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Is Tourism a Culprit in Commodifying Cultures and Traditions?

Yes, tourism is a culprit in commodifying cultures and traditions.

These cute fridge magnets that I have bought during my trip definitely reminds me of Vietnam. Such souvenirs are cheaply produced in large quantity. These are considered symbols of tourist experiences that are transformed into tangible commodities which are instantly recognizable. 

Vietnam Flag T-shirt

Another example would t-shirts. Vietnam flag t-shirts can be easily purchased in the markets.

These commodities appear as a result of tourism as they are seen as novel in the eyes of the tourist.

This is an example of commodification of tradition. While we were taking a break near the Mekong Delta, these ladies started singing in font of us. There is modification in traditions as performances are put up for the sole purpose of earning revenue. The meaning behind the traditional performances are getting less important. 

Although tourism may revitalize culture and traditions, their values have changed.

Selling Conical Hats

Coconut Craft

Craft works are always on sale as they are usually unique to the country and many locals are able to make them. Again, the meaning behind passing down the skills in making these traditional crafts are no longer important. Because most people in Vietnam are poor, they are more likely to be concerned with making a living.

Sale of Traditional Costume in Sapa

Besides crafts, traditional costumes are also available. This is something which I cannot accept. I feel that the  traditional costumes should only be meant for people who belong to the ethnic groups or tribes. Something of sacred importance should not be mass produced and sold to the public. Such an activity would very much bring down the value of the traditional costumes as well as the ethnic group. There is loss of integrity by selling cultures and traditions for money.

(has7, n.d.)

All in all, tourism has led to increased merchandising of cultural and traditional items. There is also simplification of culture whereby an item is used to represent the entire culture of a country, for example, conical hats. Tourism is therefore a culprit in commodifying cultures and traditions.

Changes Brought by the Growth of Tourism in Vietnam

Growth of Tourism

Growth in tourism has been tremendous over the past  years in Vietnam. From 1998 to 2008, there was a 286 percent rise in visitor numbers. In terms of tourism growth for the first four months of this year, Vietnam stands fourth in the world, according to World Tourism Organization.

(Definite Journey, 2010)

Vietnam Tourism Statistics

(Vietnam Travel, 2008)

Changes

Westernisation

The pie chart below shows the percentage of the countries in which tourists were generated in the year 2008. A total of 35% were from western countries and amongst them, the biggest source of visitors was the USA with 350,000 visitors, followed by Australia and France with figures between 150,000 to 200,000 visitors. 

Vietnam Tourism Statistics

(Vietnam Travel, 2008)

Due to interactions and exchange of culture between the locals and tourists, westernisation is inevitable. With the growth of tourism, things are evolving to meet the demands of the tourists. For instance, the rise of fast food restaurants. Fast food is often associated with the Westerners, especially the USA. Now, there are KFC, Pizza Hut and Lotteria available in Ho Chi Minh City.

Western influence is rather prominent in Vietnam especially in the younger generations. People are no longer wearing their traditional or national costumes instead, they are turning to casual clothing such as jeans and t-shirt.

Traditional values of the Vietnamese have also become diluted. This is very much evident in young couples where public displays of affection can be seen more often especially during the evening. It is of contrary to the recent past, where a woman would not even sit next to a man unless he was her husband. Another example would be that Vietnamese girls in the upper-class used to blackened their teeth permanently with lacquer when they reached puberty. However, only older women are seen with such teeth now. Young girls living in the city would rather spend their time attending to their personal hygiene as well as Western-style make up. Western perms and colouring are also gaining popularity over the traditional long, black hair. (Ellis, C., 2004)

Traditional-Modern Wedding

In the urban cities, modern Vietnamese weddings are often a combination of traditional and Western-style weddings . 

In summary, there is loss of cultures and traditions due to tourism.

Urbanisation, Job Creation and Reduced Poverty

Vietnam is moving towards urbanisation. Since 2005, the annual rate of urbanisation is 3.1 percent. (CIA World Factbook) One of the reasons towards this trend is the job opportunities available in urban areas. The tourism industry, although still developing, is a key economic role in Vietnam. Tourism is largely happening in the urban areas of Vietnam such as Ho Chi Minh City thus giving rise to investment and job creation in these places. 

