{"id":248,"date":"2019-10-17T08:31:28","date_gmt":"2019-10-17T06:31:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wp.unil.ch\/tourismeetdeveloppement\/?p=248"},"modified":"2019-10-17T10:35:27","modified_gmt":"2019-10-17T08:35:27","slug":"roots-tourism-controverse-and-opportunity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wp.unil.ch\/tourismeetdeveloppement\/2019\/10\/roots-tourism-controverse-and-opportunity\/","title":{"rendered":"Roots tourism: Controverse and Opportunity"},"content":{"rendered":"

Roots tourism has taken hold in Ghana, and is used as a motor for economic growth. But it is not without its controversies… – Cl\u00e9ment Guntern, Valentin Hurni et Ryan Muza<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Roots tourism refers to the mobility of the diaspora back to communities with which they have a perceived cultural identity through their family history in order to give homage to their ancestors, but also with the hope of appropriating certain elements of the local culture and finding a sense of belonging or identity[1]<\/sup><\/a>. This form of tourism originates from middle-class Americans, who began to search for their origins in the 1970s[2]<\/sup><\/a> . As part of the Afro-American diaspora search for identity, certain African nations have appropriated locations historically linked to the mid-Atlantic slave trade and use them as symbolic resources; this is the case with former slave forts in Ghana such as Elmina and Cape Coast. In fact, these forts represent a type of \u201cspecific asset\u201d[3]<\/a> which are not easily delocalised. Despite similar forts existing in other African nations[4]<\/sup><\/a>, Ghana\u2019s reputation and its historic implication in the slave trade enables it to capitalise on these assets and reinforce their uniqueness[5]<\/sup><\/a>. These forts are at the centre of many touristic activities offered in the country – in particular by the Ghanaian tourist board – such as guided tours and special events (commemorative rituals) aimed at Afro-American tourists[6]<\/sup><\/a>, which serve to reinforce their symbolic capital.<\/p>\n

Slave tourism, a root of Ghanaian tourism policy<\/span><\/h2>\n

For Ghana, tourism is perceived firstly as a tool for economic development[7]<\/sup><\/a>. The use of slave forts in order to create economic growth can generate tensions as the economic exploitation of these sites conflicts with their symbolic status; they are considered by some as sacred places, or places of cultural memory and identity[8]<\/sup><\/a>. The symbolic status of these forts leads to debate over admission fees, as there is a discrepancy between prices for locals and tourists, and there is even a debate over whether there should be an entry charge at all. Certain Afro-American visitors believe that they should not have to pay to enter the castle on account of their \u2018ancestors\u2019 suffering[9]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Further issues arise in the form of the historical representation of the forts. The Ghanaian Tourist Board faced the dilemma of which period of the forts\u2019 history should be portrayed (the slave trade, colonial occupation, etc.), and to what degree[10]<\/sup><\/a>. The maintenance of the forts also poses a problem, as there is disaccord over whether certain elements, such as former slave dungeons, should be renovated or left alone. The argument for renovation comes mainly from the locals, who feel that the castles would be more attractive to tourists if renovated and would therefore generate more wealth, whereas many Afro-Americans want the forts to remain in their original state with deference to their \u2018ancestors\u2019[11]<\/sup><\/a>.<\/p>\n

It must be noted that Elmina and Cape Coast Castles offer many potential resources to Ghana. Tourism, as discussed above, is considered a tool for economic development, and both tangible and intangible cultural heritage can be development opportunities for the country, as well as a way of preserving, promoting and rebuilding national heritage.<\/p>\n

Cl\u00e9ment Guntern, Valentin Hurni et Ryan Muza<\/p>\n

Question de recherche 1 :<\/span><\/h2>\n

Les forts de Cape Coast et d\u2019Elmina au Ghana ont eu de multiples vies au cours de l\u2019histoire. Apr\u00e8s avoir \u00e9t\u00e9 le th\u00e9\u00e2tre du commerce d’esclaves, ils sont devenus aujourd\u2019hui des lieux historiques que l\u2019on peut visiter. Mais ce ne sont pas des lieux comme les autres; ce sont des lieux de m\u00e9moire (Nora, 1997). N\u00e9cessaires pour certaines minorit\u00e9s comme les Afro-am\u00e9ricains, car, selon eux, l\u2019histoire balaierait bien vite cette m\u00e9moire (ibid<\/em>.). De l\u2019autre c\u00f4t\u00e9, le gouvernement du Ghana a fait du tourisme un outil de d\u00e9veloppement \u00e9conomique (Mensah, 2015), en s’appuyant notamment sur l\u2019histoire de l\u2019esclavage et ses lieux de m\u00e9moires. En effet, la question de mon\u00e9tiser l\u2019entr\u00e9e pour un tel lieu est r\u00e9guli\u00e8rement \u00e9voqu\u00e9e alors que d\u2019autres se plaignent de la marchandisation du fort et de ses alentours (Bruner, 1996). Deux dimensions cohabitent donc dans un m\u00eame lieu: une exploitation \u00e9conomique et un lieu de m\u00e9moire, ce qui n\u2019est pas sans poser des probl\u00e8mes de cohabitation et de mise en valeur du lieu.<\/p>\n

