Ethnic festivals : cultural preservation and tourism, a comparative study

Abstract

The basic purpose of this study was to identify empirical regularities among ethnic festivals with respect to the participants involved. This was accomplished by comparing two specific ethnic festivals held annually in the city on San Antonio, Texas. One of these was a mono-ethnic event. The other displayed the cultural traditions, food and objects of a great variety of groups in addition to traditional native crafts and skills. Samples for this study were taken of the three major groups identified as being involved: organizers, providers and visitors. A review of existing literature indicated general agreement in that festivals have two major functions. These are the preservation of ethnic cultures on the one hand and the accommodation of tourists on the other. The results of the survey indicated that social solidarity and cooperation among the organizers, often leading figures in local society, are enhanced by their common tasks. All participants involved agreed that social traditions essential to the life of ethnic communities were strengthened, and the festivals were almost unanimously considered to be suitable occasions for sharing common interests with others. Another finding was that festivals fulfill an important role in maintaining community traditions and other cultural assets. In the case of ethnic minorities, a strengthening of their position in the surrounding majority population can be obtained by the showing and exchange of traditions that make the concerned group's members more aware of their heritage and the enjoyment that can be part of it. Significant differences were found among the visitors of the mono-and multiethnic festival, but not as much among the providers, which was contrary to expectation. In describing the two festivals, on was characterized as 'open', meaning that it actively recruited visitors from a wide geographical area. The other on was 'closed', indication that it was organized by and for local resident with only relatively few visitors from the outside...