Tourism And Culture

A forum to discuss the dynamics between culture and tourism has heard a range of dissenting opinions about the benefits and drawbacks of heritage listing in French Polynesia.

 

In late August the Young Economic Chamber of French Polynesia, with assistance from UNESCO, organized FIPPAC (Forum international du Patrimoine du Pacifique)—the first international Pacific heritage forum of its kind.

 

The event mustered several regional experts, researchers, politicians and professionals from Aotearoa, Rarotonga, Samoa, Hawai’i, Rapa Nui, New Caledonia, Australia and beyond to discuss the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage.

 

Conference organizer Richard Ari’ihau Tuheiava is a staunch advocate for the inclusion of several French Polynesian cultural heritage sites on the UNESCO list, particularly the ‘marae’ of Taputapuatea at Opoa, on Ra’iatea island. For the occasion, the association ‘Na papa e va’u’ was born to push forward the agenda. He emphasized that school education as well as the local community must join their forces to show the younger generations the value of preserving their heritage. The successful lawyer raised the question of how to protect traditions, languages and beliefs with UNESCO.

 

UNESCO’s representative at the meeting, Salamat Ali Tabbasum described an action plan that would create international visibility, facilitate access to global technology and provide financial assistance and expertise in relation to heritage listing.

 

But there were mixed feelings among local visitors of the forum. Indeed, a Tahitian woman sitting in the audience asked why French Polynesians need UNESCO assistance if they are fully aware of the different cultural problems they are facing in their country and have the capacity to deal with them and resolve them.

 

Another attendant expressed his concern about the negative environmental impact that such cultural tourism development associated with UNESCO listing would generate.

 

‘When I went around the island, I could see children have NO interest in their Polynesian culture, they are too busy with video games and cellular phones’ lamented New Zealand Maori cultural tourism success icon Mike Tamaki. To him, the best way to balance cultural interest with environmental sensitivity and hard economic reality has to be through tourism.