Ainsi plusieurs questions autour de cette probl\u00e9matique peuvent \u00eatre pos\u00e9es: comment est-ce que les dimensions \u00e9conomiques s\u2019articulent avec les dimensions historique et m\u00e9morielle des forts d\u2019esclaves au Ghana ? Comment cohabitent ces deux fonctions dans un lieu de m\u00e9moire ?<\/p>\n

Plusieurs m\u00e9thodes peuvent \u00eatre envisag\u00e9es pour r\u00e9pondre \u00e0 ces questions: l\u2019observation participante lors de visites guid\u00e9es, l\u2019analyse de contenu pr\u00e9sent\u00e9 aux visiteurs, une analyse de photos prises sur place, des entretiens avec des responsables, des locaux ou des touristes ainsi que l\u2019analyse du contenu pr\u00e9sent dans le livre d\u2019or du fort comme dans l\u2019\u00e9tude de Abaidoo & Takyiakwaa (2019).<\/p>\n

Question de recherche 2 :<\/span><\/h2>\n

Le fort d\u2019Elmina a tour \u00e0 tour \u00e9t\u00e9 en possession des puissances coloniales portugaise, hollandaise et britannique (Bruner, 1996; Mensah, 2015). De m\u00eame, le site a connu plusieurs affectations au cours du temps: comptoir commercial, complexe d\u00e9di\u00e9 \u00e0 la traite des esclaves, \u00e9cole, b\u00e2timent minist\u00e9riel, lieu d\u2019assembl\u00e9e r\u00e9gionale, acad\u00e9mie de police (Bruner, 1996). Le fort de Cape Coast poss\u00e8de \u00e9galement une histoire marqu\u00e9e par des changements (Mensah, 2015; Owusu-Ansah, 2014). La question de recherche d\u00e9coulant de ces observations est la suivante: quel discours historique est privil\u00e9gi\u00e9 dans ces forts ? Autrement dit, le discours est-il cantonn\u00e9 uniquement \u00e0 la p\u00e9riode de l\u2019esclavage, ce pourquoi les forts sont principalement connus, ou englobe-t-il l\u2019enti\u00e8ret\u00e9 de l\u2019histoire de ces forts ? Par le pass\u00e9, il existait un d\u00e9bat autour de cette question (Bruner, 1996). Il serait int\u00e9ressant de constater ce qu\u2019il en est aujourd\u2019hui. De plus, la participation active des populations africaines dans le commerce des esclaves (Bruner, 1996; Holsey, 2010) est-elle \u00e9voqu\u00e9e, au risque de cr\u00e9er des tensions entre locaux et touristes afro-am\u00e9ricains, ou au contraire pass\u00e9e sous silence?<\/p>\n

Pour r\u00e9pondre \u00e0 ces interrogations, plusieurs m\u00e9thodes et concepts peuvent \u00eatre d\u00e9ploy\u00e9s: observation participante lors de visites guid\u00e9es, observation, analyse de contenu (panneaux informatifs, brochures touristiques), analyse de photos prises, entretiens avec des responsables, des locaux et des touristes.
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cl\u00e9ment Guntern, Valentin Hurni et Ryan Muza<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

[1]<\/sup><\/a> Cousin & R\u00e9au, 2016.<\/p>\n

[2]<\/sup><\/a> Ibid<\/em>.<\/p>\n

[3]<\/a> Traduction of the expression \u201cactif sp\u00e9cifique<\/em>\u201d used in Colletis & Pecqueur, 1994.<\/p>\n

[4]<\/sup><\/a> Mowatt & Chancellor, 2011.<\/p>\n

[5]<\/sup><\/a> Mensah, 2015.<\/p>\n

[6]<\/sup><\/a> Holsey, 2010.<\/p>\n

[7]<\/sup><\/a> Bruner, 1996; Mensah, 2015; Mowatt & Chancellor, 2011; Owusu-Ansah, 2014.<\/p>\n

[8]<\/sup><\/a> Bruner, 1996; Mensah, 2015.<\/p>\n

[9]<\/sup><\/a> Abaidoo & Takyiakwaa, 2019.<\/p>\n

[10]<\/sup><\/a> Bruner, 1996.<\/p>\n

[11]<\/sup><\/a> Abaidoo & Takyiakwaa, 2019; Bruner, 1996.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Roots tourism has taken hold in Ghana, and is used as a motor for economic growth. But it is not without its controversies… – Cl\u00e9ment Guntern, Valentin Hurni et Ryan Muza<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1001941,"featured_media":249,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[6,5,36],"class_list":{"0":"post-248","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-pratiques-du-tourisme-developpement-et-territoire-enjeux-et-perspectives","8":"tag-6","9":"tag-ghana","10":"tag-roots-tourism"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.unil.ch\/tourismeetdeveloppement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/248","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.unil.ch\/tourismeetdeveloppement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.unil.ch\/tourismeetdeveloppement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.unil.ch\/tourismeetdeveloppement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1001941"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.unil.ch\/tourismeetdeveloppement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=248"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/wp.unil.ch\/tourismeetdeveloppement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/248\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.unil.ch\/tourismeetdeveloppement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/249"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wp.unil.ch\/tourismeetdeveloppement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=248"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.unil.ch\/tourismeetdeveloppement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=248"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wp.unil.ch\/tourismeetdeveloppement\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=248"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}