Thursday, October 20, 2011

Simona Cutipa: a living treasure in Colca Valley





by the Colca Specialist

Simona Cutipa is one of the living treasures from Colca Valley. She keeps the ancient tradition of embroidery. Embroidery was introduced during the Spanish conquest.

The preinca and inca people in Colca Valley had their own type of clothes. During the Spanish conquest the native clothes were replace by the new models brought from Spain. The women arms and neck couldn´t be exposed and had to be well covered.

The influence of catholic religion was very strong in those times and this influence can be specially appreciated in the clothes. Some conquerors arrived to the area with their wives from Europe. Of course their favorite place of most of them was Arequipa, “the white city”, but some of them arrived with their wives to the area, so native women were forced to dress the same way as the Spanish ladies.

The Spanish ladies used in those times the big crinolines that gave a special pompous shape to the skirts they wore.

Native women of Colca Valley and Colca Canyon started to use the same and that´s the moment were embroidery was introduced. The first patterns of embroidery taught were roses which were done with alpaca wool and painted with cactus seeds to color them, but, there are no roses in the area so with the pass of the time native women started to introduce all the different local patterns of the area such as the hummingbird, the vizcacha which a kind of chinchilla, the condor among others creating a new proper style.

When we see a native woman from Colca Valley or Colca Canyon dressed in the traditional clothes is like watching a lady from the Spanish conquest period.

Hats were introduced during the conquest too. Colca area was inhabited by two preinca groups: the kollawas and the cabanas respectively. Both groups practiced cranial deformation in order to differentiate themselves from the other ethnic groups. During the Spanish conquest cranial deformation was prohibited and considered diabolic so people started to use hats.

At the beginning they were a symbol of authority but with the pass of the time they created their own type of hats in order to keep the difference so now we have two hats very well defined: the white hats which are used in Colca Valley area by the descendants of the Kollawa people and the black hats covered with embroidery and crowned by an eight pointed star at the top of the head that represents the sun, typically used by the Cabana descendants.

Besides women are not talkative so they represent their civil status through the use of flowers. In the case of the white hats, one flower means married, two flowers means single and a black flower with a black skirt means widow. In the case of the Cabana hats the presence of Cantuta flowers on the hats means that the girl is not married.

Simona Cutipa keeps the tradition of embroidery in Colca Valley. She lives in Chivay and her little store can be found easily in one of the small passages of the square.
There you can see why she is considered like a living treasure in Colca Valley area.Simona was invited by the Spanish cooperation group, a NGO from Spain, to participate in a embroidery conquest in Europe. Everybody was delighted by the skills of Simona who won the first place in the international embroidery conquest.



All the participants did drawings before doing the embroidery. Simona doesn´t do any kind of drawings. The drawings are inside her mind and he uses the machine as a pencil. She can make a condor in seconds. It is such an incredible experience to see her performing this forgotten art of embroidery.

Colca valley and Colca canyon were invaded by the cheap low quality handicrafts from Puno.

Disgracefully many visitors have the idea that those handicrafts are original from Colca area and it is not like that. Peru is the country of the thousand bloods as we say and there are different ethnic groups with their own languages and it is a terrible mistake to believe that all Peruvians are the same. Each group have their own unique traditions and their own handicrafts.

Colca Valley and Colca Canyon handicrafts are unique and more elaborated. Their quality is better. Because their prices are higher tourist prefer to buy cheap articles whose quality is very poor too. That is why the local handicrafts cannot compete with those from Puno area.

I had the opportunity to read in a Lonely Planet Guidebook that it is recommended to bargain all the time before buying. Natives don´t make much money from their articles so if you bargain don´t be abusive. Don´t give the impression that you are a cheap and stingy. Be fair.

If you want to buy articles at good prices go alone without the tour guide so in that way you won´t have to pay the tour guide commission. Good luck my friends and don´t forget to visit Simonas little store in Chivay. Sustainable tourism is important especially in these days. We should practice a sustainable tourism during our visits.

You can find Simona in the following address:
Calle Puente Inca 116
Chivay- Valle del Colca
Cellphone: 959395858

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Famous people in Colca Canyon Part I

by the Colca Specialist


Miguel Rumaldo Mamani Huanca





To talk about Miguel Rumaldo Mamani Huanca means to talk about mountainbiking. He took part in several road cycling competitions and cross country events and his reputation as a champion is well known in Arequipa.


Miguel Mamani is not just a professional cyclist but also a touristic promoter and a tour guide from Caylloma province, a province where the Colca Canyon is located.


As a professional tour guide and touristic promoter I had the opportunity of traveling with very qualified tour guides from Arequipa,but let me tell you something, traveling with a local guide is very interesting because their knowledge doesn´t come just from books but from their daily experience.


If you go to Chivay just by yourself you can contact him and you won´t be disappointed. Miguel Mamani won´t offer you the classical boring two-day tour to the Colca Canyon but other circuits that are not visited by tourists such as the tour to Mismi volcano which is the source of Amazon river, mountainbiking and trekking in the Colca Canyon among other tours that are very interesting and worth to be done. The prices are cheaper than in Arequipa. Enough reasons to book for tours with local guides from Colca Canyon.


Miguel Mamani has a passion for tourism and he loves to show the culture of his people to the visitors. He is very patient with the tourists which is important and he is very helpful.
If you are traveling by yourself or you are looking for free info about the different circuits in Colca Canyon you can write him to: mikicolcabiker@hotmail.com You won´t be disappointed!

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

La Muerte de Rosario Ponce y el circo de Ciro

César Hildebrant

Buscando en Google, Rebeca Diz, encontró algo sorprendente: si en la barra se escribe la frase “Rosario Ponce asesina”, aparecen 838.000 entradas; si se acude a la frase “Rosario Ponce culpable”, aparecen 428.000 posibilidades. Y para el código “Rosario Ponce ninfómana”, los posibles ingresos llegan a 4.930. Nada desdeñable. Se trata de toda una obra maestra del chisme porno, el asesinato simbólico, la cobardía del cargamontón.

Me quito el sombrero. En este país donde los juicios pueden durar años, el linchamiento de la chusma es de vértigo. Una por otra.Todo en este asunto fue novelescamente repulsivo. Una reportera de la tele, por ejemplo, “descubrió” que Rosario Ponce estuvo en un cuarto con televisión en la clínica privada donde debió internarse tras el regreso del Colca. “Aparentemente tranquila y con unos kilos demás, apareció Rosario Ponce en la gobernación de La Molina”, dijo la periodista de ATV al presentar un informe cargado de tarada malicia. Y luego la misma damisela le pregunta a los padres de la chica: “¿Tres meses se va de viaje su hija y deja al pequeño sólo con ustedes?” La insinuación es clara: mala madre, mala hija, mala amante: asesina en potencia. Es como hacer una sinfonía con una corchea. Es como hacer una mirada valiéndose de una legaña. Aquel informe tenía música a todo volumen y terminaba con esta frase: “¿Qué otros enigmas y misterios existen?” La verdad es que el único enigma era saber si la presentadora tenía 75 y 79 de coeficiente intelectual.

Y el noticiero de ATV no fue el único. Un día, “Buenos días Perú” ( que bien podría llamarse “ Buenas tardes Suiza”) puso el siguiente anzuelo pantalludo: “¿Mataron a Ciro?” El “informe” no tenía nada: ni pistas, ni revelaciones, ni entrevistas. Era un monumento virtual a la nada, a la huelga general del pensar. Una paisana del Colca solía decir: “Vinieron unos gringos y me pidieron un poco y una lampa” ¡Ajá! Un pico y una lampa es, en el dialecto de los reporteros con habilidades diferentes, un ideograma que se traduce como tumba. Y tumba era, en este caso, entierro por lo bajo. O sea: Te jodiste Rosario, nos venos en la cana.


