What is Culturally Appropriate Tourism?

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What is Culturally Appropriate Tourism?

• A Guide to developing tourism in Montanas
  American Indian communities.

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Montana Tribal Tourism Alliance
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MTTA Board of Directors

• R.J. Young, President
  
• Ft. Peck Assiniboine Sioux Tribes
• Yvonneda Thompson, Secretary/ Treasurer Northern
  Cheyenne Tribe
• Jason Belcourt
• Rocky Boys Chippewa-Cree Tribes
• Major Robinson
• Northern Cheyenne Tribe Representative

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MTTA Board of Directors

• Mardelle Plainfeather, Crow, Member at Large
• Clinton Brown, Gros-ventre
• Ft. Belknap Indian Community Representative
• Mary Jane Charlo, Salish
• Confederated Salish, Pend DOreille Kootenai
  Tribes Representative
• George Heavy Runner
• Blackfeet Tribe Representative
• Latonna Old Elk
• Crow Nation Representative

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MTTA Professional Staff

• Dyani Bingham
• MTTA Coordinator
• P.O. Box 1224
  Billings, MT 59103
• 406-259-4600
• dyani_b_at_hotmail.com

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Our Mission

• To promote culturally appropriate economic
  development through tourism

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United Voice

• Tell Our Stories-Our Way
• United Indian Voice in Montanas
  Tourism Planning
• Protecting the integrity
  of American Indian cultures
  through responsible planning
  and diverse partnerships

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What MTTA Does

• Tribal Ambassador Training Curriculum Development
• Cooperative Marketing Partnerships
• 1st Annual MTTA Gathering of Artists Flathead
  Tour Package in Pablo July 16-17
• Facilitate Training for Tour Package Development

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The Big Question

• What is culturally appropriate tourism
  development?

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One meaning of culture

• The totality of socially transmitted behavior
  patterns, arts, beliefs, institutions, and all
  other products of human work and thought.
• -According to the American Heritage
  Dictionary

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American Indians live within two cultures

• American Indian
• Cultures focus on
• Community issues
• Spirituality
• Oral History
• Historical injustice
• Arts Culture
• Sovereignty issues

• Modern American
• Culture is focused on
• Money
• Time
• Technology
• Image
• Predominantly white points of view
• Nationalistic

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The Tribal Experience

• Manipulation
• Exploitation
• Stereotypical
• De-humanizing
• Wild West Myth
• National Folklore
• Skewed History

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Worst Case Scenario

• Tourists pay non-Indians for a false,
  stereotypical American Indian experience
• Tourists are rude, dumb and disrespectful
• Indian religions sold compromised
• Tourists drive through reservation, but do not
  stop for anything

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New Age Danger

• Sweat Lodge for sale
• Marketing Native American rituals
• Dangerous
• Use Tribe names to market fake ceremonies
• Never consult with Tribes

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Best Case Scenario

• Tourism for economic development while still
  affirming community values and cultural
  integrity.

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Cheyenne Trailriders

• History
• Ethno-botany
• Experienced Wranglers
• Beautiful Scenery
• Warm, family experience
• Horses

On the trail with Cheyenne Trailriders in
Ashland, MT
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Tourism Niches Markets
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Nature or Eco-Tourism

• Emphasizes the Natural World
• Flora, Fauna Ethno-botany
• Leaves an undetectable, small footprint on the
  natural world

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Natural Attractions

• Rivers, Lakes, Mountains,
• Forests, Caves, Canyons,
• Rocks, Fossils, Badlands

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Eco-Tourism Activities

• Hiking
• Walking Tours
• Horseback Riding
• Bird Watching
• Rafting
• Fishing
• Stargazing
• Photography
• Wildlife Viewing
• Archeology

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Know the natural attractions in your Community

• Most natural wonders need protection, not
  promotion
• Find and develop areas for activity
• Divert attention and interest in areas you want
  to preserve and protect

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Cultural Tourism

• Fine Arts Museums

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Cultural Tourism Attractions

• Arts Crafts Shows
• Museums
• Interpretive Centers
• Restaurants
• Wellness Resorts or Spas
• Art Gallery
• Gift Shop

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Heritage Tourism

• Focuses on the story of people and places told
  through interpretation of cultural landscapes
• Preservation or restoration of historic
  structures
•  

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Heritage Tourism Attractions

• Historic Sites ie. Battlefields, Pictograph
  Caves
• Interpretive Center
• Arts Crafts Shows
• Traditional Games

• Pow wows
• Archeological Sites
• Tipi Encampments
• Music Festivals
• Campfire Stories
• Guided Tours
• Oral History

