Proceedings of 23rd International Business Research Conference
18 - 20 November, 2013, Marriott Hotel, Melbourne, Australia, ISBN: 978-1-922069-36-8
Spatial Representation in Indigenous Tourism Consumption:
Authenticity in Front and Back Stages of Tribes1
Su-Hsin Lee2 and Jing-Shoung Hou3
Indigenous areas with rich cultural and natural resource have attracted tourists to
visit which affect the land management and economic development in indigenous
territories. The purpose is to compare authenticity between mass tourism tribe
(Wulai, front stage) and traditional living tribe (Fushan, back stage), then reflecting
the results to suitability of tourism development. We firstly observed and recoded
environmental-behavior maps and then conducted in-depth interview with 25
residents and stakeholders from two tribes. The results showed that the differential
meaning of spatial representation of front stages and back stages. Wulai tribal
homeland landscapes deeply influenced by tourism to format distinct consuming
areas where serious deterioration of cultural authenticity; however, recently
community construction produced innovated cultural products which are high
cultural authenticity. Fushan is in the water conservation districts where can only
develop eco-tourism. The tribal homeland landscape keeps original natural
landscapes. Fushan collaborate with the public sector to establish partnerships in
eco-tourism. The results suggest establishing aboriginal authentic landscape and
social significance in some strategies.
Key words: Social Meaning, Authenticity, Homescape, Tourismscape, Front And Back Stage
1. Introduction
Indigenous tourism (or aboriginal tourism) is people to visit aboriginal areas or culture.
Bulter and Hinch characterized Indigenous tourism as” … tourism activities in which
indigenous people are directly either through control and/or by having their culture serves
as the essence of the attraction” (1996:9). Tourists are seeking some special encounter
through the experience (Ryan, 2002). Zeppel (1998b) argued attraction of indigenous
tourism includes with "aboriginal people", "aboriginal spirit or dream," "aboriginal life skills",
"aboriginal cultural practices," and "aboriginal architecture and crafts" special customs
(Zeppel, 1998b).
Aboriginal tourism, in addition to bringing about positive effects such as the cultural
revitalization of tribes and the awakening of aboriginal ethnic consciousness (Zeppel,
1998a), also produced many different cultural conflicts, for example tribal rituals, songs
and dance have become a kind of cultural commodification (Zeppel, 1998b). The critical
issue of commoditization is allegedly changes the meaning of cultural products and of
human relations, making them eventually meaningless (Cohen, 1988).
Since 1950‟s tourism activities have entered aboriginal tribes in Wulai region of
Taiwan. For half a century, the tourism activities have gradually changed social and
economic structure and the natural landscape of Wulai area. This research includes two
tribes, Wulai and Fushan which are along Nanshih Watershed. Wulai is one of the most
well-known aboriginal tourism scenic areas in Taiwan, while Fushan is a traditional Atayal
village near the Hapen Conservation Area where only limited and small ecotourism
1
A part of Taiwan National Science Council research result. (102-2420-H-003-003-)
Professor, Department of Urban Planning and Landscape, National Quemoy University, Kimen, Taiwan
Professor, Department of Geography, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
3
Professor, Department of Leisure and Recreation, National Formosa University, Yulin, Taiwan
2
Proceedings of 23rd International Business Research Conference
18 - 20 November, 2013, Marriott Hotel, Melbourne, Australia, ISBN: 978-1-922069-36-8
programs served at there. Based on the concept of "front and back” stages and staged
authenticity, this research explored the suitability of aboriginal tourism products from the
spirit of the original culture, lifestyle, commoditization and interactive relationship of people
and place in different tourism development context tribes. The research questions are (1)
does tourism commoditization sustain or deteriorate traditional aboriginal culture? (1) How
do people in different tourism development community respond to the staged authenticity
of their community? (2) How do people integrate traditional homescape with tourismscape
while encountering with the influence of tourism?
2. Literature Review
Authenticity is a tourism product which affects tourist motivation and satisfaction
(Pearce & Moscardo, 1986). Although tourism development may preserve vanishing
culture or valuable heritage (Cohen, 1979a), natural and cultural resources have been
destroyed, and environmental and social problems of law and order have arisen
. Goffman‟s authenticity drama theory (1959) proposed “front stage and back stage”.
