Ethnic Tourism and Minority Identity: Lugu Lake, Yunnan, China

Abstract

Ethnic tourism has been employed as a development strategy in many minority communities where options for development are often limited. This research explores the impacts of ethnic tourism development on minority people and their identities in an ethnic community in Lugu Lake, Yunnan, China. Findings reveal that active involvement in tourism and commercialization of Mosuo cultural traditions have resulted in the consolidation of a collective Mosuo identity for economic, social and cultural purposes. Local villagers actively express their identity and re-create their dress, dances and religion to satisfy tourists' desires for authenticity. Tourism has reinforced elements of Mosuo culture, giving it new prestige in the Han-dominated society, but it has also brought numerous changes to Mosuo communities. It is argued that the preservation of minority culture and identity should be enhanced if long-term sustainable development of tourism is to occur and the evolving nature of ethnic identity is to be recognized.