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Cultural Heritage Tourism

• Eco-Tourism
• Cultural Tourism
• Heritage Tourism

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Cultural Heritage Tourism

• Is planned and implemented with community
  involvement and support
• Is respectful of family stories
• Doesnt trivialize
• Doesnt commercialize

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Recreation Adventure Tourism

• Very common
• Activity driven
• Strenuous, often perilous activity
• Less environmentally sound
• Landscape is impacted

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Recreational Activities

• Mountain Climbing
• Backpacking
• Hunting
• Snowmobile Activity
• Mountain Biking
• Rock Climbing

• Skiing
• Boating
• Camping
• Hiking
• Repelling
• Wildlife viewing
• Snowboarding

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Framework for Tourism Development

• Work against any exploitation of people, land and
  culture
• Balance entertainment with education
• Urge community members to tell their own story in
  their own way
• Build tourism programs that benefit the people in
  the tribe both financially and socially

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Attributes for Success

• Open, friendly personality
• Support of friends and family
• Detailed Business Marketing Plan
• Guidelines for Tourists
• Punctuality
• Strong Networking Skills

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Obstacles

• Money Infrastructure
• Land Use Issues
• Racism
• Education
• Seasonal
• Need more trained Personnel
• Politics

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Assets

• Strong American Indian Cultures
• Interest in American Indian Way of Life
• Beautiful Natural Resources
• Lots of Talent Enthusiasm
• Montana Tribal Tourism Alliance
• Partnerships with Travel MT, LC Bicentennial
  Commission, etc

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Important Issues

• Intellectual and Cultural Property Rights
• Sacred Sites on off reservation
• Rude, disrespectful Tourists
• Training Educating for Tourism Jobs
• How much to charge tourists?

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Tourism Can

• Bring much needed dollars and jobs directly to
  our communities
• Open the doors to funding that can establish
  cultural/community centers and interpretive
  sights
• Help preservation efforts for land, language and
  culture
• Foster a new generation of small, successful
  businesses on the reservations

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Glimpse of Montanas Reservations
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(No Transcript)
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Ft. Peck Reservation

• Home to the Assiniboine Sioux Tribes
• Established in 1871
• More than 2 million acres
• Southern Border is Missouri River
• Northern Border is 50 miles south of Canada
• Open Prairies Farms

SOURCE http//www.fortpecktribes.org/history.htm
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Ft. Peck Attractions

• Ft. Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Culture Center
  Museum in Poplar, MT.
• Features permanent exhibits of Assibiboine
  Sioux heritage, arts crafts.
• Fort Peck Community College, Poplar, MT
• Upper Missouri River Institute Gift Shop
• Sponsors Seven Powwows Annually
• Excellent Dancers, Rodeos, Art Crafts, Sports

SOURCE http//www.fortpecktribes.org/history.htm
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Ft. Peck Assiniboine Sioux Tribal Flag

• Designed by Roscoe White Eagle
• Two Chiefs Holding Sacred Buffalo Robe to Signify
  Bond Between the Two Tribes living Together in
  Harmony

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Ft. Peck Tourism Contact InfoPO Box
1077Poplar, MT 59255406-768-7254www.fortpecktri
bes.org
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Ft. Belknap Reservation

• Home of the Gros Ventre (Aaninin or People of
  the White Clay) Assiniboine (Nakoda
  orGenerous Ones) Tribes
• Landbase of 650,000 acres of Plains Grasslands
  in Northcentral Montana

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Ft. Belknap Attractions

• Ft. Belknap Tourism offers Buffalo Tours
  Reservation Tours
• Wildlife
• Scenic Mission Canyon, South of Hays
• Hunting Fishing

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Ft. Belknap Flag

• Traditional Shield protects both Tribes
• Circular shape of shield represents cycle of Life
• The Buffalo Skull symbolizes the 2 Tribes,
  different colors, but functioning as a whole
• White Jagged line on buffalo skull represents the
  Milk River
• Snake Butte, a place of sacred power, is
  illustrated above the Skull
• Two arrowheads signify strong traditional ties
  with the past
• 7 Feathers hang from the shield. There is a
  feather for every two of the twelve council
  members with the center feather for the Tribal
  Chairman

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Ft. Belknap Tourism ContactClint BrownR.R.
1, Box 66Harlem, MT 59526406-353-8473fbtours200
0_at_yahoo.com
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Chippewa-Cree Tribe of Rocky Boy Reservation

• Located in north-central Montana near the Bear
  Paw Mountains.
• Home to the Cree descendents from Canada and from
  Chippewa that had moved east from the Turtle
  Mountains in North Dakota.

