The Exotic Ethnic Culture of Sarawak
1. Problemstellung
The Iban longhouses are a key attraction in Sarawak. Even West Malaysians find Sarawak´s ethnic culture exotic because there are no similar communities in Peninsular Malaysia. The Iban customs and traditions are unique because Sarawak is the only part of Malaysia and of the world that is home to this community. Total visitor arrivals into Sarawak was 394.992 in 2002 compared to 2012 it increased to 4,069,023.
From interviews with local tour operators and hoteliers, it is clearly established that the Iban longhouse tourism is the most saleable product among European and American tourists but their worry is that it is only a matter of time when the impact of tourism will be too strong which leads to a change of its tradition or even vanish it totally in the long term.
This leads to the fact that tourism is threatening the existence of longhouse communities, as they get enough income for a better and easier life. In former times most longhouses were built along the main waterways and their tributaries for reasons of logistics and security. Nowadays, however, with better infrastructure longhouse communities are shifting away from the rivers, just to mention an example of the impact of tourism.
Tourists will still get to see the “authentic” longhouse traditional lifestyle, but the question is: how long does this tradition last?
2. Fragestellung
How far does the Iban longhouse tourism in Sarawak endanger the way of living of its community in terms of cultural conservation?
3. Hypothese
For long term aspects longhouse tourism in Sarawak changes and/or endangers the way of living of its community in terms of cultural conservation.
4. kurze Erläuterung
The tourism product longhouse visit has considerable influence on its community over the years. According to many longhouse experts in no later than 50 years from now longhouse will not exist anymore.
The additional income from tourism means longhouses will be able to
The Iban longhouses are a key attraction in Sarawak. Even West Malaysians find Sarawak´s ethnic culture exotic because there are no similar communities in Peninsular Malaysia. The Iban customs and traditions are unique because Sarawak is the only part of Malaysia and of the world that is home to this community. Total visitor arrivals into Sarawak was 394.992 in 2002 compared to 2012 it increased to 4,069,023.
From interviews with local tour operators and hoteliers, it is clearly established that the Iban longhouse tourism is the most saleable product among European and American tourists but their worry is that it is only a matter of time when the impact of tourism will be too strong which leads to a change of its tradition or even vanish it totally in the long term.
This leads to the fact that tourism is threatening the existence of longhouse communities, as they get enough income for a better and easier life. In former times most longhouses were built along the main waterways and their tributaries for reasons of logistics and security. Nowadays, however, with better infrastructure longhouse communities are shifting away from the rivers, just to mention an example of the impact of tourism.
Tourists will still get to see the “authentic” longhouse traditional lifestyle, but the question is: how long does this tradition last?
2. Fragestellung
How far does the Iban longhouse tourism in Sarawak endanger the way of living of its community in terms of cultural conservation?
3. Hypothese
For long term aspects longhouse tourism in Sarawak changes and/or endangers the way of living of its community in terms of cultural conservation.
4. kurze Erläuterung
The tourism product longhouse visit has considerable influence on its community over the years. According to many longhouse experts in no later than 50 years from now longhouse will not exist anymore.
The additional income from tourism means longhouses will be able to