Authenticity and tourism development: the simple problem of incense at Cham living heritage sites in Vietnam

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article details the perception of indigenous Cham communities in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV) with regard to the concept of authenticity. Based upon a combination of historical and anthropological methods, including interviews conducted in the Cham and Vietnamese language, and participant observation, between 2012 and 2017, we found government officials have imposed their own concept of authenticity on indigenous heritage sites, favouring tourist development. This includes the apparently mundane use of joss-stick incense. Consequentially, members of the Cham community are distraught. Incensed over incense, in a sense, they contend this is a violation of their customary practices and therefore inauthentic. Hence, we argue that if indigenous culture is over commodified, without respect for what may appear to be simple regulations, tensions will emerge, creating the perception from within the community that outside forces are collaborating to lead to the destruction of the indigenous heritage site. An alternative approach is to view the concepts of living heritage as foundational in cases where indigenous heritage is promoted for the sake of tourists. This alternative approach would lead to a decrease in potential tensions, while balancing needs of the community and tourist industry.