Will the Real Dai Please Stand Up: Conflicting Displays of Identity in Ethnic Tourism

Abstract

In ethnic tourism, displays of ethnicity may differ among the groups and stakeholders involved in the attraction; this article examines the multifarious (mis)representations of ethnicity among the minority Dai of Xishuangbanna in southwestern China. Located in the underdeveloped province of Yunnan, scenic and tropical Xishuangbanna has drawn an increasing number of foreign and domestic tourists since the 1990s. The rich Dai culture, vibrant Buddhist monastery, picturesque location of the village of Manchunman, and its accessibility by paved road gained the attention of both tourists and a Han-run company seeking to enter the area's growing and increasingly lucrative ethnic tourism industry. In 1998, Manchunman and four neighbouring villages were incorporated into the Dai Park, a tourist destination highlighting Dai culture yet staffed, operated, and managed almost exclusively by the majority Han. Since the advent of the Park, ethnicity in Manchunman is defined and negotiated on a daily basis by both the Dai themselves and the majority Han-run management company. In commoditising and packaging Dai culture for tourist consumption, the so-called partners in the tourism venture have become competitors, and the ruthless manipulation of Dai cultural traits by outsiders has created situations anathema to Dai tradition.

Keywords:

• China
• ethnic tourism
• ethnic minority
• Xishuangbanna
• Dai