Appreciation vs. Appropriation: Honoring Culture and Tradition in Travel

Appreciation vs. Appropriation

Some of the most powerful experiences in travel that open up the mind and connect us more deeply with self, others, and something beyond the self are interactions with Ritual and Ceremony.

But what do healthy, reciprocal, and equitable interactions with these experiences in our travels look like?

If we are not mindful there is a high risk that our travel designs and our travel choices venture into the realm of cultural appropriation.

But what is appropriation? What is appreciation? How can we honor different cultures and seek to connect our travelers to ritual and ceremony in a healthy, equitable way?

These are big questions that have complex answers. But for the purposes of this conversation there are a few things to keep in mind:

1. Appropriation is born from lack of intentionality, power dynamics, and lack of knowledge.

   1. At it's heart appropriation there is an ignoring of both the cultural contexts in which certain practices exist as well as a removing of the practice from its right place in order for me to either benefit from or use the practice for my own gain. When entering into any cultural exchange it is vital to establish intentions that seek to connect, understand, and de-center the traveler from the practice itself. The community or group who is practicing the activity must also be centered and honored properly for their sharing of the tradition or ceremony.

2. Seeking to learn the whole story can reduce the chance of appropriation

   1. In many instances culture and tradition is often taken and engaged in without the full story of both the practice itself as well as the people that it belongs to. Many traditions are born from generations of practice, often exist in places where power has been taken from the group, and exist as an important part of the narrative of a culture. Without that story, that rooting in truth and history, it is impossible to avoid appropriation

3. Invitation and co-creation becomes absolutely necessary

   1. If we seek to appreciate, to honor, and to connect in regard to ritual and ceremony we must always begin with being invited into that space by those from whose tradition the ceremony originates. This means taking the time to connect meaningfully with members of the culture and to follow the guidance of those connections when building ritual and ceremony into your designs.

4. Authenticity vs voyeurism

   1. When it comes to ritual and ceremony, and really any cultural tradition, often marginalized populations will engage in "cultural assimilation" as a survival tactic when faced with oppression from a dominant group. In travel this often manifests in "traditional ceremonies" being staged and put on for the benefit of mass tourism. Many times these practices are not even truly part of the history and tradition of the group and it is important that our designs seek to incorporate truly authentic and community lead activities.

This is by no means an exhaustive list of things to consider when deciding whether to include interactions with ritual and ceremony into your travel work or your travel practice, but it is a start.