MacCannell (1973) also proposed “staged authenticity” to argue that local people change
their lifestyle and tourism exhibition as showcase to meet the needs of tourists. They
highlight local culture to be “visualable” which caused phenomenon of commercialization
and destroyed cultural resources. The issue of "staged authenticity” is important since
local culture has lost their intrinsic significance and importance to the local people
(Greenwood, 1977). In order to meet the motivation of tourists the local living quality and
environment is affected. MacCannell (1973, p598) then extended Goffman‟s authenticity
to six stage forms. Stage 1: Goffman‟s front region; Stage 2: a touristic front region that
has been decorated to appear; Stage 3: a front region that is totally organized to look like
a back region; Stage 4: a back region that is open to outsiders; Stage 5: a back region that
may be cleaned up or altered a bit because tourists are permitted an occasional glimpse
in; Stage 6: Goffman‟s back region; the kind of social space that motivates touristic
consciousness.
Hou (2010) proposed the concept of social consumption between culture and tourism
based on the interactive structure of users and stakeholders. He pointed out that the stage
of authenticity is constructed by tourists, residents and the mediating factors (industry,
government and the media). Staged authenticity includes exploring authenticity, image
authenticity and media authenticity (Figure 1).
For land-use planning and tourism
management, Body & Butler (1996) followed
Clark & Stankey‟s (1979) concept of
Recreation Opportunity Spectrum (ROS) and
proposed Ecotourism Opportunity Spectrum
(ECOS) which managers can use for
developing a variety of recreational activities
in a spectrum of recreation sites. UNESCO‟s
"World Cultural and Natural Heritage
Protection Convention" notifies the historic
restoration practical work should consider
materials, workmanship, design, and setting
authenticity. Littrell, Anderson & Brown (1993)
found that the authentic handicrafts should
Figure1: Residents, visitors and media
have
certain
characteristics
include constitutes the stage of authenticity (Hou, 2010)
uniqueness, originality, workmanship, cultural
Proceedings of 23rd International Business Research Conference
18 - 20 November, 2013, Marriott Hotel, Melbourne, Australia, ISBN: 978-1-922069-36-8
and historical integrity, tourist function, use, the characteristics of the craftsmen,
interaction with the craftsmen, and shopping experience. Revilla & Dodd (2003)
considered that the authenticity of the crafts should contain appearance/utility, traditional
characteristics and certification, difficult to obtain, locally produced, and low cost. We
argue that aboriginal ecotourism development for tourists could be categories in food,
clothing, housing, transportation, education, and recreation six forms of “Tourism Market
Complex opportunity spectrum”.
Different forms of tourism represent its tourism activities and tourism product.
According to tourists‟ motivation, Hou & Lee (1999) classified four aboriginal tourism
marketing types: (1) centralized commodization type (mass tourism), (2) retail
commodization type (mixed public/depth or natural/cultural tourism), (3) semi-museums
type (mass-cultural tourism), and (4) anthropology type (depth-cultural tourism).
.
3. The Methodology and Model
The purpose of this research is to explore
authenticity between mass tourism tribe (front
stage, tourismscape) and eco-tourism tribe
(back stage, homescape), then reflecting the
results to suitability of tourism development
(Figure 2). According to previous studies
(Anderson & Brown, 1993; Revilla & Dodd,
2003; UNESCO, 2013), we analysed the
differences between Wulai and Fusan using
five authenticity indicators: locally produced
and traditional characteristics, cultural and
historical integrity, market-oriented, the
characteristics of the craftsmen, and
interpretation program.
Wulai (Ulai) means hot spring. It is a wellknown tourism scenic spot provides ecocultural tourism, traditional weaving, crafts,
spa, cuisine and dance activities. Wulai tribe
is
tourist
consumption
areas
which
Figure 2: Research framework
represented as tourismscape and front stage.
Fushan is traditional Atayal village near the
Hapen Conservation Area which is called as “Taiwan's Amazon” with rich natural
resources and has been traditional Atayal hunting grounds. The land use is restricted to
development that population outflow situation seriously. Fushan tribe is Atayal living space
represented as homespace and back stage (Figure 3).
