光客がヒルトリップを通じて異文化体験を求める姿勢が分析されており、彼らの欲求が地元の文化にどのような影響を与えるかが問われています。また、観光客の視点から、文化の商業化やステージングに疑問を持つ様子も描かれています。

💡文化のステージング

文化のステージングとは、文化的な要素を旅行者の欲望に応じて演出することを指します。ビデオでは、ヒルトリップの村が観光客向けに作られたものであり、実際には地元の生活とは異なる形で文化が提示されていることが指摘されています。

💡人権

ビデオでは、ヒルトリップの村に住む人々がタイ国籍を持たず、生活保護を受けることができない状況が触れられています。これにより、彼らは観光業に依存して生計を立てる必要があるとされており、人権の観点から彼らの状況が問題視されています。

💡観光批判

観光批判とは、観光業の影響やその持つ問題点に対する批判的な視点です。ビデオでは、観光客が求める「本物の体験」が実際には商業化されたものであり、それが地元の文化や生活に与える影響について批判的に捉えられています。また、観光地としてのヒルトリップ村が「人間動物園」と非難されることもあると報告されています。

💡新型コロナウイルス

ビデオの最後に、新型コロナウイルスのパンデミックがタイの観光業に与えた影響が触れられています。観光客の大幅な減少により、タイ経済に大きな打撃が加わり、特にヒルトリップの村が閉鎖され、地元の人々が生計を失うリスクにさらされていることが示されています。

Highlights

Dena explores the concept of 'authentic' travel experiences and the ethical considerations of visiting ethnic minorities and indigenous groups.

The video discusses the impact of tourism on hill tribe communities in Thailand, including the potential for cultural exploitation.

Dena visits a hill tribe village outside Chiang Mai, where she observes the interaction between tourists and the local people.

The term 'hill tribes' is explained as an umbrella term for various ethnic minorities in Thailand, many of whom are stateless and marginalized.

The video raises questions about the authenticity of tourist experiences and the line between cultural immersion and exploitation.

Dena interviews Ma Play, a Kayan woman, to understand her perspective on being a tourist attraction and the impact of tourism on her life.

The video highlights the economic benefits and challenges faced by the hill tribe communities as they rely on tourism for income.

Dena experiences an alternative hill tribe tour, which is described as less staged and more 'authentic' than the first.

The host Nukul shares her personal story and the role of tourism in her life, including the empowerment it has brought her.

The video examines the changes in village life to accommodate tourists, such as installing trash cans and building toilets inside homes.

Dena reflects on the power dynamics between tourists and the local communities, and the ethical implications of seeking 'authentic' experiences.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Thailand's tourism industry and its financial implications for the country are discussed.

Nukul's homestay business is featured, showing how tourism has provided opportunities for her and her community.

The video concludes with a reflection on the complexities of cultural exchange and the responsibilities of tourists in ethical travel.

An update on the current situation of the hill tribe village and Nukul's homestay during the coronavirus pandemic is provided.

Transcripts

Here I am, literally going off the beaten path.

What’s happening?

- The terrain is really rugged.

I’m Dena.

What do you guys think?

And when it comes to travel, it seems like

everyone wants to discover something new,

post the most epic photo and live like the locals.

And sometimes, that means visiting ethnic minorities and Indigenous groups.

An important disclaimer: I traveled to Thailand to report this story

before coronavirus became a global pandemic.

More on that at the end of this video.

When it comes to Thailand,

travel influencers say you gotta check out the hill tribes.

We started learning about all these hill tribes.

-... each with their own distinct culture and language.

They’re living very minimalistically out here in the tribes.

But we wanted to do, like, the extremely authentic tours.

But as we seek out so-called “authentic” experiences,

I want to know where we’re drawing the line

between cultural immersion and exploitation.

So I’m going on two very different tours to find out what it all means

for the locals on display.

Do they feel like they’re selling out their culture?

And who gets to decide what’s “extremely authentic” anyway?

Is that OK?

It’s OK? It’s not offensive?

You might be wondering where I am right now.

I'd normally feel a little weird about, a little appropriating, but

she’s saying it’s OK,

so I'm just gonna go with it. Yeah?

I’m at a so-called hilltribe village.

It’s a touristy spot right outside the city of Chiang Mai

in northern Thailand where families from seven different hill tribes live and work.

Very beautiful.

There’s no one to translate.

