The narrative construction of self through a commitment to mountaineering

Abstract

Introduction Mountaineering is a demanding leisure activity that requires a high level of commitment. This chapter examines how this commitment is established and maintained, at a time when commitment and continuity are seen to be the exception rather than the rule. In doing so, it focuses on the narrative construction of self in the biographical narratives of committed mountaineers. Underpinning the questions explored in this chapter are social theories concerned with the problematic nature of self and identity in contemporary life. The chapter draws on a broader study of the narrative construction of self and meaning by committed New Zealand mountaineers (Davidson 2006). The traditional New Zealand mountaineering experience and identity, rooted in the realities of a rugged and remote landscape, evolved an ethos of self-reliance and ‘colonial ingenuity’ in the late nineteenth century. This was strengthened as the sport gained wider popularity during the dislocation and hardship of the interwar period in the twentieth century (Davidson 2002). To be self-reliant and to go ‘on nature’s terms’ implies a particular kind of experience that is central to the construction of self and identity in the narratives of New Zealand mountaineers. There are concerns, however, that this experience is threatened by the impact of commercialism and new technologies – both key aspects of the tourism industry (Davidson 2011). The chapter begins by outlining the theoretical concerns about self and identity in contemporary social life, before identifying related themes in the literature on mountaineering and adventurous leisure. A brief overview of the study methodology introduces the discussion of how mountaineers construct a sense of self through their experiences in the mountains. The subsequent section considers the efficacy of a mountaineering self in the light of relevant theory, while the conclusion reflects on the implications of this analysis for mountaineering tourism.