En “Enemigos públicos” salió un supuesto experto en expresión corporal al decir esta frase criminalmente textual: “No la estoy culpando, no la estoy defendiendo, pero que algo oculta, algo oculta”. Este experto había hecho de cuerpo ante las cámaras y parecía feliz. Todo vale con tal de salir en TV. La TV confirma la existencia, enriquece la hoja de vida, redime a los anónimos, apellida a la vida.


Fue Beto Ortiz el Truman Capote oral de las tinieblas. Fue él quien “consagró” la “teoría” de que se había hallado el DNI de Ciro en el poblado de Madrigal , bajo las cumbres del Colca. “Se tendría la certeza — dijo en resumen este héroe de la noche — que Ciro y Rosario volvieron al poblado de Madrigal y que de allí Ciro habría desaparecido”. La novela negra escrita en una noche por alguien que ha frecuentado la sordidez pero que no tiene derecho a producirla como espectáculo, sobre todo cuando la reputación de terceras personas está en juego.

Canal 2 no podía quedarse en el colchón y compitió enérgicamente. Uno de los rescatistas dijo en su pantalla: “Podría estar preocupada, por lo menos mostrar un poquito de dolor, angustia, molestia…”. Claro, la indiferente era Rosario. Canal 4 puso lo suyo. “Nadie puede decir cuánto calla Rosario Ponce”, dijo “Cuarto Poder” desde la investidura de su rating. Y ya no hablemos de la prensa chicha, ese puré de chamanismo informativo, supuración sintáctica y pequeñez de todos los propósitos. En el lado de la prensa de más de 50 céntimos, Perú 21 fue rotundo, como casi siempre: “¡Mentirosa!” Y ya está: veredicto que no se apela.

Y luego vino don Ricardo Uceda, el comandante en jefe de la investigación en el Perú. Él fue el autor de un varonil ensayo de la vida sexual extraviada y superlativa de Rosario Ponce. Uceda habló con amigos y enemigos de la universidad donde ella había estudiado para obtener una especie de retrato genital de la señorita en cuestión.


La conclusión era que ella candidateaba a ninfómana, era una necesitada crónica y podía romper las camas donde podía yacer de puro gusto. Un Uceda disfrazado de William Masters hizo lo que pocas veces se había visto en la llamada prensa seria. Y así por el estilo. El vampirismo de la prensa peruana encontró una de las yugulares más sabrosas. La vena canalla de la tele se ensaño como nunca.

El problema de Rosario Ponce, es que no lloraba, no estallaba en gritos, no cumplía las normas de la angustia. Hasta que este semanario incurrió en un exceso de sospechas al respecto.

Y también estuvo el asunto del padre de Ciro. Aquejado de un dolor tenaz, el doctor Castillo fingió haber sido un padre ejemplar y un marido impecable al que la fatalidad, disfrazada de precoz mujer fatal, había visitado. No era así: ahora se sabe que la desdicha de su hijo no interrumpió ninguna gran felicidad y que el hogar del doctor Castillo era tan disfuncional como el de la mayoría de la gente roída por el tiempo. Su matrimonio exhausto salió a la luz. Y ahora, convertido en líder del partido del sufrimiento, el doctor Castillo insiste en sus insinuaciones retorcidas.

He escuchado el linchamiento radial de Rosario Ponce, y he visto a la gente de Arequipa convertir el ataúd de Ciro en urna de votación, la muerte en programa de gobierno y la ignorancia en ejecutoria de un corte suprema de los milagros. Y me ha dado pena que el Perú siga siendo, en muchos aspectos, país de plebes fulminantes.

Ciro Castillo murió en una aventura montañera. Lo mató el azar, la arbitrariedad, el no-Dios de las alturas. Pero quien ha querido matar a Rosario Ponce, que cometió el pecado de no morirse al alimón, ha sido esta prensa nuestra que luego reclama por sus estatutos de privilegio. Al cuerno con ella.

Cesar Hildebrandt
Fuente: Semanario “Hildebrandt en sus trece”

Saturday, October 15, 2011

The Simpsons protest against travel agencies and tour guides from Arequipa.

by the Colca Specialist





The most important tour guides association from Colca Canyon ASGUIP TUCAY has declared Eddy del Carpio,the president of AVIT (travel agencies association from Arequipa) as not welcome in Colca Canyon area.


ASGUIP TUCAY has published a list of UNDESIRABLE TOUR GUIDES AND TRAVEL AGENCIES FROM AREQUIPA,travel agencies and tour guides that were involve in scandals of corruption, prostitution, rapism, accidents, fraud , abusive commissions and other problems that are affecting the development of sustainable tourism in Colca Canyon .


How can Colca Canyon be considered as one of the marvels of the world if there are problems that are affecting the development of tourism in the area? Basics first. If the authorities want Colca Canyon to be considered as one of the marvels of the world ,first, they need to pave the road and then to put order in this circus of commissionists!


See :http://asguiptucay.blogspot.com/2011/09/avit-y-eddy-del-carpio-no-gratos-en-la.html


At the same time The Simpsoms, one of the most popular cartoons of peruvian kids were chosen to create posters as part of the campaign against the abusive tour guides commissions which are increasing each time more.


The representatives of AUTOCOLCA until the moment have done nothing to solve the problem. The major of Caylloma province needs to take measures against this situation that is not only affecting the economy of locals but tourists economy too. The complaints of tourists have increased in the last months and many of them feel that they were overcharged by the touristic restaurants which is right.


We are sure that the posters and the T- shirts will become pieces of collection in Colca Canyon area, and if you see one poster or one T- shirt of this campaign buy one! In that way you will be supporting the natives of Colca and the tourists too!

Friday, October 7, 2011

About Trip Advisor advices



The Bottom Line


Trip Advisor is a travel opinion aggregator. Recently some hotels — especially those with less-than-glowing reviews — have tried inducing guests with discounts, free nights, gifts, and other bribes to post positive reviews that counteract negative statements. Some hotels also encourage staff members to post bogus positive reviews. While Trip Advisor aims to monitor and remove fakes, there's no way the service can totally eliminate them.


Pros
· Trip Advisor is a unique, timely, populist travel resource
· Trip Advisor enables a variety of opinions to be voiced
· Trip Advisor's Quick Check is a well-integrated search engine for online booking


Cons
· Widely diverse opinions ("Loved it!"..."Hated it!") make it hard to objectively evaluate a place
· Dissatisfied guests use Trip Advisor as a venue to broadcast bad experiences
· Trip Advisor has many poorly written trip reviews
· Bogus positive reviews posted along with honest ones can confuse users


Description


· Cities and hotels, restaurants and attractions are covered in the Trip Advisor database.
· Trip Advisor's Hotel Popularity Index provides a ranking of the top hotels in a city.
· Trip Advisor also links to travel guidebooks and Web articles.
· Got a question? Nearly 2/3 of Trip Advisor forum posts get an answer within 24 hours.
· Candid photos by Trip Advisor members provide fresh perspectives.
· Free Trip Advisor emails include Trip Watch, a personalized newsletter, and Weekend Getaway Guide.
· Smart Deals on Trip Advisor indicate highly rated hotels with good prices.


Guide Review - Trip Advisor


Trip Advisor features some 45 million reviews and opinions, including both rants and raves about destinations, hotels, attractions, and restaurants.


If you're like most travelers, when planning a trip you appreciate hearing or reading others' opinions before you choose a place. Yet a surfeit of (often conflicting) voices can create cacophony and confusion. I recently received an email that said:


I am so happy I came across your info on About.com. I am trying to plan a destination wedding, but get so discouraged after reading negative reviews on Trip Advisor about every place I look in to. (Except for Four Seasons and the Ritz, which are too expensive for me).


Here's my advice to get the most from Trip Advisor:


· Take what you read on Trip Advisor with a grain of salt. If you see a scathing one-star review but no other writers complain about the same problem(s), it's safe to write it off as an isolated incident.


