Leiden University Student Repository

Burg, Lisette van der (2013)

Commoditization of Culture - Destroying Authenticity or Revitalizing Tradition?

Master thesis | Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology (MSc)

Set in the Nyae Nyae Conservancy in Namibia, this thesis has examined the commoditization of the Ju/'hoansi San culture through cultural tourism. Tourists visit the Ju/'hoansi in order to experience their traditional culture. They can experience how the Ju/'hoansi do hunting and gathering, observe their traditional dances and do bushwalks with them. However, what effect does this have on the culture, and more specifically on its authenticity? What does it mean that many Ju/'hoansi are no longer living the traditional life? Are they still interested in their own traditional culture? These and other questions will be discussed in this thesis. In this thesis I have mainly focused at the perspectives and perceptions of the Ju/'hoansi themselves.

Namibia

San

Ju/'hoansi

Authenticity

Cultural Tourism

Tourism

Conservancy

Commoditization

Author

Burg, Lisette van der

Faculty

Faculty of Social & Behavioural Sciences

Specialisation

Cultural Anthropology and Development Sociology

Supervisors

Persoon, Gerard

ECTS Credits

15

Language

en