Cultural Implications of the Proposed Tourism Project in Yap

Over the past ten years, a private investment group in the Peoples Republic of China called Exhibit and Travel Group (ETG) has negotiated with the state government of Yap in the Federated States of Micronesia to initiate the development of a massive tourism project. ETG’s plans originally called for, among other things, up to ten luxury hotels with capacity for thousands of guests (initially as many as 10,000 by 2020), a state of the art convention center, casinos and entertainment centers, and between 8 and 15 golf courses. Additionally, the Yap State Airport would be expanded to handle flights directly from China. These plans would displace Yapese villagers who upon leasing their land would apparently be relocated to inland “native communities” built by ETG. Note that sale of Yapese land to non-Yap state citizens is illegal. In January of 2012, the Yap State Government signed a Memorandum of Understanding allowing plans to continue, and both a Business Permit and International Investment Permit were later issued to ETG. While the scale of this project on the tiny island complex of Yap is particularly unprecedented, tourism has become a central part of the economies of many Pacific Island nations and not without innumerable effects.

Yet these plans have not gone unchallenged. Opposition from large portions of the Yapese population, the Yap Women’s Association, and the Yap State Legislature (which would need to legalize gambling if casinos were to operate) have forced the Yap state office of the Governor and ETG to scale back the project considerably. ETG has considered scrapping the golf courses and casinos and limiting hotel space to 1500 rooms. Still, much opposition remains, and while ETG has secured many lease agreements from Yap State citizens, much remains in doubt.

Write a 5-7 page double-spaced position paper discussing the project and its potential cultural impacts. What would the loss of land in home villages to long term leases mean to Yapese men and women? What effects would accompany relegating Yapese to the role of cultural performers for Chinese tourists? What issues would such commodification and the appropriation by corporate interests have for local control over cultural meaning? It is important to understand that these issues are not simple matters of a “traditional” society confronting “modernization”. As should already be clear from readings this quarter and discussions in class, Yapese have been deeply involved in cash and wage economies for generations, and Yapese “traditions” have long incorporated imported commodities and cash. Yapese employ and integrate multiple logics to guide their practices and craft viable lives in the 21st Century. Yet the nature and scope of the ETG project has the potential to bring about sweeping transformations.

Since the issues are many and your paper is short, you will need to focus on cultural issues that bear on Yapese lives, social relations, and perspectives. I will want to see you contextualize these matters given our discussions in readings and lecture over the quarter. Make points that support your overall conclusions and recommendations to the Yap State government. The internet will provide sources for details of this project, but also support your arguments with material drawn from published ethnographic work on Yap. Assigned readings on the Chambri, Yap, Tonga, Hawaii, and the Trask and Hau’ofa articles will give you much conceptual ammunition, as also will the “No Taro in This Market” chapter from James Egan’s dissertation that will also be available as a PDF on our Canvas website. You are expected to cite your sources in the text of your paper and include a “References Cited” section at the end (which does not count toward the 5 pages). I will provide you with a citation guide in upcoming lectures. Your papers should be well written and well organized to make your points. Your grade will reflect your ability to present relevant issues that are well theorized in terms of class discussions in lecture and readings. Your papers are due Dec 7th and will be submitted to our canvas website. The website itself will automatically have the papers checked by Turnitin.com for evidence of plagiarism, so do your own work and site sources appropriately. The paper is worth 200 points (20% of you course grade).