Livelihood changes and evolution of upland ethnic communities driven by tourism:a case study in Guizhou Province,southwest China

As an effective livelihood approach to alleviate poverty without rural population migration, ethnic tourism has become the primary choice of economic development in ethnic areas worldwide in addition to traditional livelihood approaches. This article applies the theories of livelihood to study the community evolution driven by tourism livelihood and examine three mountainous tourism communities in different stages of tourist area life cycle. Drawing on the methods of GIS spatial analysis, semi-structured interviews and questionnaires, this article proposes a sustainable livelihood framework for ethnic tourism to explore the evolution of ethnic tourism communities by identifying changes in livelihood assets(natural, financial, social, cultural and human capitals) in the process of tourism development. The results show that the development of ethnic tourism has led to changes in the increase of building land, and the diversification of land use functions with a trend of shifting from meeting local villagers' living needs to satisfying tourists, income composition and uneven distribution of tourism income spatially. Ethnic tourism also led to the deterioration of traditional social management structure, collapse of neighboring relationship, the over- commercialization and staged authenticity of ethnic culture, as well as the gradual vanish of agricultural knowledge with a trend of increasing modern business knowledge and higher education. In addition, these changes, involving livelihood assets from natural, economic, human, social and cultural aspects are interrelated and interactive, which form new evolution characters of ethnic community. This study reveals the conflicts over livelihood approaches which have formed new vulnerabilities to impact on sustainable evolution of ethnic communities. This research provides implications for achieving the sustainable development of ethnic communities with the driving force of tourism livelihood.

Cultural Relevance for Rural Community Development in China: A Case Study in Bai, Jingpo and Huyaodai Communities of Yunnan Province

A three-year study over the Bai, Jingpo and Huayaodai communities in Yunnan Province reveals that the community development is significantly influenced in various ways by such cultural factors as the concepts of development; concepts and traditions of inter-community relationships, consumption, mar- riage and gender; patterns of decision-making and production, resource and income allocation; as well as the role of information dissemination systems, religion and ritual. Based on the analysis over the interactive relevance between each factor and community development, some strategies and methods for dealing with such a cultural relevance in development projects are recommended.

Status of and Suggestions for Senior Citizens＇ Participation in Ethnic Tourism： A Case Study of Wolong National Nature Reserve in Sichuan

The participation of ethnic minority communities in the development of local tourism is usual y based on the family unit. Senior citizens can not only provide labor services within their reach, but inherit and defend local culture and landscape, playing an important social role. Their living conditions are tied to the rest of the family, and affect the sustainability of the entire community. Through field visits to ethnic minority communities in Wolong National Nature Reserve in Sichuan, authors of the paper summarized the status and problems of elderly people's participation in tourism development, and put forward specific suggestions.

Katoba Tradition on the Muna Ethnic Community at Muna Barat Regency,Southeast Celebes,Indonesia

This study aims to describe the procession of katoba tradition performance on the Muna ethnic community at Muna Barat Regency,Southeast Celebes,Indonesia.This research is qualitative.This research was conducted at Guali village,Kusambi Sub-district of Muna Barat Regency,Southeast Celebes,Indonesia.Data sources of this research consist of primary and secondary data.In this study,the informants were determined purposively.To dig up information,both in the form of primary and secondary data,two techniques were used,namely observation and in-depth interviews.In this study,data analysis was done descriptively,qualitatively,and interpretively.The results of this research show that katoba tradition on the Muna ethnic community is carried out in four stages,namely:(i)performing ablution,(ii)performing kangkilo(circumcision),(iii)giving katoba advice,and(iv)reciting katoba pledge and haroa rasul prayer.The character educational value contained in katoba tradition on the Muna ethnic community is reflected in katoba advice guideline that must be taught to the katoba participant.The katoba advice guidelines are as follows:(a)dososo(regretting),(b)dofekakodoho dhosa(avoiding sins),(c)dotehi kamokula moghane(obeying father),(d)dotehi kamokula robhine(obeying mother),(e)dotehi poisaha(obeying older brothers/sisters),(f)doasiagho poaiha(loving younger brothers/sisters),and(g)miina daeala haku naasi(not taking the other people’s rights).