By shifting the workforce from agriculture to the service sector created by tourism growth, it also helps to reduce poverty. Some of the industries benefiting from the growth of tourism are the hotel, construction, retail, and food and beverage industries. (Trails, n.d.)

Some forms of jobs that the locals take on are tour guides, receptionists, clerks, sales assistant, hotel bellman, housekeeping, chefs and waiters. Other jobs that I have personally encountered are cyclo drivers in Ho Chi Minh City and boatman at the Mekong Delta. In the informal sector, there are touts, motor taxis and the selling of self-made handicrafts.

Destruction of the Environment

Tourism bring about damages to the environment. For instance, the Ha Long Bay in the North is renown for its unique scenery thus attracting a lot of tourists to the area. Tourism development is increasing pollution, traffic, and bringing destruction to the wildlife habitat. These damages are often irreversible.

The Government of Vietnam and the Administration of Tourism have been developing Sustainable Tourism to minimise the negative impacts on the environment.

(Business-In-Asia, 2005) 

Improving Vietnam's Image

Hotel Continental Saigon

The growth of tourism would simply mean the growth of tourism developments. The rise in the number of hotels is a clear illustration. Hotels are not merely increasing in numbers, they are also rising in standards. Luxury hotels are a growing trend in the urban Vietnam. 

Some 5 star hotels are Intercontinental Asiana Saigon, Rex Hotel Ho Chi Minh City, Movenpick Hotel Saigon, Sherwood Resisdence Ho Chi Minh City, Majestic Hotel Ho Chi Minh City, New World Hotel Saigon, and Sheraton Hanoi Hotel. (Asia Hotels, n.d.)

Luxury resorts are also coming up in Vietnam. Some existing resorts include Sheraton Dalat Resort and Le Meridien Danang Resort and Spa. (eHow, 2010)

Disneyization and Disneyfication in the Modern Society of Vietnam

Cu Chi Tunnel

Vietnam is also well known for the horrendous Vietnam war against the Americans. A trip to the Cu Chi Tunnel will show you part and parcel of the life of the Vietnamese soldiers during the war. 

The Vietnamese soldiers were smart to make use of their smaller size to create underground living quarters with small entrances and narrow tunnels. These entrances were covered by leaves so as to avoid being noticed.

Life underground was rather self sustainable where there were kitchens, well, sleeping chambers, conference chambers, hospitals, storerooms, air raid shelters, and firing posts.

After all these introduction, exactly which part does disneyfication steps in?

Here it is! The tunnel made just for tourists. 

According to the encyclopedia in absoluteastronomy.com, disneyfication 'can be used more broadly to describe the processes of stripping a real place or event of its original character and repackaging it in a sanitized format.'

'References to anything negative are removed, and the facts are watered down with the intent of making the subject more pleasant and easily grasped. In the case of places, this typically means replacing what has grown organically over time with an idealised and tourist-friendly veneer'. 

This definition perfectly fits this tunnel. Just look at how clean and spacious it is. There were no snakes, no false traps and it was in fact a pleasant and fun experience. 

On the point of view of a tourist, I feel that disneyfication is not all bad. It gives us an opportunity to go through the abstract underground tunnel that is unique to Vietnam, even though it is very much toned down. It is just not possible to enter the real tunnels thus this artificial one was made.

I believe such a move actually brought in more tourists to the site as tourists are more able to get a grasp of life in a tunnel. It is much more engaging to try it out than to merely stare at the entrance of the tunnel and listen to the tour guide telling us how life was down there. Besides, jobs were also created for the locals. Even though it is minimal, there is still some form of benefits to the society.

According to Merriam-Webster, disneyfication is 'the transformation (as of something real or unsettling) into carefully controlled and safe entertainment or environment with similar qualities'. The above would probably be considered disneyfication as well. Traps all over were fenced to ensure the safety of all visitors and a gallery of self made traps was provided for visitors to view. This real, unsettling and dangerous place was transformed into a controlled and safe place while still keeping most things original. It fits the definition again, does it not?

