Inscribing exoticism at the Lost City

ABSTRACT

This article considers the role of The Lost City theme park in South Africa in terms of its perpetuation of the stereotype of exotic Africa. Although many textual and discursive formations contribute to this, this article focuses on the trope of exoticism (Root 1996) to investigate the manner in which the inscription of exoticism is articulated at The Lost City. The trope of exoticism is contextualised, and is shown to be a mechanism of the colonialist mindset, which has re-surfaced in contemporary tourism by providing exotic experiences and fantasy adventures. The components of the trope of exoticism are examined, and this article demonstrates how these are expressed in the textuality and visuality of The Lost City. The author concludes that the trope of exoticism positions Africa in a specific manner as the site of consumption and leisure entertainment.