240191 SE Culture on sale (P4) (2014W)

In their seminal essay on 'Ethnicity Inc.' (2009) Jean and John Comaroff brilliantly summarized the rampant commodification of 'ethnic cultures' as 'a new moment in the history of human identity'. They mentioned the commercialisation and ethnic or 'indigenous' entrepreneurship of San cultures as a key example for this process. The seminar plans to focus on Namibia, where the actual Living Museum of Grashoek shall be compared with the community-based organisation of the Nyae Nyae Conservancy (roughly 80 kilometres away).

The main focus will be on the strategies, processes and economic modes of marketing 'traditional culture'. It will also take into account the complex forms of interaction with national and international NGOs claiming to help or assist in this process. The main aim is to view the entire spectrum of chances, potentials and benefits of 'ethnic productions' along with some less convenient or even unwanted consequences of 'Ethno-marketing'. However, over time ethnic or indigenous life-ways transform into what may be coined 'simulacra of indigeneity'. Places like Grashoek offer a 'menu' to every visitor suggesting possible consumptions of culture with fixed prices. Such items include 'Bushmen walks', imitations of former hunting trips, healing dances and even traditional weddings meaning ceremonies modelled on San rituals of manifesting marital bonds for the visiting tourists.

According to the webpage of a local community (http://www.lcfn.info/en/ju-hoansi/ju-hoansi-home) visitors may expect a learning experience in a Living Museum like Grasshoek: 'The Living Museum of the Ju/'Hoansi-San gives visitors an interesting insight into the life of the friendly San. The Living Museum is an authentic open-air museum where guests can learn a lot about the traditional culture and the original way of living of the San. The Ju/'Hoansi bushmen demonstrate and describe everything with great dedication and the guide translates into English. Almost every offered programme is interactive, because it is also great fun for the Ju/'Hoansi when the visitors try to shoot an arrow, experience the special Ju/'Hoansi rope skipping or try to sing a an original song.'

A (neo-)traditional village such as Grashoek increasingly takes on the appearance of a business company or even, through the media of international tourism marketing, a small corporation. There is a lot to be learned from such experiences about a general commodification of 'culture' on a global level. In many ways these culture businesses resemble Ethno-theme parks as mentioned by 'the Comaroffs'. Of course, the commodification of ethnic cultures is by far no new phenomenon and has been observed in different locations by many anthropologists.