Performance Labour

If you have noticed, the people working at the site dress up as soldiers and perform the activities done by soldiers in the past. They were actually acting out the scenes to enhance the overall experience for the benefit of the visitors. Disneyization? Yes, it is.

To sidetrack, these sandals were purposely made and worn 'upside down' so that the enemies would go in the opposite direction if trails were left. "Speak without voice, cook without smoke, walk without trails," my knowledgeable tour guide Khoa said. And that was life in this place.


Hybrid Consumption

This is another form of disneyization - a souvenir shop in the middle of the place, which many of us found weird.

And this was a place some for snacks. At this rest stop, there was even a place for visitors to try out shooting. It was loud, crazy and not cheap.

Here, at this historical site, you can see, touch, experience, buy, eat and play. Actually, I do not think there is a problem with earning some money from the rich tourists, but it is just at the expense of authenticity.

This lady was showing us how rice paper was traditionally made.

And these were some food products on sale.

In just a historical site, there were four forms of disneyfication found. All in all, I feel that tourism is the main pushing force to disneyfication.

Other than the Cu Chi Tunnel, there is disneyization in Ho Chi Minh City.

Rise in Hotels and Restaurants

Again due to tourism, there is a rise in the number of hotels and restaurants available. Small scaled hotels can be found in almost every other corner in all the districts of Ho Chi  Minh City. The restaurants available are increasing not only in numbers but also in types. Restaurants serving Singapore style food and Muslim food are on the rise throughout the years.

Lion City Restaurant
Ho Chi Minh City

Merchandising

In the Banh Than Night Market, all sorts of things were sold. There were food, clothes, belts, bags, and  accessories. Imitations of Nike and Adidas clothings were sold very cheaply especially when you buy in bulk. Fake Gucci shades and many other shades with copyright branded logos were also sold by touts as cheap as 40,000 VND each, which is less than 3 SGD, and that is if you are good at bargaining.

Growing Trend Towards Social Environments

Me, Phuong, Zhengyi

I have made a Vietnamese friend at the local Hong Bang University during our visit there. Phuong, my new friend, brought us to Highlands Coffee for a drink during our free time.

She mentioned that this was her favourite place to hang out with her friends. Besides, she also love to go shopping, eat out and go to the movies from time to time. We all clicked as we feel that our lifestyles were similar.

This is evidence that life in the city is changing and moving towards the social environments which are driven by combinations of forms of consumption.

What is Vietnam Known For?

Image

  

Image of Vietnamese, pole and baskets

Vietnam is known for this image.

And Vietnamese say their country looks like two baskets placed at two ends of a pole. (Vietnam-Culture, 2009)

Rice

Vietnam is an agricultural country where 8 out of 10 Vietnamese live in the rural areas, growing rice for a living.  Rice is the main staple of the Vietnamese diet, occupying 94 percent of arable land. In 1999, a total of 31.4 million tons of rice were produced. (Vietnam-Culture, 2009)

Rice Fields

A lot of foods are also made using rice.

Bun, Rice Vermicelli

Banh Khuc, Sticky Rice

.

Conical Hats (Nonla)

Nonla

Conical hats are made only by hand and are usually made by women. It starts by exposing the leaves, which were brought back from the forest, to the dews for a night to soften them. They are then flattened by hand or by ironing when the leaves are dry but soft. Young leaves are selected while the old and dark ones discarded.

Usually, a hat consists of 16 to 18 rims which are made from a special kind of bamboo. Last of all, the hat is trimmed and painted with a coat of attar oil to keep it clean and smooth.

Nonla

The conical hat has several uses. It serves as a protection against the sun, rain and rough wind. Vietnamese women also use the hat to fan themselves during summer. It can also be used as a container for vegetables or even a bowl to relieve thirst when passing by a well.

(Vietnam-Culture, 2009)

Leisure Programmes

Under leisure programmes, there are 2 main topics: festivals and recreation.

