Author Bios (50 Words for each Author)

Jeff Wahl is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences at Texas A&M University. His research interests include socio-cultural issues, conflict, and heritage tourism development.

Tazim Jamal is a Professor in Recreation, Park and Tourism, Texas A&M University. Her research focuses on tourism and sustainability. She is the author of Justice and Ethics in Tourism (2019), co-editor of The SAGE Handbook of Tourism Studies (2009), and Associate Editor of the Encyclopedia of Tourism, 2nd ed.

Abstract (150 Words)

Indigenous peoples have endured a complex history of socio-cultural, political, economic and environmental injustices worldwide, including in the United States. Tourism’s role is not exempt here, but practices related to heritage tourism can offer potential to resist and challenge discourses of domination and oppression. Few studies have examined the potential of events such as historical enactments to facilitate cultural recognition, reconciliation and justice for diverse groups and disadvantaged, minority populations. This study offers a preliminary exploration of the potential of heritage events to resist dominant narratives and “cultural imperialism”, focusing specifically on direct Indigenous participation and production of historical reenactments. We adopt a justice-oriented lens using theorist Iris Marion Young (2011) to examine the case of the Real Bird Reenactment of the Battle of the Little Bighorn, an annual event held by a family of the Crow Tribe on their land near the Little Bighorn battlefield in Montana, USA.

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Resisting Domination and “Cultural Imperialism” Through Direct Indigenous Participation in Historical Reenactments

Indigenous peoples have endured a complex history of socio-cultural, political, economic and environmental injustices worldwide, including in the United States. Tourism’s role is not exempt here, but practices related to heritage tourism can offer potential to resist and challenge discourses of domination and oppression. Few studies have examined the potential of events such as historical enactments to facilitate cultural recognition, reconciliation and justice for diverse groups and disadvantaged, minority populations. This study offers a preliminary exploration of the potential of heritage events to resist dominant narratives and “cultural imperialism”, focusing specifically on direct Indigenous participation and production of historical reenactments. We adopt a justice-oriented lens using theorist Iris Marion Young (2011) to examine the case of the Real Bird Reenactment of the Battle of the Little Bighorn, an annual event held by a family of the Crow Tribe on their land near the Little Bighorn battlefield in Montana, USA.