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Local Identity, National Memory, and Heritage Tourism: Creating a Sense of Place with Archaeology

Year: 2005
Type: article
Abstract: With the emerging field of heritage tourism, there is a continued need for research devoted to understanding the cultural characteristics of heritage, its importance in contemporary society, and its uses.Many communities struggle with their sense of place in an increasingly globalized world.Recovery, interpretation, and the celebration of the past are important for sustaining local identity and a sense of place.Local history can be compromised by the drive to create alternative pasts in order to cater to heritage tourism.Local communities' involvement is necessary with the development of heritage tourism activities, including having a say in the way their past is presented to the outside world.This form of inclusiveness needs a continuous dialogue between the various stakeholders as different ideas about the past can make the process contentious (Derry and Malloy 2003; Dongoske et al. 2000; Little 2002; Shackel and Chambers 2004; Swidler et al. 1997; Watkins 2001).The heritage of peripheral groups is not always part of the story told of our national heritage.When looking at archaeological heritage, we not only need to interpret the dominant culture, but we also need to understand that racism, ethnocentrism, religiousism, linguistic-ism, age-ism, able-ism, class-ism, sex-ism, and heterosexual-ism are all part of our past.I propose several elements that will help make archaeological heritage tourism a more inclusive endeavor at multi-ethnic sites.These are:  Critically analyze and expose racism in the past, and present and dismantle the structures of oppression where we can.We need to recognize race and provide a historical perspective of racism when telling the story. Explore diversity in the past, and promote it in the present.We cannot dismantle racism if only like-minded people are participating in the project. Build a multicultural organization.We need to explore and identify the dividing walls in the past and in the present.For us, the organization is the field of American Archaeology, and we hope that our efforts will help build diversity.The story is not complete without a variety of perspectives. Create a color-conscious past rather than a color-blind past.By recognizing cultural and ethnic differences, we can provide a richer perspective of the past and the future.
Language: English
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2530041567
FWCI: 5.638
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Cited by: 3
Related to: 10