Community Participation in Forest Resource Management in Nepal

Livelihood of the people in Nepal hills depends much upon forest resources in addition to farming as forest plays a critical role in the well being of the farming households where access to alternative sources, such as energy for cooking, nutrition for animals, materials for fertilizer and constructing materials for shelter, are limited. Thus, the well being of the people in the hills is directly affected by the management of these forest resources. This issue was addressed in this paper by examining the forest resource management practices and its effect on well being of rural people in two different stages in a village lying in the steep hill of Mahabharat Range in the southern hills of Kathmandu valley, Lalitpur District. The main ethnic/caste groups in the village are Brahmin/Chhetri (high Hindu caste), Magar/Tamang (Tibeto Burmans) and Kami (occupational caste: cobbler). Currently there are four community forest users groups, with mixed ethnic membership, organized to manage the forest resources. The endowments, weak institutional settings, before 1990 helped the Bhramins, Magars and Tamangs to get access into the private forest endowment, which made them easy to get access to the forest resources, mainly fuel wood, fodder and timber in 1990 and enhanced their well beings. But the socially backward Kami could not get benefit from the institutions that existed during that time and had less chance to enhance their well beings. After the set up of different endowments during late 1990s, i.e., hand over of forest management to usersgroupsin line with the concept of community forest, environment to use the forest resources became better for all the groups, along with the management of the forest. This enhanced the well beings of all the groups in the study village. However, the ability of Kami to use the forest resources to enhance their well beings was still lacking behind. The reason was partially due to the difference in endowments carried over from the endowments before 1990, and partly due to their occupational work and location of their settlements.

Methodological challenges of cross-language qualitative research with South Asian communities living in the UK

Objective:We investigate(1)the influence of ethnic,gender,and age concordance with inter-viewers and(2)how expression of qualitative data varies between interviews delivered in English and community languages(Punjabi/Urdu)with monolingual and bilingual participants across three generations of the Indian Sikh and Pakistani Muslim communities living in the UK.Methods:We analyzed and interpreted semi-structured interview transcripts that were designed to collect data about lifestyles,disease management,community practices/beliefs,and social net-works.First,qualitative content analysis was applied to transcripts.Second,a framework was ap-plied as a guide to identify cross-language illustrations where responses varied in length,expression and depth.Results:Participant responses differed by language and topic.First-generation migrants when discussing religion,culture,or family practice were far likelier to use group or community narra-tives and give a longer response,indicating familiarity with or importance of such issues.Ethnic and gender concordance generated greater rapport between researchers and participants centered on community values and practices.Further,open-ended questions that were less direct were better suited for first-generation migrants.Conclusion:Community-based researchers need more time to complete interviews in second languages,need to acknowledge that narratives can be contextualized in both personal and com-munity views,and reframe questions that may lead to greater expression.Furthermore,we detail a number of recommendations with regard to validating the translation of interviews from commu-nity languages to English as well as measures for testing language proficiency.

从汉族与少数民族的历史关系认识“中华民族共同体”的共同性

A crucial issue in comprehending the commonality of"Community for the Chinese Nation"is finding an appropriate way to understand the relationship between the Han ethnic group and ethnic minorities.This article explores the formation,development,nature,and characteristics of the Han ethnic group,as well as its inherent connections with ethnic minorities in China from both historical and contemporary perspectives.It posits that the Han ethnic group and ethnic minorities in China are intertwined and interdependent,with elements of both groups mutually present in each other.There is no clear boundary between the two,and their relationship is close,both historically and in reality.The Han ethnic group is a unity resulting from the integration of diverse ethnicities,and its composition and tremendous inclusiveness make it the cohesive core of the Chinese nation.Han ethnic group and ethnic minorities,due to their difference in geographical environments,have different economic types;however,their differences in economic types and the resulting economic complementation between the two have become the very reason for the high dependence and close connection between Han and ethnic minorities,which also demonstrate the commonality of"community for the Chinese nation".The Chinese nation has gradually become an organic whole with commonality and diversity through the mutual absorption,integration,and interdependence between the Han ethnic group and ethnic minorities in the long historical process.Therefore,it is necessary to shift away from the mindset of separating or opposing the Han ethnic group and ethnic minorities.