For collecting data, we used environmental observation recording and in-depth
interview 25 residents and stakeholders (Table 1) in Wulai and Fushan respectively from
August to October, 2012 and March 2012 to May 2013. The questions are: (1) How do
you think a (statue, weave, hotel, or food…) represents Taiya‟s cultural authenticity?
Why? (2) During the development of tourism, how do you retain the original indigenous
homeland landscape? (3) How do you integrate indigenous homeland and tourism
landscape?
Proceedings of 23rd International Business Research Conference
18 - 20 November, 2013, Marriott Hotel, Melbourne, Australia, ISBN: 978-1-922069-36-8
Table 1: Background of Respondents
Cod
Tribe
e
Gende
Ind/Ha
r
n
Background
Interview place
A
Fusan
M
Ind
Resident (hunter)
Church
B
Fusan
M
Ind
Community Development officer
Fusan elementary
school
C
Fusan
M
Han
Fusan elementary school
Community Arbor
teachers
D
Fusan
F
Han
Resident (Housekeeper)
in front of house
E
Fusan
F
Ind
Tribal narrator
Fusan elementary
school
F
Fusan
M
Ind
Resident (famer)
in front of house
G
Fusan
M
Ind
District administration officer
Community Arbor
H
Fusan
M
Ind
Fusan local leader
Fushan Village Office
I
Fusan
F
Ind
Ecotourism interpreter
Fushan Village Office
J
Fusan
M
Ind
Restaurant manager
Restaurant
K
Fusan
M
Ind
Fusan community leader
Restaurant
L
Wulai
F
Ind
Yuga woven work operator
Knitting house
M
Wulai
F
Ind
Daga woven work operator
Knitting house
N
Wulai
F
Ind
Woven womenfolk
House and studio
O
Wulai
M
Han
Tribe beauty woven work operator
Street
P
Wulai
M
Ind
Wulai local leader
house
Q
Wulai
F
Ind
B & B manager
hostel
R
Wulai
F
Ind
Wulai Leisure industry society
Society office
S
Wulai
F
Han
7-11market shop manager
7-11 market shop
T
Wulai
M
Ind
Taya Grandma restaurant
restaurant
manager
U
Wulai
F
Ind
Yuna woven work operator
Knitting house
V
Wulai
M
Ind
Tree Camping site manager
classroom
W
Wulai
M
Ind
Artist
studio
X
Wulai
F
Han
Arts and crafts shop operator
crafts shop
Y
Wulai
F
Ind
Wulai museum tour guide
Museum
Proceedings of 23rd International Business Research Conference
18 - 20 November, 2013, Marriott Hotel, Melbourne, Australia, ISBN: 978-1-922069-36-8
4. The Findings
Figure 3: Research area: Wulai and Fushan tribes
"... In fact, I do not know much about Atayal culture. If visitors want to
know the Atayal culture, I would suggest them go to the museum.… I am
here to sell some main characteristics of goods, ... visitors in aboriginal
place is to eat millet mochi, millet wine, etc., so I sell these things."(X)
(photo1)
"Most aboriginal costumes selling in Wulai Street are made from factory,
sometimes Atayal and Amis patterns of different ethnic groups put in the
same clothes. ... It’s not the same as we made - the really knit dress" (L)
(photo2)
“The public art done by governments is not consistent with our Atayal
culture....... That Tattoos do not look like our patterns, each Atayal family
has their own style, the tattoo is an identity card,…facial tattoo can tell
from which family .... "(V ) (photo3)
When more and more "totem" represented as aboriginal symbol, the "simplified" and
"popularized" local culture imagery often misused for tourism development. We need to
think the myth of progress, not superficially based on Han people or Western cultural
imagination to transform other society‟s totem image and rationalize the colonization
purpose.
When we discuss the authenticity of experience in tourism environment（Asplet &
Cooper, 2000; Kerstetter, Confer & Graege, 2001; Waitt, 2000）, what is the relationship
of totem carving, arches, aboriginal wall painting on the wall to the aboriginal living here?
When diamond feature is reduced to a common symbol of indigenous culture, what is real
aboriginal cultural value?
