Endless Summer

By way of explanation:

I have chosen a surf camp at G-Land, in E. Java, Indonesia as an example of the way Western tourism impacts on the 3^rd world for a number of reasons:

· It is a single purpose destination (ie no reasons for being there except surfing)

· It is set in a national park (implications of nature preservation etc)

· It is difficult to reach

· Is geared solely towards Western surfers who have a 20+year association with G-land

· It is comparatively expensive (in Indonesian terms)

· I have a personal connection with the camps (on 2^nd level)

· I am a surfer and recognise the mythical aspects of the place, specifically in terms of quantity and quality of surf

I am using 3 themes to investigate the issues surrounding G-land as a representative of specialised 3^rd World tourism.

· Mobilities

· Imaginative Pleasure Seeking

· Construction of the Reality

(I could equally have chosen hiking in the Himalayas, caving in Borneo, white water rafting in India, mountaineering, skiing….)

Mobilities

Movement of surfing around the world:

· Originally exclusively ancient Hawaiian sport (sport of kings)

· Noted by Cook

· Introduced to world by Duke Kahanamoku, a renowned Olympic swimmer and leading member of original Hawaiian “beach boy” culture in early 20^th century (pre & post WW1)

· Travelled to Australia & California on way to Olympics giving both swimming & surfing demonstrations, and making traditional surfboards.

· Soon picked up and popularised in both countries

Movement of Surfers around world:

· Hawaii immediately surfing “Mecca” attracting Californian surfers in particular – expansion of ‘beach boy” culture to include non – Hawaiians.

· Surfers visit other “beach culture countries (eg NZ and S Africa) where surfing catches on

· Californian surfers visit Mexico – start of idea of surfing safari

· Growth of travel & communications enables surfers to travel to “exotic” parts of globe in quest for perfect surf break (inc C America, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and eventually S Pacific)

· Boat/yacht trips to remote surf breaks commercialised (eg Mentawi Is)

· Latest phase spread to wild, inhospitable reefs and inaccessible coastline, usually cold and very dangerous, by boats and jet skis to tow in to huge waves. (eg Caitlans/Foveaux Strait, S Tasmania, and reefs and banks up to 100km from shore – Cortez Bank)

Spread of Mediated Representations of Surfing

· 1960s TV shows loosely based round surf culture (eg Gidget) glamourised surfing, often in a roguish way

· Ride the Wild Surf TV show highlighted surfing as a sport, particularly in Hawaii

· “Endless Summer” 1966 introduced notion of surf safari to surfing mainstream

· Start of surfing magazines exposed surfing to wider audience and introduced stylised fashions and behaviours to subculture

· 1971 “Morning of the Earth” introduced Indonesia as surfing destination

· Huge growth in numbers of magazines, movies, and start of world-wide surf competitions

· www – shrinking of world and spread of surf based information – locations, conditions, personalities, fashion

Imaginative Pleasure Seeking

Term comes from MacCannell “The Tourist” 1979. Used to describe the internalisation of what is known through different sources (esp anecdotal & hearsay) about a destination, and the creation of an idealised vision of what it will be like. Often this expectation is not met.

Creation of the Myth

Stories brought back by visiting surfers from Indonesia

· warm water

· perfect waves

· never flat

· no crowds or localism

· exotic setting (palm trees and jungle)

· foreign but non threatening

· cheap

· good drugs

· cheap women

created the social myth among surfers that Indonesia, & G-Land in particular was surf nirvana. Matched idealised “hippy” or wandering nomad lifestyle popular in 70’s

Role of Exotic

Again stories from visitors, as well as images in media, especially surf movies, highlighted the “exotic” nature of Indonesia.

Images of

· bustling SE Asian life

· fishing villages

· strange boats

· smiling Asian faces

· unusual fruits and foods

all contributed to the appeal of Indonesia as a destination.

Add the remoteness and surrounding jungle of G-Land to the mix, and when combined with the stories of the most perfect surf break in the world, the attraction becomes irresistible.

Perpetuation of the Myth

In the myth the surf is never flat and always uncrowded, there are beautiful bikini clad women sunbathing on the pristine white sandy beaches, and the whole camp is just one big party.

This vision is perpetuated through:

· “Traditional” methods (word of mouth, mediated images)

· The internet (inc. surfing web sites, surf camp advertising, surfers blogs)

· WWW has enabled many wannabe visitors to check out G-Land camps (in it’s mediated version/vision) before booking on-line (even to the microscopic detail of swell forecasts and tide charts for the region)

· Advertising images (particularly surf-wear companies)

· “The Quicksilver Search” competition, which highlight both the exotic nature of the location, and the high quality of the waves

· Souvenirs, particularly photographs and videos, bought from the surf camp photographer, of the surfers in action. Of course the only evidence they return with are the bits that reinforce their own self identity as skilled surfers (and by association, reinforce the myth of surf perfection)

Construction of the Reality

Western Culture transferred to the 3^rd World

The surf camps at G-Land are an island of Western culture surrounded by an exotic, but ‘hostile’ environment.

They are a good example of what Urry describes as liminality, where the tourist is removed from the familiar, and “trapped” in a limited time and space.

This “island” is in reality however, only a simulation of Western culture, where only “relevant” parts have been transferred to the jungle of E Java.

The “complete infrastructure” that the advertisements on the web proclaim, are really no more than attempts by the camp owners to insure that their patrons will return for repeat visits. They have associated the liminal space with the desires of the surfer. This in a n odd way is counter to the appeal of the exotic that was used as part of the strategy to attract the surfers there.

Typically Western comforts include:

· Satellite TV

· Internet

· Air conditioning

· Modes of transport

· Food

· Furniture…

And recreational activities (primarily surfing) but also beer drinking, pool playing, even sunbathing.

Western Cultural influences on 3^rd World

Hierarchical relationships between tourists and workers and other “standard” issues around this topic inc deferral of workers to tourists, seasonal nature of work, foreign ownership and non-local management of the camps…

Other more issues specific to the camps include:

· Western dress as norm for Javanese workers

· Western food and alcohol use by workers

· TV and movies – predominance of western programmes for workers viewing

· Disruption to family life – workers absent from families for months at a time

· Rubbish and its disposal

· Impact of camp on wildlife

Other Issues

There are several other issues that sit side-by-side with my 3 themes.

Among these are:

· Neo-tribalism – surfing subculture – establishment of norms of behaviour

· Gender – role of women within sub-culture – attitudes toward women

· Pro-poor and eco tourism issues inc.

o Exploration/development of other possible tourist activities

o Monopoly of G-Land tourism by outsiders

o 3^rd World power structures

· Cultural Imperialism/21^st Century colonisation