Tourism and the Eritrean Diaspora

Abstract

Eritrean Diasporictourism is a striking example of how Diasporas are not only victims of the nation state, but also play a great role in wider transnational cultural and economic dynamics of change. The present economic and political situation in Eritrea and the stability reached in Milan has diminished the probability that Eritreans in the Diaspora will return to Eritrea to live. Nevertheless, many people in this Diaspora community return to Eritrea for holidays at least every two years. The Eritrean summer returnees invest in Eritrea by becoming its tourists. This paper explores the narratives of Eritreans in Milan around going to Eritrea on holiday and returning from their vacation, and questions the impact of their imaginary of Eritrea as a place for leisure and tourism. The returnee is much more than a simple tourist as she/he also performs a wider Diasporic identity, which acts as a separate but influential collective category.

Keywords:

• diaspora
• tourism
• leisure
• return
• status
• identity

Notes

1. I thank DIIS and those who attended the workshop ‘Agents of Change’ in February 2010, and the Network of International Colonial and Post-Colonial Italian Studies’ workshop in June 2010 for allowing me to discuss this paper and receive stimulating comments.

2. Referring to Soya's (1996) concept.

3. The term Shaebia is at times referred to the EPLF (Eritrean People's Liberation Front) members other times to the present EPFDJ (Eritrean People Front for Democracy and Justice) ruling party.

4. Panettone is a Christmas cake which originated in Milan but which has become the classic pudding consumed during the Christmas period in the whole of Italy.

5. This is a double statement as the woman also plays with a political position of EPLF/EPFDJ supporter as the present government has changed the official Eritrean calendar to the Justinian one to differentiate itself from the Ethiopian one.

6. On the topic of bread see article by Lyons and D'Andrea 2003.