“Hill tribes” is an umbrella term for the various ethnic minorities in Thailand

that are originally from nearby countries.

They’ve been settling around Thailand’s mountainous border region

for hundreds of years.

I love the weaving over there.

Hill tribe people often live without citizenship or

means to make a living, and have historically been

marginalized by the Thai government.

Many are considered refugees.

The people in this village live here and set up shop selling handmade crafts

and other mass-produced souvenirs.

But this particular village was only established 10 years ago

and is part of a tour package that includes a neighboring elephant camp.

Villages like these have popped up

to give tourists a quick way to see the so-called

exotic Thailand.

But, I’m picking up on a power imbalance between the visitors and the women.

I'm a little conflicted being here.

it feels a bit weird to be going stand-by-stand and looking at them.

It just feels all a bit gawky.

I can't help but feel that this is a very uneven exchange.

And maybe that’s why places like this get a lot of online hate

from reviewers who doubt their “authenticity,” “lack of culture”

and even blast them as “human zoos.”

Some have even suggested boycotting them in the name of ethical travel.

I’m told the families live here for free

and get to keep all the money they make from selling their crafts.

Mutao’s parents live in Burma, and she came here with her aunt.

And, like many other people in this situation,

she doesn’t have citizenship in Thailand.

Of the seven tribes that live here, these women are the biggest draw.

They’re the so-called long-neck Kayan women,

and they’re famous for the heavy brass rings around their necks.

They’ve been captivating Westerners for some time.

Back in the 1930s, they were even paraded

around the U.S. and the UK as part of circus shows.

And many still can’t resist the photo op.

This is Ma Play, and I was able to talk to her through our translator.

I wanted to know:

How does she feel about being, essentially, a tourist attraction?

Is it weird to have tourists staring at you all day and taking your picture?

Many Kayan are refugees from Myanmar

who fled to Thailand to escape decades of conflict and poverty.

Oh my God. It’s so delicate.

They’re also known for their weaving skills.

Even just to try to get this piece of wood through the thread is -

Ma Play moved here six years ago to join her husband,

who works at the elephant camp.

Some tourists feel like this is, like, very fake and it’s not authentic.

What do you say to them?

I would love to buy this. Is it OK? How much is it?

400?

I love it.

Transactions like these are how Ma Play and the other women here make a living.

Still, much of this setup is designed to please tourists.

I want to believe she’s happy in this arrangement,

but it’s unlikely she would tell us, an American film crew, otherwise.

So the next thing I’m checking out is an alternative hilltribe experience -

one that many say feels less staged and more “authentic.”

We’re about 20 minutes into this drive

and, at this point, I’m just doing my best not to throw up.

Oh boy.

We’re heading to our homestay where we’ll be spending the night,

and it involves a bit of a journey.

We’re out here.

We’re, like, up on this mountain.

Thank you!

This is our host Nukul, who’s part of the Karen ethnic minority.

She runs a homestay where you can meet her family

and learn about their culture.

We are hiking up to her village.

We’ve been going at it for maybe 15 minutes,

and it’s basically a windy, uphill road.

But it’s very beautiful.

Honestly,

I'm feeling like this climb is extremely authentic.

The Karen are originally from Myanmar

and are the biggest ethnic minority in Thailand.

About half a million of them live here now.

Tell me about the Karen people.

There really is a pig tied to every house.

Just one day away by jet clipper lies the fabled land of Thailand.

Starting around the 1960s, more adventurous Western travelers

began setting out into Thailand’s hills, yearning

to set themselves apart from other tourists by “discovering” remote areas.

That trend continued as Nukul was growing up.

What was it like for you as a child

to be seeing so many tourists come by and looking at you

and your home and your family?

What were you scared of exactly?

Yeah, like backpackers.

But she saw an opportunity, one that would allow her

to make more money through tourism and stay in her village.

Nukul teamed up with an organization that

helps low-income Karen women learn English and run homestays.

She’s mainly been hosting young Westerners who find her on social media.

I’m wondering how much she’s had to change to accommodate her guests.

Our first stop was her cousin’s house,

and it seemed like the entire extended family was there.

It's like a blessing for good health, good luck?

Tell her, "Thank you so much."

Is your grandmother proud of you?

Why?

While we were eating, Nukul told me job opportunities for Karen people

are few and far between.

They’ve always lived on the margins of Thai society.