· However, if you encounter the same complaint about a hotel repeatedly on Trip Advisor (e.g. "terrible service," "dirty bathroom"), I'd trust it.


· Conversely, a glowing, this-place-couldn't-be-better report on Trip Advisor — especially when it's surrounded by others' complaints — could have been written by a ringer.


· Use Trip Advisor as one — but not your only — resource for travel information. You can get a balanced picture by speaking with trusted friends and acquaintances, talking to a travel agent, and visiting other travel sites in addition to a property's own Web site.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Can Quechua survive?

Endangered Languages, Endangered Lives

by Anna Saroli


Quechua has been spoken in Perú since it became the unifying language of the Inca Empire 600 years ago. As the most widely spoken autochthonous language of Perú, it is considered to be an official language along with Spanish. Statistics vary, but the number of Quechua speakers in Perú is estimated at four and a half million, approximately 19 percent of the total population.


(Instituto Nacional de Estadística e Informática: Censos Nacionales 1993) Some regions are predominantly Quechua speaking. In the Department of Cusco,(1) for example, Quechua speakers comprise almost 64 percent of the population: 39 percent in urban centers and 86 percent in rural areas.


In spite of the prevalence and the antiquity of the Quechua language, however, Spanish is the language of power in all regions of Perú, even those in which there are more Quechua speakers than Spanish speakers. Many Quechua-speaking Peruvians need to learn Spanish in order to function in their own country, as the latter is the language of commerce, education, and government.


The negative attitude many Spanish-speaking Peruvians have toward the Quechua language and those who speak it makes matters worse. Many view Quechua, an oral language generally considered to be difficult if not impossible to write, as an archaic language spoken by Indians.


There exists a strange dichotomy between the pride in the history and culture of the Inca Empire (promoted by government and tourist sectors) and the disdain with which the living descendants of this empire are regarded. The unfortunate result of these attitudes is that many Quechua speakers hide their linguistic roots.


Speaking a fractured Spanish with their children, who learn to speak neither Quechua nor Spanish well, they prefer to pass as Spanish speakers.
In the city of Cusco, once the capital of the Inca Empire and now the departmental capital, Quechua is rarely seen in the media. Not a single newspaper or magazine is published in Quechua; the only written Quechua to be found is in academic works on linguistic or literary topics, or in songbooks for musicians.


The national university in Cusco offers only two courses in Quechua, for degrees in medicine and pedagogy. Quechua is taught in only one private school in Cusco. The Academy of the Quechua Language languishes for lack of government support; its members, mostly retirees, give of their time for love of the language.


A few radio stations do broadcast music, news, or personal announcements for people in isolated communities; all of these stations, however, are either private or partially financed by NGOs; they are not protected in any way by the government.


Unless steps are taken to promote the Quechua language in the public sectors, the real possibility exists that it will decline in importance to the point that it is no longer used with any frequency, as has been the fate of minority languages in many countries.


Governmental Policies Then and Now


The Peruvian government has not been unsympathetic, but its efforts to promote and protect Quechua have been sporadic and superficial at best. In 1975, the idealistic military government of General Velasco made Quechua an official language in areas with high numbers of Quechua speakers.


For a few years, the language was taught in public schools, but this was a second-language program aimed at Spanish speakers; its purpose was to raise the profile of Quechua rather than to implement true bilingual education. This program disappeared with successive changes in government.


Now, 25 years later, the Ministry of Education in the city of Cusco is laying the groundwork for another program in primary education. Optimistically called "bilingual and bicultural," it appears on close examination to be neither bilingual nor bicultural. Its stated goals are: (1) the introduction of Quechua as the language of instruction for Quechua-speaking children in rural areas, and (2) the maintenance and preservation of the Quechua culture.


Yet policy-makers have adopted a program of transition for the children involved, with no consideration of the possibility of implementing a truly bilingual program of maintenance. (With reference to bilingual education, a program of transition is one in which children learn in their native language for as long as it will take them to become fluent in the dominant language, which then becomes the language of instruction.


A maintenance program uses both languages concurrently.) All instruction in grades one and two is to be in Quechua, but from grade three, Spanish will be phased in. At no point is the desired result -- the hispanicization of these children and their absorption into mainstream Spanish-speaking culture -- questioned.


The common experience for a child from a Quechua-speaking background is to be plunged into a Spanish-speaking school environment at the age of five or six. By grade four or five, most are able to speak Spanish, but many never learn to read well and few go on to secondary school. By implementing a program that addresses the number of children, especially in rural areas, who face the difficulties of learning in what is for them a foreign language, the government is taking a step in the right direction.


The policy as it stands has many limitations, however. Since the program's main goal appears to be to incorporate minority children as quickly as possible into the Spanish-speaking mainstream, it will do little to effect real change in the prevailing perception of Quechua as a second-class language. In practical terms, too, the program may not be well conceived. Although the Ministry states, for instance, that its strategies include the elaboration of materials and workshops in Quechua for teachers, the only materials developed to date have been didactic manuals. There are no readers or other materials for students and no signs as yet of training or support for teachers.


The Peruvian government has always been prone to implementing "top-down" policies that may be misunderstood and resisted by those who should benefit from them. It is clear that there will need to be increased and sensitive consultation with government officials, and real input and participation from the Quechua-speaking communities, for any such program to be effective.


Community Attitudes


In interviews in Cusco and in surrounding rural communities, Quechua speakers and teachers commented on: (1) their personal experience of the Quechua language, and (2) whether Quechua should indeed be promoted in their schools or the communities they lived in.


Teachers


Thirty-four teachers working in schools ranging from reasonably well-appointed urban schools through semi-urban to impoverished rural schools were interviewed. All of the teachers were either native Quechua speakers or had learned Quechua as their only means of communicating with their students.


When asked for a wish list, the teachers' requests were for didactic materials for classroom use and for training courses in the Quechua language, two basic needs not being met by the government. Almost without exception, the teachers firmly believed that the best way to teach Quechua-speaking children is in their own language, at least throughout primary education (though a significant number also support programs of maintenance through secondary school).


Their experiences with the academic problems suffered by minority-language children in a majority-language system support current pedagogical research showing that these children progress significantly more slowly than majority-language children and tend to drop out of school more frequently.(2)


Teachers working with Quechua-speaking children in a Spanish-language framework face many additional challenges. Most of them are young women, often poorly trained and badly paid. Those who work in rural areas feel a great sense of isolation and a need for improved communication with government departments, whose staff tend to be urbanites with no real understanding of these isolated and often monolingual Communities.


The teachers frequently make heroic efforts to cope with the difficult situation in which they work; many of them use their own money to create teaching aids. They are, however, often overwhelmed by lack of support, few teaching aids, isolation, and poor remuneration; frustration and burnout are common results.


Parents in Rural Communities


There are enormous differences in terms of literacy and general sophistication between Quechua speakers living in traditional agricultural communities (comuneros) and those who were born in or have migrated to urban areas. Not one of the comuneros interviewed had studied beyond primary school, and many of the women were illiterate.


Six had some Spanish, while the others were monoglots. People living in rural areas often have little contact with the Spanish-speaking world, and they tend to compartmentalize uses of Spanish and Quechua: Spanish is used for traveling to Cusco, in schools, with the government, at hospitals, or in other areas of perceived authority.


Quechua is the language of daily communication with family and community. A mistrust of most government officials exists among monolingual Quechua-speakers as a result of a long history of repression and exploitation.


Many of the comuneros have had unpleasant experiences with those in positions of authority, and they tend to believe the idea that if those authorities want Quechua to be used in schools, they must intend to keep the children ignorant and backward. This belief may result in resistance to the use of Quechua in schools on the part of parents who want their children to be taught only in Spanish, the language of progress and of power.


Teachers did comment that parents are opposed to the implementation of bilingual education. Clearly, however, it is important to examine closely the reasons behind this resistance. During discussions with the comuneros about the pedagogic reasons for teaching a child in his or her native language (using examples from countries where bilingual education has been successfully implemented), the idea of using Quechua as well as and not instead of Spanish became more reasonable. The thought that they themselves might also learn to read in their own language took root.