Proceedings of 23rd International Business Research Conference
18 - 20 November, 2013, Marriott Hotel, Melbourne, Australia, ISBN: 978-1-922069-36-8
"Atayal museum is a symbol, why is not in the tribal living area? ... It’s in
the downtown streets lost the Atayal original scenery." (U)
"... the elderly said museum should not be so gorgeous, it should retain
original features for visitors,.. it should use the traditional material like
bamboo to show traditional-style, …however, it is designed very modern
and lost Atayal scene.”(Y)
"I will show Atayal identity in my creative work, because that represents
Atayal works in this era.…I want to leavet the creation of my own (Atayal)
work .... "( L)
It needs to involve the production of local knowledge and cultural practices in real life.
The process of tourism development has show historical context. Commercialization and
bureaucrats of the country control planning, construction, and even the daily lives of
aboriginal space. This spatial representation is under spatial order of the mainstream
society materiality.
"I miss the childhood days of living with my grandfather; he always sang to
me, we were sleeping on a bamboo bed. …So now I want to use bamboo
as interior material in my hostel. These totems are what I grew up and saw
in tribes."(Q)(photo 4)
"The most important building is observatory tower in village which
represents the tribal spirit. Tribal men were getting gather and raised a fire
beneath the observatory. I also built an observatory, and chat with guests
under it, just like before. My dream is to build a traditional house, so I try to
create a traditional hostel." (photo 5)
Sa-Lida hostel is the social life of private space to question the mainstream
practice space, it is “critical art reproduction space” (Gregory, 1994). The space reflects
the nostalgia and deep cultural identity of the operator. The rich cultural meaning is shared
through story-telling. Visitors learn from Atayal senior‟s childhood stories, which creates
mutual learning field and retain a high degree of cultural authenticity.
(1) Diversification of the Tourism Industry: Small Social Service Industries
Wulai women use red, black, white, yellow and green colors to create colorful wove. It
not only combines tribe's traditional culture and ideas, but also waves romance,
imagination, and original ancient culture. Traditional Atayal people followed ancestors
'gaga' regulation. Through weaving activity Atayal women close to the wisdom of
ancestors. They also weave tribe‟s beautiful story.
Weaving workshop become a center of cultural heritage, the workers study knit
pattern and then re-design fabric, cloth, and made of all kinds of modern bags or clothing.
They play creative ingenuity to design the lovely practical products. Wulai County provided
local women weaving training courses and encouraged them continuing to study in college.
Those women then returned back home to establish weaving association and
Proceedings of 23rd International Business Research Conference
18 - 20 November, 2013, Marriott Hotel, Melbourne, Australia, ISBN: 978-1-922069-36-8
entrepreneurship which not only enhanced the local economy but also increased women's
empowerment.
"At beginning I felt very difficult to learn knitting,… we good friends
encouraged each other to keep learning. We also joined many skilllearning classes which supported by government then we were getting
more seriously and had a sense of accomplishment. We four persons are
current members of Wulai Weaving Association, we learned together from
the very beginning, and now we run four weaving studios in Wulai village.”
(M) (Photo 6)
"The public sector encouraged us to sell weaving works in art market or
festival stall. I went there only once, I think people do not understand our
indigenous fabrics. Our fabrics are handmade but visitors think they are
the same as the factory products. So I'd rather stay my own workshop and
sell it in the village."(M)
The diamond pattern represents the eyes of the ancestral spirits. Atayal woman's life
is tied tightly with woven. Ramie is the main weaving plant. When girl is four or five years
old, mother gradually teaches her stripping hemp, spinning and other operations. Girl
about twelve or thirteen-year-old begins to learn weaving. In recent years, government
supported weaving cultural and creative industries in Wulai area. “Rainbow Weaver”
became endemic brand which is designed with local characteristics of goods or personal
creative style works.
Tree school‟s DlY courses teach visitors to learn weaving, pounding millet, making
bamboo rice, ...... from hand-made experience visitors cherish Atayal culture. Traditional
Atayal believed that people have to work diligently and fulfill social obligations; his or her
soul then can walk on the Rainbow Bridge and go to the rest of the land after death.
Colorful weaving implies tribe's traditional values.
To Atayal men, hunting is the most important traditional knowledge and living skill, it‟s
also a symbol of brave warrior.
