Ethnic Tourism, Local Identity and Development Strategies in East Kalimantan under The New Order
This article analyses the development of the only Dayak touristic center in the province of East Kalimantan,Tanjung Isuy, a village of the Benua’ Ohong. It focuses also on the emergence of a regional identity in the province. During the New Order era (1966-1998), the administration actively promoted the Dayak culture as the main “touristic object” (obyek wisata) of East Kalimantan. The folklorisation of local Dayak cultures and the elaboration of touristic strategies were closely linked. In this perspective, the author suggests that the “touristification” of the Benua’ can be interpretated both in terms of regional development and of “indonesianization” of a tribal, “primitive” culture. Paradoxically, the current revitalisation of the Benua’ culture was produced by the reconstructed “authentic dayak image” that they are showing to the visitors, Westerners and Indonesians alike. This process raises several questions in terms of cultural identity for the Benua’ themselves. If in the course of the process, they do have reasserted their ethnicity in the regional context, its development and effects lies outside their control.