Migrants and Urbanites


Although the government is taking some steps toward implementing a bilingual program in rural areas, the linguistic needs of a sizeable population of Quechua speakers who have migrated from rural to urban areas are not being met (see also Oliveira, this issue).


A group of ten newly-urbanized Quechua-speakers -- all women and parents who spend part or all of their time in Cusco working in small, family-run businesses or selling their products in the markets or to tourists -- were interviewed. Quechua speakers by birth, these women are now bilingual, and in comparison with rural dwellers, sophisticated in their interactions with modern society.


Though their children are generally enrolled in schools in the city, some may spend part of the year in their home communities; their education is thus fragmented. The children often have to work from a young age in order to help support the family (city schools now recognize this reality and some offer evening classes for working children).


All of these entrepreneurs are aware of the benefits of education. They support the idea of bilingual education in the schools, even through secondary school, and would like to see greater exposure of Quechua in the media.(3) With the pragmatism that enables them to survive, they do not dispute the need for Spanish, but they still value Quechua for its historicity and because it is "theirs."

In spite of this positive outlook, however, signs of language death are present.(4) Urban residents all claimed to speak Quechua at home with their children, but in some cases they admitted that the children do not speak the language well.


Many of the children were uncomfortable in Quechua; some did not speak the language or preferred to use Spanish, a preference probably due to the common perception of Quechua speakers as uneducated and inferior to Spanish speakers. Approximately half of the parents commented that their relatives no longer wish to speak Quechua; that they consider it "ugly," or "are ashamed," or do not want to appear to be "from the country."


More than half said that people in the rural communities from which they had migrated do not use Quechua as much as they used to. If these women and children are representative of those from other urban and semi-urban areas, it would appear that the use of Quechua is declining. The increasing migration to and contact with urban areas in the past decades bode ill for the active survival of the language.


The linguistic pattern evidenced among these migrants in Cusco illustrates a process especially common among migrants to urban areas from traditional agricultural societies and typical of areas where language decline and death have taken place. The pattern operates in the following way: grandparents speak only the traditional language; parents speak both the native language and the language of assimilation, and their children become monolingual in the assimilated language.


Future Direction


In order for Quechua to be strengthened and promoted in Perú, negative attitudes toward the language, ingrained over centuries by the Spanish-speaking elite, must be reversed; initiatives to reinforce the daily use of Quechua and, as a consequence, its presence as a living entity in Peruvian society should be implemented.


The Ministry of Education's bilingual program needs improved planning and implementation. It is of prime importance to promote the use of Quechua in schools, albeit in maintenance rather than in transition programs (as is current policy). For these programs to be successful, however, certain other steps must be taken.






The most important is to win parental support for bilingual language programs. To this end, consultation and sensitization sessions for both parents and teachers should be held. This policy must not be seen as another idea imposed by authorities that will result in greater separation of Quechua-speakers from modern Perú.






Rather, it must be viewed as a joint effort to make the educational experience a positive one for every child, with the full consultation and participation of parents, teachers, and government.
To ensure the effectiveness of this new teaching program, teachers must be supported with teaching materials and workshops.




Quechua in its written form for the use of adult speakers should also be promoted. The perception currently exists that Quechua is a difficult if not impossible language to write. Academics waste much time and energy debating the value of three versus five vowels in written Quechua.






This kind of debate is ultimately counterproductive, as it diverts attention from truly urgent issues. If literacy equals power, Quechua must be available not just in academic contexts in its written form, but integrated into daily life and made accessible to everyone in the form of newspapers, magazines, and informative government pamphlets.(5) Adult literacy classes, especially for women, Could be productively integrated into this type of initiative.




The broadcast media is another area in which the government could be supportive, by funding television and especially radio programs in Quechua. The radio has long been used for the dissemination of information to outlying villages. Without government funding, however, radio stations broadcasting in Quechua are vulnerable to market pressures.(6)




Negative attitudes toward Quechua cannot easily be banished by government edict. Nevertheless, directing government resources toward raising the profile of Quechua in a sensitive way, with constant consultation with Quechua-speakers, is a crucial first step in renewing and reinforcing people's pride in their own language.




Conclusion




It has been estimated that half of the languages extant today will disappear during the next century. Although a superficial glance gives the impression that Quechua is not in imminent danger, a closer look reveals that within the Peruvian context, Quechua plays a secondary role to Spanish. What support it receives from the government is mainly theoretical. As we move into the twenty-first century -- with increasing internal migration to urban centers, and with technology playing an ever-growing role in the homogenization of cultures -- the Quechua language will in all likelihood continue to lose ground. A real danger is that people, mollified by current government efforts to institute "bilingual" education in some primary schools, will assume that these efforts are sufficient. If Quechua is to play a true role as an official language of Perú, only the first steps on a long journey have been taken.




(1). Departments, further divided into provinces, are the administrative divisions of Perú.
(2). See, for example, Hornberger, 1989.
(3). All of the women say they listen daily to one of the few radio programs in Quechua, Warmikuna rimanchis (Women speaking).
(4). For a discussion of language death, see Edwards, 1985.
(5). A strong case is made for the importance of publishing as a tool for language preservation in Bernard, 1996.
(6). The media can, unfortunately, be a two-edged sword. If the government does become involved in Quechua radio and television, it will likely aim programming at the much larger Spanish-speaking audience, which would result in more slick television programs of Andean music and dance, almost all broadcast from Lima.
References & further reading:
Bernard, H.R. (1996). Language Preservation and Publishing. In Indigenous Literacies in the Americas. N.H. Hornberger, Ed. Berlin: Mouton de Gruyter. Pp 139-156.
Edwards, J. (1985). Language, Society and Identity. Oxford: Basil Blackwell, Ltd.
Grenoble, L.A. & Whaley, L.J., Eds. (1998). Endangered Languages. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Hornberger, N. (1989). Haku yachaywasiman: la educación bilingüe y el futuro del quechua en Puno. Lima-Puno: Programa de Educación Bilingüe en Puno.
Nettle, D. & Romaine, S.P. (2000). Vanishing Voices: The Extinction of the World's Languages. New York: USA Oxford University Press.
Article copyright Cultural Survival, Inc.

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Capetown Declaration: What is that?

by the Colca Specialist

This is a very important article everybody should read especially our future tour guides,our irresponsible tour operators,our empty headed authorities and our beloved commissionists or tour guides from Arequipa.
As John Lennon said one: You cannot trust in people older than 23 years old if they tell you that they are going to change.
You were right John,but the Colca Specialist is very positive, so that is why I keep sharing information because I know that somebody out there will listen my voice.

The Cape Town Declaration


The Cape Town Conference was organised by the Responsible Tourism Partnership (more) and Western Cape Tourism as a side event preceding the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in 2002. The Cape Town Conference on Responsible Tourism in Destinations was attended by 280 delegates from 20 countries. The conference grew out of the South African work on responsible tourism guidelines and involved delegates field-testing the South African Guidelines on sites in and around Cape Town.


RESPONSIBLE TOURISM IN DESTINATIONS


Shaping sustainable spaces into better places


We, representatives of inbound and outbound tour operators, emerging entrepreneurs in the tourism industry, national parks, provincial conservation authorities, all spheres of government, tourism professionals, tourism authorities, NGOs and hotel groups and other tourism stakeholders, from 20 countries in Africa, North and South America, Europe and Asia; having come together in Cape Town to consider the issue of Responsible Tourism in Destinations have agreed this declaration.


Mindful of the debates at the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development in 1999, which asserted the importance of the economic, social and environment aspects of sustainable development and of the interests of indigenous peoples and local communities in particular.
Recognising the global challenge of reducing social and economic inequalities and reducing poverty, and the importance of New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) in the process.


