Tuesday 25 May 2010

Cultural Tourism in the Lower Omo

Posted by Jess Smith-Lamkin, Keble College, University of Oxford

Cultural tourism is big business in the Lower Omo. Tourists are attracted to the area by descriptions of the rugged wilderness and animal life, but the main draw is the people themselves. Frequently portrayed as ‘untouched’ tribes, groups such as the Mursi are now well accustomed to posing for photos and selling lip-plates and bracelets. The relationship between the villagers and the tourists is a difficult one; the tourists leave their 4x4s to take a few hurried photos of the ‘primitives’ in villages close to the road. In return, groups such as the Mursi play up to this demeaning stereotype, demanding 1-2 Birr (about 5-10p) for this ‘service’. Some tourists will pay over £2,000 for this culturally ‘enlightening’ experience. The tourism company Exodus acknowledges that “it is a difficult balance trying to meet rather than simply people-watch local tribes on this trip”, and they admirably proclaim the necessity for ‘responsible travel’. However, when the images accompanying such statements continue to promote the idea of exotic tribal people, it is hard not to be cynical and having witnessed these encounters first-hand, I am even less likely to be convinced by the ‘benefits’ of such ventures.

For a much better informed (!) and more detailed discussion of these issues in relation to the Omo region, see http://www.mursi.org/tourism and the related links.

Some examples of these tour companies:

http://www.fulanitravel.co.uk/
http://www.exodus.co.uk/holidays/ayo/overview
http://www.responsibletravel.com/Trip/Trip902202.htm

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