Nothing is more disheartening than going to a place where there entire culture has been commodified. When traveling in Fiji, I experienced the luxuries of the Sofitel Hotel only to realize it was the most boring, least intellectually stimulating place to be on earth. Everything from the "Bula" (hello) to the smile is intended to make you feel relaxed, to hide the plight of this employee, who only can access this place as an employee. Imagine being a child in Nadi, Victoria Falls, or Montego Bay and seeing nothing but poverty surrounding you except foreigners on a leisurely vacation. How preverse a picture is that for a child? Not to mention when you compound that image of class privilege, with race (who's really travelling).
I get sick to my stomach going to cultural villages, because its the saddest form of interaction ever. People go thinking there gaining a knowledge of a culture when really they're paying money to see people sing and dance (shuck and jive). I'm not criticizing or belittling peoples art and culture, but arguing that the socio-economic position of these people leave them very little option to support themselves. Its not like people chose to sing and dance for you, its that they are in such a dire need for money to pay for basic human needs that they slang anything they got. We just happen to pay for a little song and dance and feel good about ourselves because were getting a glimpse at authentic ______ (fill in the blank) culture. HOLLA and IM OUT
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