Recognising the importance of the World Tourism Organization’s Global Code of Ethics, which aims to promote responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism and sharing its commitment to equitable, responsible and sustainable world tourism and its STEP initiative with UNCTAD, which seeks to harness sustainable tourism to help eliminate poverty.


Conscious that we are now ten years on from the Rio Earth Summit on Environment and Development, and that the World Summit on Sustainable Development taking place in Johannesburg will put renewed emphasis on sustainability, economic development, and in particular on poverty reduction.


Aware of the World Tourism Organization, World Travel and Tourism Council and the Earth Council's updated Agenda 21 for the Travel and Tourism Industry and the success achieved by a number of businesses, local communities and national and local governments in moving towards sustainability in tourism.


Aware of the work of the UNEP, and the Tourism Industry Report 2002, and work of UNESCO, and other UN agencies, promoting sustainable tourism in partnership with the private sector, NGOs, civil society organisations and government.


Aware of the guidelines for sustainable tourism in vulnerable ecosystems being developed in the framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity.


Conscious of developments in other industries and sectors, and in particular of the growing international demand for ethical business, and the adoption of clear Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policies by companies, and the transparent reporting of achievements in meeting CSR objectives in company annual reports.


Recognising that there has been considerable progress in addressing the environmental impacts of tourism, although there is a long way to go to achieve sustainability; and that more limited progress has been made in harnessing tourism for local economic development, for the benefit of communities and indigenous peoples, and in managing the social impacts of tourism.


Endorsing the Global Code of Ethics and the importance of making all forms of tourism sustainable through all stakeholders taking responsibility for creating better forms of tourism and realising these aspirations.


Relishing the diversity of our world's cultures, habitats and species and the wealth of our cultural and natural heritage, as the very basis of tourism, we accept that responsible and sustainable tourism will be achieved in different ways in different places.


Accepting that, in the words of the Global Code of Ethics, an attitude of tolerance and respect for the diversity of religious, philosophical and moral beliefs, are both the foundation and the consequence of responsible tourism.


Recognising that dialogue, partnerships and multi-stakeholder processes - involving government, business and local communities - to make better places for hosts and guests can only be realised at the local level, and that all stakeholders have different, albeit interdependent, responsibilities; tourism can only be managed for sustainability at the destination level.


Conscious of the importance of good governance and political stability in providing the context for responsible tourism in destinations, and recognising that the devolution of decision making power to democratic local government is necessary to build stable partnerships at a local level, and to the empowerment of local communities.


Aware that the management of tourism requires the participation of a broad range of government agencies and particularly at the local destination level.


Recognising that in order to protect the cultural, social and environmental integrity of destinations limits to tourism development are sometimes necessary.


Having, during the Cape Town Conference, examined the South African Guidelines for Responsible Tourism, tested them in a series of field visits, and explored how tourism can be made to work better for local communities, tourists and businesses alike, we recognise their value in helping to shape sustainable tourism in South Africa.


Recognising that one of the strengths of the South African Guidelines for Responsible Tourism is that they were developed through a national consultative process, and that they reflect the priorities and aspirations of the South African people.


Recognising that Responsible Tourism takes many forms, that different destinations and stakeholders will have different priorities, and that local policies and guidelines will need to be developed through multi-stakeholder processes to develop responsible tourism in destinations.


Having the following characteristics, Responsible Tourism:


• minimises negative economic, environmental, and social impacts;
• generates greater economic benefits for local people and enhances the well-being of host communities, improves working conditions and access to the industry;
• involves local people in decisions that affect their lives and life chances;
• makes positive contributions to the conservation of natural and cultural heritage, to the maintenance of the world's diversity;
• provides more enjoyable experiences for tourists through more meaningful connections with local people, and a greater understanding of local cultural, social and environmental issues;
• provides access for physically challenged people; and
• is culturally sensitive, engenders respect between tourists and hosts, and builds local pride and confidence


We call upon countries, multilateral agencies, destinations and enterprises to develop similar practical guidelines and to encourage planning authorities, tourism businesses, tourists and local communities - to take responsibility for achieving sustainable tourism, and to create better places for people to live in and for people to visit.


We urge multilateral agencies responsible for development strategies to include sustainable responsible tourism in their outcomes.


Determined to make tourism more sustainable, and accepting that it is the responsibility of all stakeholders in tourism to achieve more sustainable forms of tourism, we commit ourselves to pursue the principles of Responsible Tourism.


Convinced that it is primarily in the destinations, the places that tourists visit, where tourism enterprises conduct their business and where local communities and tourists and the tourism industry interact, that the economic, social and environmental impacts of tourism need to be managed responsibly, to maximise positive impacts and minimise negative ones.


We undertake to work in concrete ways in destinations to achieve better forms of tourism and to work with other stakeholders in destinations. We commit to build the capacity of all stakeholders in order to ensure that they can secure an effective voice in decision making. We uphold the guiding principles for Responsible Tourism which were identified:


Guiding Principles for Economic Responsibility


• Assess economic impacts before developing tourism and exercise preference for those forms of development that benefit local communities and minimise negative impacts on local livelihoods (for example through loss of access to resources), recognising that tourism may not always be the most appropriate form of local economic development
• Maximise local economic benefits by increasing linkages and reducing leakages, by ensuring that communities are involved in, and benefit from, tourism. Wherever possible use tourism to assist in poverty reduction by adopting pro-poor strategies
• Develop quality products that reflect, complement, and enhance the destination
• Market tourism in ways which reflect the natural, cultural and social integrity of the destination, and which encourage appropriate forms of tourism
• Adopt equitable business practises, pay and charge fair prices, and build partnerships in ways in which risk is minimised and shared, and recruit and employ staff recognising international labour standards
• Provide appropriate and sufficient support to small, medium and micro enterprises to ensure tourism-related enterprises thrive and are sustainable
Guiding Principles for Social Responsibility
• Actively involve the local community in planning and decision-making and provide capacity building to make this a reality
• Assess social impacts throughout the life cycle of the operation – including the planning and design phases of projects - in order to minimise negative impacts and maximise positive ones
• Endeavour to make tourism an inclusive social experience and to ensure that there is access for all, in particular vulnerable and disadvantaged communities and individuals
• Combat the sexual exploitation of human beings, particularly the exploitation of children
• Be sensitive to the host culture, maintaining and encouraging social and cultural diversity
• Endeavour to ensure that tourism contributes to improvements in health and education
Guiding Principles for Environmental Responsibility
• Assess environmental impacts throughout the life cycle of tourist establishments and operations – including the planning and design phase - and ensure that negative impacts are reduced to the minimum and maximising positive ones
• Use resources sustainably, and reduce waste and over-consumption
• Manage natural diversity sustainably, and where appropriate restore it; and consider the volume and type of tourism that the environment can support, and respect the integrity of vulnerable ecosystems and protected areas
• Promote education and awareness for sustainable development – for all stakeholders
• Raise the capacity of all stakeholders and ensure that best practice is followed, for this purpose consult with environmental and conservation experts


We recognise that this list is not exhaustive and that multi-stakeholder groups in diverse destinations should adapt these principles to reflect their own culture and environment.
Responsible tourism seeks to maximise positive impacts and to minimise negative ones. Compliance with all relevant international and national standards, laws and regulations is assumed. Responsibility, and the market advantage that can go with it, is about doing more than the minimum.


We recognise that the transparent and auditable reporting of progress towards achieving responsible tourism targets and benchmarking, is essential to the integrity and credibility of our work, to the ability of all stakeholders to assess progress, and to enable consumers to exercise effective choice.


We commit to making our contribution to move towards a more balanced relationship between hosts and guests in destinations, and to create better places for local communities and indigenous peoples; and recognising that this can only be achieved by government, local communities and business cooperating on practical initiatives in destinations.