"I left home for working two decades ago, now I come back tribe. I have
learned hunting at ten-years-old. Seniors have taught me traditional
knowledge; I know how to use traditional appliances, hunting skill and wild
survival instinct, which I have never forgotten." (V)
Water Resource Act norms and eco-tourism policy is modern scientific knowledge
and ideology. They are "spatial representation" from concept of scholars and experts in
the space. Eco-tourism creates local employment opportunities. Many lecturers are served
by local elders to teach Atayal traditional knowledge and local knowledge. But when the
end of the supporting program from government, the Hunter Education Park's operating
difficulties occur immediately.
"There is lot of traditional knowledge in interpretation program. Narrators
introduce how these plants previously used, they also understand their
own culture." (I)
Proceedings of 23rd International Business Research Conference
18 - 20 November, 2013, Marriott Hotel, Melbourne, Australia, ISBN: 978-1-922069-36-8
“We can’t afford ten hunters’ salary, even if the hunter tour had very good
reputation…..but lack of funding, the association operated very hard.
When project finished, hunters also transform to part-time job. "(R)
(2) Front Stage and Back Stage: Mixed Homescape and Tourismscape
The Old Street and business area of Wulai tribes is completely unrelated with living
environment. It is corresponding to MacCannell‟s (1973) "front," stage. Recently, tribal
people increased self-consciousness and injected the history and culture into the tourism
activities. Visitors have higher experience authenticity from the "semi-background
atmosphere of front stage”.
Fushan tribe promoted eco-tourism, such as Dalou ecological fish conservation trail,
Hapen historical trail, hunter school etc., and the homescape is tourism performing stage.
Visitors learn from traditional knowledge and have a more profound learning and
authenticity experience feeling. Fushan tribal tourism is MacCannell‟s (1973) "after
rectification and modification of the back stage."
Photo 1. Tourism shops in Wulai old street
Photo 2. Lack of cultural authenticity of Atayal
woven goods
Photo 3. Statue of hunters with dogs. Tattoos is not
like Atayal pattern.
Photo 4. Hostel is built by Bamboo
Proceedings of 23rd International Business Research Conference
18 - 20 November, 2013, Marriott Hotel, Melbourne, Australia, ISBN: 978-1-922069-36-8
Photo 5. Observatory tower is the most important
building
Photo 6. Creative clothing combines Atayal and
Japanese weave patterns
Photo 8. Natural landscape of Fushan
Photo 7. Tree school teaches hunter program.
5. Summary and Conclusions
Wulai region is a famous tourist scenic spot which is close to Taipei metropolitan
area. With the crowded Wulai streets and the constructions of large hot spring sites, the
degradation of the natural environment and habitat is inevitable. The changes of
architectural styles and cultural patterns are all evidences of how the sightseeing business
model is leading to the decline of the landscape quality of the environment. Therefore, the
local residents of Wulai tribe are thinking to modify mass tourism to eco-tourism.
Developing eco-tourism or alternative tourism local people have to value indigenous
knowledge and face the quality of indigenous real life. This study shows that the meaning
of culture authenticity in the mixture of homescape and tourismscape. The examples are
Wulai tribal weaving industry, Tree-camp, Fushan guiding program, and hunter tours, the
key point of most successful program is public participation and tribal autonomous power.
Transforming nostalgia and deep cultural identity into eco-tourism, it‟s different from
mainstream society rude construction behavior or imitate the totem image for decoration.
"See and be seen" or "representation and gaze" is transforming of “subject” in cultural
tourism. Through consciousness of self-identity aboriginal people actively thinking to solve
the problem of modernization impact on culture, nature and economy, there are many
innovative small tourism businesses changing the mode of mass tourism industry.
The characteristics of small tourism businesses is place-based idea, the operators
emphasize on environmental protection, traditional ecological knowledge, and social
values to provide new service products. On the other hand, they also introduced
Proceedings of 23rd International Business Research Conference
18 - 20 November, 2013, Marriott Hotel, Melbourne, Australia, ISBN: 978-1-922069-36-8
ecotourism, organic food, cultural creative industries, and working with media for internet
marketing. Therefore, tourism products must comply with "authenticity" and then recreate
"new aboriginal landscape."
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