Are Visits with the Batwa People in Uganda Authentic Cultural Encounters?
Are Batwa Tourists Visits-Sincere Cross-Cultural Encounters? Or is it a form of Pity-Poverty Tourism?
Are Batwa Tourist Visits-Sincere Cross-Cultural Encounters or Pity-Poverty Tourism? Are Batwa Tourists Visits-Sincere Cross-Cultural Encounters? Or are they a form of Pity-Poverty Tourism, mere demeaning Kodak Picture moments, and a form of exploitation, another Tourist Trap? There is a thin line between the two. While some may be all for such Cultural Encounters, others might be highly critical of them no matter how they are presented to Tourists.
Are Batwa Tourist Visits-Sincere Cross-Cultural Encounters? We have repeatedly asked that question, so we wrote this page about Batwa Cultural Tourist Encounters.
One should ask, what is best for the Batwa People? Many who embark on the Batwa Cultural Trail in Mgahinga Gorilla Park, the Batwa Experience in the Buhoma Region of Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, or the Buniga Forest Walk, know little about the Batwa. What they do know they found on the Internet as the researched Gorilla Trekking in Uganda and Batwa Cultural Encounters were offered as an add-on to Gorilla Trekking Safaris.
The Batwa People were here in Southwest Uganda long before anyone else and are the First People of the Forest. For thousands of years, they have lived in this area, neighboring Rwanda and DR Congo, living in harmony with nature and leaving a shallow ecological footprint behind them.
All others that came to the forests of Southwest Uganda were ethnic groups migrating from various parts of Africa. The Batwa had temporary homes
made of leaves and things from the Forest. They moved regularly, hunted only what they needed, and took what else they needed to live from the Forest, including medicine. The newcomers to the area established permanent Villages, burned the Forest to create farms and grazing land, and did not live in harmony with their surroundings as the Batwa did.
The Batwa are Pygmy aboriginal people who, like the Gorillas, are endangered. The Batwa’s, unlike the Mountain Gorillas, had no Conservations organization that stood up for their right to existence, for land, for rights to gather from the Forest as they did for Centuries when they were evicted at the insistence of the Conservation Group, whose minds was influenced by Dian Fossey’s who saw Batwa as Gorilla Killers, something readily seen in the 1988 “Gorillas in the Mist Movie.
The Batwa were forcefully evicted from their Forests in the early 1990’s becoming Conservation Refugees without any compensation since they had no land titles as Bantu People did. They became a people who lived out meaning a sense of purpose, settlers at the borders of the Gorilla National Parks, replaced so that others could collect 1,500 USD Gorilla Permit Fees in Rwanda and 600 USD Permit fees in Uganda. In contrast, they lived as voiceless beggars on the edge of their former homes.
Are Batwa Tourist Visits-Sincere Cross-Cultural Encounters?
Today, in the 21st Century – Gorilla Tourism has merged the miraculous restoration of Mountain Gorilla in record numbers. Gorilla Tourism also highlighted the hidden victims of that success, the Batwa, who lost their Forest and identity.
Increasingly you will come across accounts on BBC, in The Guardian, blogs and website words, and images that show the plight of the Batwa People. Ordinary people such as Dr. Scott and Carol Kellermann, and Praveen Moman, to name just a few, have done extraordinary things for the Batwa People, giving more than promises, more than lip service. Still, concrete help, such as the Bwindi Community Hospital, has extended the Batwa people’s and others’ lives. The Mount Gahinga Village, where the Batwa own the land and their homes, have educational training and make a living with dignity, preserving their Culture, ways, and history.
Batwa Tourists’ Cultural Encounter Visits are not there to evoke Pity from tourists, but they are one small step toward making right what was done wrong to the Batwa People and raising awareness about their past and present struggle to preserve who they are.
Batwa Cultural Visits are about People’s Conservation
When gorilla parks and conservation efforts began, little consideration was given to the Batwa people, who had been the stewards of the forests for generations. Unlike Bantu landowners, the Batwa were not compensated and were not provided with alternative land. They were forcefully evicted from the ground where they had lived in harmony with nature for centuries.
As a result, the Batwa became settlers on land belonging to others and were reduced to day laborers with little agency. They faced negative stereotypes and were often portrayed as drunkards, marijuana smokers (as marijuana was used in their hunting rituals), beggars, and uneducated. Some viewed them as disposable and worthless, and these perceptions were even perpetuated in the media. The Batwa lost their purpose, way of life, Culture, and, most importantly, dignity.
Batwa cultural heritage tourist visits emerged as a way for the Batwa to preserve their Culture, reconnect with their beloved forests, and share their identity with others. Tourists who came for gorilla trekking could now learn about the Batwa’s centuries-long coexistence with the gentle giants of the Forest, the mountain gorillas. The Batwa Trail in Mgahinga Gorilla Park, the Buniga Forest Walk near Kisoro, and the Batwa Experience in the Buhoma area of Bwindi were established to facilitate these encounters. In 2018, the Batwa Village was completed, providing decent housing, a meeting house, a vocational school, and the Batwa Heritage Trail for guests of Mount Gahinga Lodge. This initiative was spearheaded by Praveen Momam, a visionary in primate and people conservation who has built lodges in Uganda and Rwanda.
The Batwa tourist offerings in Southwest Uganda have improved lives, living conditions, access to medical care, and education for the Batwa community. Some Batwa individuals have graduated from university and become advocates and voices for the previously voiceless Batwa.
An unintended but positive outcome of the Batwa cultural encounters is the conservation of indigenous peoples, which has contributed to restoring the lost dignity. As they proudly present their heritage, the Pride Batwa have received support and resources that have resulted in better infrastructure and healthier lives for their community.
Why not Recruit members of the Batwa Community as Rangers?
Why not involve members of the Batwa community as rangers? The Batwa people possess incredible knowledge about the rainforest, wildlife, animals, plants, trees, and primates, including mountain gorillas. Despite their wealth of knowledge, it is unfortunate that you will not find any Batwa serving as rangers leading visitors on mountain gorilla treks.
Walter Baumgärtel, a gorilla conservation and tourism pioneer, wrote extensively about his experiences with mountain gorillas. During his treks into the Forest, he was guided and tracked by his beloved Mutwa (singular Batwa) guide, Reuben Rwazangire. Other members of the Batwa community were also engaged as trackers and guides.
The establishment of the Batwa Trail has been a positive step taken by the Ugandan authorities and the Batwa people. The knowledge of the Forest, including the understanding of animals and mountain gorillas, is not being fully utilized. Enlisting individuals from the Batwa community as rangers would be another crucial step in the right direction, benefiting everyone involved.
By involving the Batwa as rangers, their invaluable expertise and connection with the Forest could enhance conservation efforts and give visitors a unique perspective on the ecosystem. This would empower the Batwa community and contribute to a more inclusive and sustainable approach to gorilla tourism and conservation.
Include a Visit with the Batwa People in your Safari
Your visit with the Batwa empowers their community with funding, keeps their Culture alive, and restores their lost dignity. The Batwa are endangered indigenous people—authenticity vs.
Is it a Tourist Trap? There is no tourist trap at present. The Batwa take you into the Forest and show you how they lived through the eyes of the first people of the Forest. It is a learning experience about another culture and their ways of living in the past and present plight.
The Batwa Tourist Visits are not encounters meant to evoke Pity in tourists, and the meetings are a vehicle for restoration if there is anything negative. The tourist is posing with the Batwa in a demeaning picture pose. The tourist is towering over the Batwa.