We call upon tourism enterprises and trade associations in originating markets and in destinations to adopt a responsible approach, to commit to specific responsible practises, and to report progress in a transparent and auditable way, and where appropriate to use this for market advantage. Corporate businesses can assist by providing markets, capacity building, mentoring and micro-financing support for small, medium and micro enterprises.


In order to implement the guiding principles for economic, social and environmental responsibility, it is necessary to use a portfolio of tools, which will include regulations, incentives, and multi-stakeholder participatory strategies. Changes in the market encouraged by consumer campaigns and new marketing initiatives also contribute to market driven change.


Local authorities have a central role to play in achieving responsible tourism through commitment to supportive policy frameworks and adequate funding. We call upon local authorities and tourism administrations to develop - through multi-stakeholder processes - destination management strategies and responsible tourism guidelines to create better places for host communities and the tourists who visit. Local Agenda 21 programs, with their participatory and monitoring processes, are particularly useful.


We call upon the media to exercise responsibility in the way in which they portray tourism destinations, to avoid raising false expectations and to provide balanced and fair reporting.
We all have a responsibility to make a difference by the way we act.


We commit ourselves to work with others to take responsibility for achieving the economic, social and environmental components of responsible and sustainable tourism.
Cape Town, August 2002
Co-chairs Mike Fabricius Western Cape Tourism & Harold Goodwin International Centre for Responsible Tourism

Three Canyons Suykutambo: The other marvel of Cusco

by the Colca Specialist



Many friends of mine in Colca Valley and Colca Canyon are wondering Why the Colca Specialist is writing about the K´ana people and about Three Canyons Suykutambo from Cusco?

Simple.The K´ana people were one of the first inhabitants that occupied Colca Valley and Colca Canyon. The K´ana people has a cultural link with our people in Colca Valley and Colca Canyon and that can be appreciated in a direct way through the pallayes or weavings symbols and through specific rituals and festivals where we can easily realise about this situation. The Cabana people are descendants of the ancient K´ana people.

The townhall of Suykutambo district directed by its major Pedro Pablo Rojas Figueroa organized the I festival of traditional carnival dances which had as scenario nothing less than the three canyons of Suykutambo. Suykutambo is one of the districts of Espinar province located in Cusco.

Cusco is a box of surprises for the tourists who are seeking new touristic attractions in the land of the Incas.

Three canyons of Suykutambo are one of the new attractions recently discovered and they are located in what it was the K´ana realm in the high provinces of Cusco.

According to the Spanish chronicle writer Pedro Cieza de León,one of the most important shrines of the inca empire was the shrine called Aconcagua which was considered as a powerful oracle and shrine now called María Fortaleza in Tajrachullo, place closed to Suykutambo area.

The three canyons of Suykutambo area where considered as a shrine by the Incas too, so definitively there is much to see in this place. The landscape is simply amazing.

The area is crowded with archaeological sites, rupestrian paintings that belong to different periods and even paleontological findings like the ones that where found in Pichigua district in Espinar, Cusco.

The culture is one of the most important attractions this place has to offer, and this is the right place for those that are seeking to see traditions that are literally lost because of the influence of modern society.

In this place, the K´anas continue performing the ancient ceremonials and keeping traditions that literally have disappeared in other areas of Cusco. If you love culture this is the perfect place for you. Far away off the beaten touristic track.

The festival was really amazing. I was invited by the major of Suykutambo Pedro Pablo Rojas Figueroa and by Iván Escalante Vargas to take part in this festival in order to film the festival for the Peruvian TV program Pureq Runa (The walker in quechua),a program which covers culture and adventure in Perú.

My main interest was to see the dance called TUPAY ,a dance that is associated to fertility. The male dancer is called CHUKO and the female partner is the SOLTERA (soltera means single-girl).

The dance is associated with fertility and procreation and it is associated to the reproduction of alpacas and the llamas.
The big flute called Pinkullo is used by the male dancer and it has a phallic symbolism associated to fertility. In some rituals it is used as a weapon too.

The Pinkullo is not just another musical instrument and there are many ceremonials in which this instrument is used for specific purposes. The instrument was declared recently as a cultural patrimony of the nation (resolution Nro.-2081) and it was declared as part of the cultural inheritage of the high provinces of Cusco.

Back to the TUPAY dance again,we say that the CHUKO or male dancer represents the alpacas and the llamas, that through the colourful wool ornaments he wears on. Through the music and the dancing he flirts the SOLTERA or not married girl and at the same time she is his inspiration. The dance can be performed with or without horses too.

The llamas and the alpacas played an important role during the Inca Empire. The llamas were used as way of transportation, not for humans but for cargo. In fact the Incas couldn´t organize any kind of military campaign without having the right quantity of llamas for equipment transportation.

The alpacas situation was different in those times. The alpacas were associated with water specially the white ones.
The alpacas are white, like the ice and the snow of the mountains, like the sperm, like the foamy white water that comes rolling down the mountain and fecundates Mother Earth or Pachamama, like the white man with white hair called Illa Tecsi Wiraqochan ,the Creator of this world, divinity worshipped by the K´ana people in their shrines of Suykutambo area.

The alpacas are offered in special ceremonials performed in February-March done to the Apus or spirits of the mountains. The alpacas are considered female in ceremonials, all of them, and they are associated to rituals of water and fertility. The mother of the alpacas lives inside the fountains of water or lakes according to our traditions.

If the llamas were used for cargo, alpacas were bred in order to have meat and wool. There are two different types of alpacas: one is called HUACAYA (curled hair alpaca) which is very common in the highlands of Perú and the other type is called SURI or NAPA (long hair alpaca).

The SURI alpaca hair is valuable and the animals are expensive. This type of alpaca is not so resistant against the cold weather and extreme altitudes so they are kept in places with the adequate weather conditions.

Alpacas are considered as children of the lakes because they spend much time in the mountain bogs or close to lakes grazing in the pastures in the highlands.

February and March are the months of reproduction of alpacas. Many new born alpacas can be seen in these months and of course this is the rainy season in the highlands too.

Mama qocha or mother sea is the wife of the mountains: the one that sends water to the husband (the mountains) so this can provide water to the runakuna or people.

That is why water is very important for people in Suykutambo of Espinar province and for other native communes of Cusco too.

These points of view that are not respected by the occidental way of thinking which considers water as a simple resource that can be used and manipulated according to man´s desire and caprice, are the main reason of conflicts in the highlands of Peru.

The festival in Suykutambo is a way to create a consciousness in the local people about our traditions and about the importance of the proper use of our natural resources which should be preserved and protected. Now more than ever, specially in these moments when the authorities of Arequipa are trying to alterate the ecosystem through an irrigation project whose is not being done in a sustanaible and responsible way and whose main benefits are not for Peruvian people but for Chilean businessmen.

A project that without being done in a very careful way would provoke a severe damage to the ecosystem of the affected areas.

The festivals and the different cultural activities are a way to make others understand about the real situation of the natives in the Peruvian highlands and a way to show our traditions and touristic attractions to the visitors.

Nobody loves what is unknown and I would like to congratulate the major of Suykutambo district,Pedro Pablo Rojas Figueroa for the organization of this festival, Iván Escalante Vargas for the coordinations done and the facilities provided during our presentation, Mr. Yulder Prieto Barrionuevo for the wonderful book given as a gift with all the information about our K´ana ancestors and Mr Walter Ccamaque Huamaní for having helped us with the interview and information about the TUPAY dance.





Monday, October 3, 2011

What is sustainable tourism Mr. Tour Guide?

By the Colca Specialist


This is a question that most of the tour guides are not able to answer. Not even our authorities who are thinking just about how to win the next elections.
Disgracefully Peru is one of the countries whose budget for education is very low and now we are seeing the effects of this chaotic type of politics well-known as centralism.


Sustainable tourism is not a trend but a need in these days especially in Arequipa where tourism is the second most important activity. Wikipedia offers a very concise article that can be very useful for everybody especially for the travel agencies, tour guides and authorities from Arequipa who maybe think that sustainable is just another “word” in the lexicon of tourism.


