The House That Story Built: The Place of Slavery in Plantation Museum Narratives

Abstract

This article examines the characteristics and opinions of tourists visiting Laura Plantation Museum in southern Louisiana, paying close attention to their interest in slavery relative to other narrative themes presented at the site. Laura is noted for its “big house” as well as its remaining slave quarters, but museums are built as much around narratives as they are around artifacts. Museums tell a story that they hope audiences will want to consume. Envisioned as an audience study, this research examines data gathered from surveys and interviews conducted at Laura and uses the conceptual framework of “narrativized worlds” to gain an understanding of how visitors, especially African Americans, interpret and react to the representation of antebellum life offered by the museum's managers and docents.

本文检视造访路易斯安纳州南方的萝拉庄园博物馆的游客特徵及其观点, 并特别聚焦他们对于畜奴与该场地所呈现的其他相关叙事主题的兴趣。萝拉庄园以其 “主屋” 和剩馀的奴隶宿舍闻名, 但博物馆不仅围绕着工艺品建筑之, 亦同时围绕着叙事而建构。博物馆诉说着期望阅听众愿意消费的故事。作为一个阅听研究, 本文检视在萝拉庄园所进行的调查及访谈数据, 并运用 “叙事化的世界” 之概念框架, 以理解参访者、特别是非裔美国人, 如何诠释并反应博物馆经理人与讲解员所提供的美国南北战争前的生活再现。

En este artículo se examinan las características y opiniones de los turistas que acuden al Museo de la Plantación Laura, en el sur de Luisiana, prestándosele mayor atención a su interés por la esclavitud frente a otros temas de las narrativas que se presentan en ese sitio. Laura es notable por su “gran mansión” lo mismo que por lo que resta de los alojamientos para esclavos, pero los museos se estructuran tanto alrededor de narrativas como de artefactos. Los museos cuentan una historia que esperan consiga audiencias que quieran consumirla. Contemplada como un estudio de audiencia, esta investigación examina los datos generados en estudios de campo y entrevistas practicadas en Laura, y utiliza el marco conceptual de los “mundos narrativizados” para lograr un entendimiento sobre cómo interpretan los visitantes, especialmente los afroamericanos, la representación de la vida de antes de la Guerra de Secesión ofrecida por los administradores y docentes del museo, y qué efecto produce en aquéllos.

Key Words:

• American South
• narrative
• plantation
• slavery
• tourism

关键词:

• 美国南方
• 叙事
• 庄园农场
• 畜奴
• 旅游业

Palabras clave:

• el Sur Norteamericano
• narrativa
• plantación
• esclavitud
• turismo

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Perry Carter

PERRY CARTER is an Associate Professor in the Department of Geosciences, Geography Program, Texas Tech University, MS 1053, Science Building, Room 125, Lubbock, TX 79409-1053. E-mail: [email protected]. He is a social and cultural geographer interested in the production of raced places and raced identities. Additional interests include research methodologies both qualitative and quantitative.

David L. Butler

DAVID L. BUTLER is a Professor in the Department of Political Science, International Development, and International Affairs, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001. E-mail: [email protected]. He is an economic and cultural geographer whose interests include disaster recovery, call centers, heritage and tourism development, nature–technology relationships, and issues of national sovereignty.

Derek H. Alderman

DEREK H. ALDERMAN is a Professor and Head of the Department of Geography, University of Tennessee, Burchfiel Geography Building, Knoxville, TN 37996-0925. E-mail: [email protected]. He is a cultural and historical geographer interested in public memory, popular culture, and heritage tourism in the U.S. South.