But it looked like the homestay business was doing well.

We definitely always try to make all of our travels be more of, like, their culture.

The authentic thing?

You think the guests are God in Thailand?

Why is that?

So like, it sounds like you need to keep them happy

in order to keep yourselves employed.

She gave me examples of how village life has changed to accommodate tourists.

Now, they've installed trash cans alongside the road.

It’s not lost on me that they’re changing

their culture to make us more comfortable when the whole point

is for us to experience their culture.

So, we're in front of Nukul's house.

That's her house back there.

It's rare to have a toilet inside the house.

They're normally traditionally outside of the house, but a lot of people,

like Nukul, have been building them

to make their guests more comfortable and make sure people come back and stay.

Oh, so instead of cooking on this fire, now you just have a stove.

- This is a kitchen and sometimes you sleep in it when it’s cold, yeah?

I learned that Karen families usually sleep all together in one room.

And, as we made our way to the homestay, I was wondering if we’d be joining them.

This is, I mean look, we’re going over rocks and stuff to get here.

At one point, we drove like, I’m pretty sure we drove through a river.

We don’t even know -

We don’t even really quite know

where we’re going.

It’s going to be a discovery for all of us.

All right, we’re here! We made it.

Turns out, we weren’t going to be staying in their actual home,

but rather new huts they’ve built just for their visitors.

It’s really nice!

They’ve got you situated in a little bamboo hut right next to the river.

It’s kinda like “glamping.”

- Oh my God, your dad built this?

This is a nice accommodation.

It is 5:30, and the sun is beginning to go down.

And Nukul and her cousin - Hi - and her brother, in there,

and some friends are preparing dinner for everyone.

This smells incredible.

The smell of the chili and the curry and the onions and chicken,

making my stomach rumble.

But to make sure her guests can tolerate it,

Nukul says she goes easy on the spiciness.

Who taught you how to cook like this?

- You learned how to cook this on YouTube?

YouTube is a great platform, you know!

Learn some cooking, watch some “Checked In!”

How do you feel that Thai society looks at you and the Karen people?

She says that’s because Karen people

are increasingly getting stable jobs hosting tourists.

Ooh, it’s hot!

What do you hope for your two sons, you know, growing up here

and being among so many tourists?

Oh you got the special veggie dish, huh?

Yeah.

- This looks amazing!

- Thank you!

Nukul and her family eat elsewhere, while the guests

eat out here together.

The lights are off. We had our dinner.

Hi…

Believe it or not, there’s a producer in there.

It’s really cool to see how this, you know, woman, who grew up not having much,

not speaking English, is, like, basically running this thing now.

She’s totally been empowered.

And, yeah,

if it wasn’t for tourism, as she said,

you know, her life would be very different right now.

Good morning. I slept. It was really cold!

I'm wearing a sweatshirt and then another long-sleeve shirt

and then another long-sleeve shirt and then a T-shirt

and then a tanktop and two pants!

OK, so we’re all packed up and we're ready to go.

I set out on two very different hilltribe experiences,

and I learned that both types, whether it’s

putting your culture on display or opening your home to tourists,

are some of the only ways for ethnic minorities

to make a decent living in Thailand.

But, I also learned that, as tourists, there’s no way we can fully

experience their lives and cultures, considering these tours are staged for us.

They’re essentially designed for the locals to

capitalize on our desire for so-called authenticity,

while also catering to our comfort.

So much of this comes down to the global power dynamics

between those who can travel

and those who depend on tourism to survive.

Is there anywhere you want to travel to?

Hey, everyone.

So, obviously, a lot has changed since we came back from Thailand.

So much so, that I’m filming from home,

where I’m currently spending all of my time during this coronavirus pandemic.

But I did wanna go ahead and give you an update about what’s happening in Thailand.

As you can expect, tourism there has taken a major hit.

In fact, they’re expected to lose millions of tourists this year.

And that’s going to have a huge financial impact,

considering that tourism accounts for one-fifth of the country’s GDP.

On top of that, the hilltribe village

where I met Ma Play is closed for the next few months,

so she’s gone back to her home province.

But I was able to connect with Nukul, our homestay host,

and she sent me this video.

I’m sincerely hoping the situation gets better sooner than later for Nukul,

and for everyone really.

Make sure you check out our next episode,

where we ask Thais to clap back

at bad reviews tourists wrote about a Buddhist temple.