I chose it because The Colca Specialist loves education and as a teacher I love education. I think that the future of our country depends on our people especially on the new generations.
Our country´s economy is much dependant on natural resources so that is why mining is literally the activity which is moving the economy of Peru. But what will happen to Peru and to us when we run out of natural resources?


We have to invest in education and in our people. Ignorance is the enemy of the peoples.
If you check in Trip Advisor and in many other travelers forums you can find a lot of complaints coming from tourists from different countries around the world, all of them complaining from the bad service received in Colca Canyon, complaining from the tour guides commissions which are increasing each time more, but inside the complaints we can realize that part of the problem are TOURISTS too. Specially the very cheap ones who want to travel in all Peru with 500 bucks taking poor quality services, eating in places whose collection of bacteria would break a record Guiness and afterwards they write a complaint in Trip Advisor forum.


If there are many complaints in Trip Advisor against several travel agencies from Arequipa why I have to travel with those bad travel agencies? Very simple because I want something very cheap. Come on guys be reasonable. It is like eating in a restaurant.


In Travel and Living TV program I saw that in LAS VEGAS when you take a tour the guide charges 20 dollars per hour. A hamburguer in a exclusive place can cost 700 hundred US! In Chile the entrance fee to the hot springs in an exclusive place cost more than 30 dollars and here the "gringos" are complaining because the tour to the Colca Canyon costs 20 dollars! Come on guys be reasonable.


Economy here is different. The standards of quality are different but let me tell you something. Peruvian standards of quality are improving each time more and the prices for the next years are not going to be the same as in the past.


If I buy that 20 US tour I should not expect to have the best. 20 dollars for a tour with guide, hotel, transportation, etc it sounds a little bit strange.I would NOT like to sleep in the hotel or hostal offered in those tours. As we know those hotels are not classified and those beds should be terrible. I don´t want to think about the toilet. Those cheap hotels don´t even have a name. The same happens with those cheap 95 soles 2 day trekking tours inside Colca Canyon.


If I see that in Trip Advisor there are several complaints against a travel agency, it would be very stupid if I buy a tour in that travel agency and I would feel very ashamed of myself if my complaint appears with my name in Trip Advisor forum.


If there are hundred complaints about that bad travel agency I don´t have to be idiot hundred one in the same list! Tourists should be responsible, smart and SUSTAINABLE too.


According to the Hindi wise men, the most intelligent are those who learned from the others experience by reading, hearing or seeing. The foolest are the ones who don´t hear the advice and they suffer the consequences of their headstrong attitude.


Those are the ones who continue writing complaints about the same bad service travel agencies.Why? Because they are the cheapest. The problem are not the bad travel agencies who are already identified. The problem is tourists attitude. Are we looking for trouble in our HOLIDAYS?


We don´t recommend tourists to buy tours in the hotels. All of them end traveling with those bad travel agencies.


So what is sustainable tourism?


Sustainable tourism is tourism attempting to make a low impact on the environment and local culture, while helping to generate future employment for local people. The aim of sustainable tourism is to ensure that development brings a positive experience for local people, tourism companies and the tourists themselves. Sustainable tourism is not the same as ecotourism.

Overview


Global economists forecast continuing international tourism growth, ranging between 3 and 6 percent annually, depending on the location. As one of the world's largest and fastest growing industries, this continuous growth will place great stress on remaining biologically diverse habitats and indigenous cultures, which are often used to support mass tourism. Tourists who promote sustainable tourism are sensitive to these dangers and seek to protect tourist destinations, and to protect tourism as an industry. Sustainable tourists can reduce the impact of tourism in many ways, including:


· informing themselves of the culture, politics, and economy of the communities visited
· anticipating and respecting local cultures, expectations and assumptions
· contributing to intercultural understanding and tolerance
· supporting the integrity of local cultures by favoring businesses which conserve cultural heritage and traditional values
· supporting local economies by purchasing local goods and participating with small, local businesses
· conserving resources by seeking out businesses that are environmentally conscious, and by using the least possible amount of
non-renewable resources


Increasingly, destinations and tourism operations are endorsing and following "responsible tourism" as a pathway towards sustainable tourism. Responsible tourism and sustainable tourism have an identical goal, that of sustainable development.


The pillars of responsible tourism are therefore the same as those of sustainable tourism – environmental integrity, social justice and economic development. The major difference between the two is that, in responsible tourism, individuals, organisations and businesses are asked to take responsibility for their actions and the impacts of their actions.


This shift in emphasis has taken place because some stakeholders feel that insufficient progress towards realising sustainable tourism has been made since the Earth Summit in Rio. This is partly because everyone has been expecting others to behave in a sustainable manner.


The emphasis on responsibility in responsible tourism means that everyone involved in tourism – government, product owners and operators, transport operators, community services, NGO’s and CBO’s, tourists, local communities, industry associations – are responsible for achieving the goals of responsible tourism.


Responsible Tourism


Responsible Tourism can be regarded as a behaviour. It is more than a form of tourism as it represents an approach to engaging with tourism, be that as a tourist, a business, locals at a destination or any other tourism stakeholder.


It emphasises that all stakeholders are responsible for the kind of tourism they develop or engage in. Whilst different groups will see responsibility in different ways, the shared understanding is that responsible tourism should entail an improvement in tourism. Tourism should become ‘better’ as a result of the responsible tourism approach.


Within the notion of betterment resides the acknowledgement that conflicting interests need to be balanced. However, the objective is to create better places for people to live in and to visit. Importantly, there is no blueprint for responsible tourism: what is deemed responsible may differ depending on places and cultures. Responsible Tourism is an aspiration that can be realised in different ways in different originating markets and in the diverse destinations of the world .


Focusing in particular on businesses, according to the Cape Town Declaration on Responsible Tourism, it will have the following characteristics:


· minimises negative economic, environmental, and social impacts
· generates greater economic benefits for local people and enhances the well-being of host communities, improves working conditions and access to the industry
· involves local people in decisions that affect their lives and life chances
· makes positive contributions to the conservation of natural and cultural heritage, to the maintenance of the world’s diversity
· provides more enjoyable experiences for tourists through more meaningful connections with local people, and a greater understanding of local cultural, social and environmental issues
· provides access for people with disabilities and
· is culturally sensitive, engenders respect between tourists and hosts, and builds local pride and confidence.


Sustainable tourism is where tourists can enjoy their holiday and at the same time respect the culture of people and also respect the environment. It also means that local people (such as the Masaai) get a fair say about tourism and also receive some money from the profit which the game reserve make. The environment is being damaged quite a lot by tourists and part of Sustainable tourism is to make sure that the damaging does not carry on.


There are many private companies who are working into embracing the principles and aspects of Responsible Tourism, some for the purpose of Corporate Social Responsibility activities, and others such WorldHotel-Link, which was originally a project of the International Finance Corporation, have built their entire business model around responsible tourism, local capacity building and increasing market access for small and medium tourism enterprises.


Responsible Hospitality


As with the view of Responsible Tourism, Responsible Hospitality is essentially about creating better places for people to live in, and better places for people to visit. This does not mean all forms of hospitality are also forms of tourism although hospitality is the largest sector of the tourism industry. As such we should not be surprised at overlaps between Responsible Hospitality and Responsible Tourism.


In the instance where place of permanent residence is also the place where the hospitality service is consumed, if for example a meal is consumed in a local restaurant, this does not obviate the requirement to improve the place of residence. As such, the essence of Responsible Hospitality is not contingent upon touristic forms of hospitality.


While Friedman (1962) famously argued that, admittedly within legal parameters, the sole responsibility of business was to generate profit for shareholders the idea that businesses’ responsibility extends beyond this has existed for decades and is most frequently encountered in the concept of corporate social responsibility.