Festivals

The Vietnamese Lunar New Year

Tet

The Lunar Year Festival is the largest festival that takes place on the first day of the lunar year and lasts for the entire week. It is known as Tet Nguyen Dan or just Tet in short. According to Vietnamese traditional customs, Tet is a family-oriented celebration where it is an occasion for family members to meet each other, invite visitors and toast to each other. It is also a time for people to hold light incense in remembrance of the late relatives. On the eve of Tet, people wait for midnight, the sacred moment, to bid farewell to the past year and welcome the New Year.

Nem chua, Vietnamese fermented pork roll

Traditional dishes such as rice cakes are prepared in every households. People wish each other health and happiness during this most sacred celebration in Vietnam.

(Vietnam-Culture, 2009)

Lunar New Year Celebrations

The Mid-Autumn Festival

The Mid-Autumn Festival falls on the 15th day of the 8th month in lunar calender. On this day, children throughout the whole of Vietnam would march with their lanterns on hand and eat moon cakes, with the permission from their parents. The Mid-Autumn Festival is therefore also named Children's Festival.

This tradition was first started in China at the beginning of the 8th century. It was then spread to the neighbouring countries. There is a story behind this festival, according to ancient manuscripts.

On the eve of the 15th day in the 8th month, Emperor Duong gazed at the moon, wishing that he could visit the Palace up there. The Emperor's wish was granted by a magician named Dieu Phap Thien. At the Moon Palace, Emperor Duong was welcomed by a Fairy God who prepared a banquet and entertained the Emperor. Hundreds of beautiful fairies danced and sang.

The Emperor enjoyed the performance so much that he wanted to bring the song and dance back to the Imperial Palace. This was how the tradition of gazing at the moon, and watching dance and song became a traditional event on the eve of Mid-Autumn.

(Vietnam-Culture, 2009)

Mid-Autumn Festival, Tet Trung Thu

Recreation

In Vietnam, people watching is a common activity where people sit by the roadsides or in cafes facing the street watching the world go by. Restaurants are nightclubs are popular for those who can afford it. Gambling is another favourite where people buy the national lottery, bet in horse racing, and play cards and mahjong. Adults and children also enjoy betting on cricket fights during rainy seasons, thus many children would catch them for this purpose. Children may also be seen tossing coins, sticks or stones along the streets, many of which gambling is involved.

People watching at roadsides

Vietnamese love going to the movies. Throughout the country, films from all over the world are shown. Some other popular sporting events include soccer, basketball, volleyball, swimming, hiking, ping pong and tennis.

People in the country often come up with their own leisure activities, using the resources available. Boat races are popular with those along the seashore. In places where elephants are found, they would be used to compete with each other also in the form of a race. Children seldom have fancy toys but they amuse themselves very well. They are always able to find things that interest them. Due to the large number of children around, children often play with each other.

(Offroad Vietnam, n.d.)

Mode of Education

Just like many other countries, education is done through schools. Education is of great importance to the Vietnam society as it is seen as an opportunity for advancement in life. Very often, families make sacrifices to ensure that the children get the education they need.

Vietnam has about 86 million people and 60 percent are under the age of 35. This shows how much education is needed by the young population. Every year, about 1.2 million students graduate from secondary education however, only 25 percent of these graduates enrolled for higher education. In fact, only 2 percent of the population, about 1.6 million, are in higher education institutions.

(Runckel, C., 2009)

Education system in Vietnam

There are a few possible reasons as to why the demand for higher education is very low. Firstly, only 28 percent of the population, approximately 24 million, live in the urban areas. Education is not as important as farming and agriculture are in the rural villages and mountainous areas. Secondly, it could be that families in the cities are unable to afford. As there are about four children per couple, not every child would have the opportunity to go to school. Most children, out of filial, would work to support their family instead of going to school. Lastly, it is also possible that children are unable to further their studies as it is generally tough to attain higher education.

Children would usually prefer playing to studying. We shall learn about their leisure activities in the next section.