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Rocky Boy Attractions

• Bear Paw Ski Bowl
• Rocky Boy Tourism Developing Tour Packages
• Hunting
• Guided Tours

Bear Paw Ski Bowl
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Chippewa Cree of Rocky Boy Flag

• Tribal Seal
• Suns Rays represent the 15 Sacred Grass Dance
  Chiefs active in preserving the culture of the
  Chippewa Cree
• Writing Under Sun represents good Health
  Fortune for the Tribe

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Rocky Boy Tourism ContactR.R. 1, Box 542Box
Elder, MT 59521406-395-4207
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Blackfeet Tribe

• Three Bands of Blackfeet Nation the Blackfeet in
  Montana the Bloods and Blackfoot in Alberta, CA
• Reservation landbase of 1.5 million acres
  bordered by Canada Glacier Natl Park

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Blackfeet Attractions

• Home of Museum of the Plains Indian
• Beautiful Scenery Wildlife
• North American Indian Days Celebration
• www.blackfeetnation.com

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Blackfeet Flag

• Coup stick with 29 Eagle Feathers
• Blackfeet reservation outlined in middle of
  circle of 32 Eagle Feathers
• PIKUNI

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Blackfeet Tourism ContactPO Box 2809
Browning, MT 59417406-338-7181www.blackfeetnati
on.com
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Flathead Reservation

• The Flathead Reservation Confederacy was formed
  by the Hellgate Treaty of 1855.
• The Confederacy is made up of the Pend DOreille,
  Kalispells, Kootenais and the Salish Tribes.

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Flathead Attractions

• The Sqelixy/Aqsmaknik (Peoples) Center
• Native Ed-Ventures
• Flathead Lake
• Traditional Encampments
• Powwows

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Flag of the Salish, Kootenai Pend DOreille

• Power of Sun
• Blue Water from Mountains
• Mountains signify Earth
• Tipi represents Our Home
• Seven Eagle Feathers
• Bow Arrow represents Protection of Homeland

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Flathead Tourism ContactThe Peoples
CenterP.O. Box 278Pablo, MT 598551-800-883-5344
tours_at_peoplescenter.orgwww.peoplescenter.org
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Crow (Apsaalooke) Tribe

• Apsaalooke translates as children of the large
  beaked bird
• 85 Tribal Members speak Crow as First Language
• Located in South Central Montana
• Buffalo Herd
• Vast Coal Deposits

Crow Fair
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Crow Attractions

• LBHC Apsaalooke Tours
• Bighorn Canyon
• Yellowtail Dam
• Little Bighorn Battlefield
• Chief Plenty Coup State Park

Beautiful BigHorn Canyon Natl Recreation
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Apsaalooke (Crow) Flag

• White tepee is a symbol of Life with 4 poles as
  base
• Pipe is a sacred gift
• Sacred Tobacco Plant
• Three Mountain Ranges on Crow Reservation
• Two War Bonnets represent the Warrior Society of
  the Crow
• Good men from Mothers clan Good men from
  Fathers Clan

Source Apsaalooke Nation Cultural Affairs
Department
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Crow Tribe Tourism ContactLBHC Apsaalooke
Tours1 Forestry Lane, Box 370Crow Agency, MT
59022406-638-3139www.lbhc.cc.mt.us/atours/
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Northern Cheyenne Reservation

• Home of the Tsistsistas or Human Beings
• 437,000 acre reservation in SE Montana

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Northern Cheyenne Attractions

• John Woodenlegs Memorial Library
• 4th of July Powwow in Lame Deer
• Labor Day Powwow in Ashland
• Crazy Head Springs
• Tongue River

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Northern Cheyenne Flag

• Symbol of the Morning Star or WOHEHIV
• Name of great Chief Morning Star or Dull Knife
• First star to rise in the Morning

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Northern Cheyenne Contact InfoMajor
RobinsonPO Box 128Lame Deer, MT
59043406-477-6714www.ncheyenne.net
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How to contact us
Montana Tribal Tourism Alliance P.O. Box
1224 Billings, MT 59103 Phone [phone]
Fax [phone] Email dyani_b_at_hotmail.com Websi
te Under Construction
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Credits

• PowerPoint presentation by Dyani Bingham, MTTA
  Coordinator
• Special Thanks to Tribal Planning Services
  Billings, MT
• The National Park Service, LC National Historic
  Trail 2002 Challenge Cost Share Grant
• Thank you to Montana Indian Tribal governments
  and business people
• Tribal Tourism Toolkit - Lewis Clark
  Bicentennial and Other Tribal Opportunities,
  NATHPO