There are numerous ways businesses can and do engage in activities that are not intended to benefit shareholders and management, at least not in the short term. However, often acts of corporate social responsibility are undertaken because of the perceived benefit to business. Usually in hospitality this relates to the cost reductions associated with improved energy efficiency (Pizam, 2009) but may also relate to, for example, the rise in ethical consumerism and the view that being seen to be a responsible business is beneficial to revenue growth.


As per the Cape Town Declaration on Responsible Tourism, Responsible Hospitality is culturally sensitive. Instead of then calling for the unachievable, Responsible Hospitality simply makes the case for more responsible forms of hospitality, hospitality that benefits locals first, and visitors second. Certainly, all forms of hospitality can be improved and managed so that negative impacts are minimised whilst striving for a maximisation of positive impacts.


Coastal tourism


Many coastal areas are experiencing particular pressure from growth in lifestyles and growing numbers of tourists. Coastal environments are limited in extent consisting of only a narrow strip along the edge of the ocean. Coastal areas are often the first environments to experience the detrimental impacts of tourism. A detailed study of the impact on coastal areas, with reference to western India can be an example.


The inevitable change is on the horizon as holiday destinations put more effort into sustainable tourism.[3] Planning and management controls can reduce the impact on coastal environments[4] and ensure that investment into tourism products supports sustainable coastal tourism.


Some Conceptual models in Coastal tourism


Some of the recent studies have led to some interesting conceptual models applicable for coastal tourism. The 'inverted funnel model' and the 'embedded model' can be good metaphors for understanding the interplay of different stake-holders like government, local community, tourists and business community in developing tourist destinations.


Community-based management


There has been the promotion of sustainable tourism practices surrounding the management of tourist locations by locals or more concisely, the community.


This form of tourism is based on the premise that the people living next to a resource are the ones best suited to protecting it. This means that the tourism activities and businesses are developed and operated by local community members, and certainly with their consent and support.


Sustainable tourism typically involves the conservation of resources that are capitalized upon for tourism purposes, such as coral reefs and pristine forests. Locals run the businesses and are responsible for promoting the conservation messages to protect their environment.


Community-based sustainable tourism (CBST) associates the success of the sustainability of the ecotourism location to the management practices of the communities who are directly or indirectly dependent on the location for their livelihoods.


A salient feature of CBST is that local knowledge is usually utilised alongside wide general frameworks of ecotourism business models. This allows the participation of locals at the management level and typically allows a more intimate understanding of the environment. The use of local knowledge also means an easier entry level into a tourism industry for locals whose jobs or livelihoods are affected by the use of their environment as tourism locations.


The involvement of locals restores the ownership of the environment to the local community and allows an alternative sustainable form of development for communities and their environments that are typically unable to support other forms of development.[citation needed]. However, recent research has found that economic linkages generated by CBST may only be sporadic, and that the linkages with agriculture are negatively affected by seasonality and by the small scale of the cultivated areas. This means that CBST may only have small-scale positive effects for these communities.


Stakeholders


Stakeholders of sustainable tourism play a role in continuing this form of tourism. This can include organizations as well as individuals.


Non-governmental organizations


Non-governmental organizations are one of the stakeholders in advocating sustainable tourism. Their roles can range from spearheading sustainable tourism practices to simply doing research. University research teams and scientists can be tapped to aid in the process of planning. Such solicitation of research can be observed in the planning of Cat Ba National Park in Vietnam.


Dive resort operators in Bunaken National Park, Indonesia, play a crucial role by developing exclusive zones for diving and fishing respectively, such that both tourists and locals can benefit from the venture.


Large conventions, meetings and other major organized events drive the travel, tourism and hospitality industry. Cities and convention centers compete to attract such commerce, commerce which has heavy impacts on resource use and the environment. Major sporting events, such as the Olympic Games, present special problems regarding environmental burdens and degradation. But burdens imposed by the regular convention industry can be vastly more significant.


Green conventions and events are a new but growing sector and marketing point within the convention and hospitality industry. More environmentally aware organizations, corporations and government agencies are now seeking more sustainable event practices, greener hotels, restaurants and convention venues, and more energy efficient or climate neutral travel and ground transportation.


Additionally, some convention centers have begun to take direct action in reducing the impact of the conventions they host. One example is the Moscone Center in San Francisco, California, which has a very aggressive recycling program, a large solar power system, and other programs aimed at reducing impact and increasing efficiency.


Tourists


With the advent of the internet, some traditional conventions are being replaced with virtual conventions, where the attendees remain in their home physical location and "attend" the convention by use of a web-based interface programmed for the task. This sort of "virtual" meeting eliminates all of the impacts associated with travel, accommodation, food wastage, and other necessary impacts of traditional, physical conventions.


Travel over long distances requires a large amount of time and/or energy. Generally this involves burning fossil fuels, a largely unsustainable practice and one that contributes to climate change, via CO2 emissions.


Air travel is perhaps the worst offender in this regard, contributing to between 2 and 3% of global carbon emissions.[8] Given a business-as-usual approach, this could be expected to rise to 5% by 2015 and 10% by 2050. Car travel is the next worst offender.


Mass transport is the most climate friendly method of travel, and generally the rule is "the bigger the better" - compared to cars, buses are relatively more sustainable, and trains and ships are even more so. Human energy and renewable energy are the most efficient, and hence, sustainable. Travel by bicycle, solar powered car, or sailing boat produces no carbon emissions (although the embodied energy in these vehicles generally comes at the expense of carbon emission).


Humane tourism



Humane tourism is part of the movement of responsible tourism. The idea is to empower local communities through travel related businesses around the world, first and foremost in developing countries.


The idea of humane travel or humane tourism is to connect travelers from Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand seeking new adventures and authentic experiences directly, to local businesses in the specific locations they wish to visit – thus, giving economic advantages to local businesses and giving travelers authentic and truly unique travel experiences.


Humane travel or humane tourism focuses on the people, the local community. The idea is to enable travelers to experience the world through the eyes of its local people while contributing directly to those people, ensuring that tourist dollars benefit the local community directly.
Humane tourism is about giving opportunity to the local people, empower them, enable them to enjoy the fruits of tourism directly.


The Internet is changing tourism. More and more travelers are planning their travels and vacations via the net. The Internet enables people to cut off commissions. The traveler can search for new destinations to visit, talk or read about other people experience, and buy the services directly.


The Internet platform can encourage local people to start new businesses and that already existing small businesses will begin to promote themselves through the net and receive the economic advantages of this directly in their communities. The world is now in a new tourism age, with globalization and the Internet playing a key role.


The new travelers have traveled the world, they have seen the classic sites. Staying at a Western hotel is not attractive enough, and they are excited by the prospect of experiencing the authentic local way of life: to go fishing with a local fisherman, to eat the fish with his family, to sleep in a typical village house.


These tourists or travellers, are happy to know that while doing so they promote the economic wellbeing of those same people they spend time with.


Humane tourism is part of Responsible tourism. The concept of Responsible Tourism originated in the work of Jost Krippendorf in The Holiday Makers[9] called for “rebellious tourists and rebellious locals” to create new forms of tourism.


His vision was “to develop and promote new forms of tourism, which will bring the greatest possible benefit to all the participants – travellers, the host population and the tourist business, without causing intolerable ecological and social damage.” As one can see he already talked, back in the 80s about benefits for the host population and used the term human tourism. Humane travel focuses on that host local population.


The South African national tourism policy (1996) [10] used the term "responsible tourism" and mentioned the wellbeing of the local community as a main factor.


The Cape Town Declaration on Responsible Tourism in Destinations,[12] agreed in 2002, that Responsible Tourism is about “making better places for people to live in and better places for people to visit.” The decleration focused on "places" but did nention the local population.


From the Rio summit or earth summit on 1992 [13] until the UN Commission on Sustainable Development in 1999,[14] the main focus of the tourism industry was the earth, the planet, the places, "green" or "eco" tourism. Now there is a trend to include the local population. This trend or branch of responsible tourism is called humane tourism or humane travel.