Managing authenticity and performance in Gulag Tourism, Kazakhstan

Abstract

To date, there has been limited research concerning the methodology and approach to Gulag heritage and how it has been memorialised and commodified for tourism purposes. The recent cultural commodification of the Soviet past and the development of participatory visitor experiences at Gulag museums in Kazakhstan necessitate to advance understandings of the roles authenticity and performance play in the management of Gulag museum practices in the country.Using a qualitative case study research approach based on a combination of semistructured interviews with stakeholders involved in the development of Gulag tourism including senior management of museums, museum guides, policymakers, tourism operators, local NGOs and experts in Soviet Gulag heritage, direct observations and qualitative document analysis of two Gulag museums and sites in Kazakhstan, the commodification and management of Soviet Gulag heritage is explored. Results reveal that beyond objects on display and images regarded as interpretive illustrations that allow visitors to connect with the past and verify history, dioramas and staged performances re-enacting various elements of the Gulag life are used as immersive and emotional tools to accentuate the 'dark' atmosphere of the epoch and induce a more impactful and participatory visitor experience. The findings contribute to literature on authenticity and performance in Gulag tourism by examining the delicate question of the extent to which stakeholders involved in the management of the Gulag tragedy can offer meaningful visitor experiences that are historically accurate and protect the dignity of the victims while adapting to the dynamic roles of museums as heritage and education sites.

Heritage Education and Research in Museums. Conceptual, Intellectual and Social Structure within a Knowledge Domain (2000–2019)

“…On the other hand, "model", "heritage", and "cultural heritage" are essential topics in the area of knowledge. The latter two themes are fundamental and recurrent in this field of knowledge as they relate to a multitude of realities, such as the World Heritage of Humanity [99], military events [100], controversial issues [101] and different types of cultural expressions and manifestations [102,103], including documentaries [104].…”

Ambiguity and dilution in Kazakhstan's Gulag heritage

“…Notably, since 2013, the museum has operated a 'Night in Karlag' event, attended by over 1,000 predominantly local visitors. It incorporates staged scenes of Gulag life; recreating sensational, violent and gratuitous elements (Tiberghien & Lennon, 2019). Such 'entertainment' contributes to shaping local collective memory, yet, even with such animation activity, museum visitation remained marginal until 2017 when visitors to the museum and to the nation increased as a consequence of the Astana International Expo event(see Table 3).…”

“…Arguably, in the case of the Gulag, imagery and literary consideration is more limited. The Gulag has of course famously featured in some literature and film, notable examples include; Solzhenitsyn (1963Solzhenitsyn ( , 1986, Rawiez (1956) and Theroux (2009). Gulag imagery is similarly limited in tourism marketing materials for such sites in Kazakhstan.…”

Polarization among Stakeholders Perception on the Interpretation of Ecotourism Resources in Gunung Halimun Salak National Park

“…Ecotourism resources in the form of flora, fauna, natural and cultural phenomena must be fully interpreted by tourists so that messages of concern about nature and environmental conservation efforts can be conveyed. In the context of tourism management in national parks, some of the functions and benefits of interpretation programs include communicating ideas about conservation, providing minimal impact messages and enriching the visitor experience (Tiberghien & Lennon, 2019;Kuo, 2002;Dileep Kumar et al, 2020), to promote the sustainable use of natural tourist destinations (Murti, 2019;Cornelisse, 2020;Stoffle et al, 2020), and to support visitor safety (Fang et al, 2021). Madin and Fenton (2004) state that interpretation programs can bring about a change in the wider community's understanding of important natural and cultural values, awaken the interrelationships in ecosystems, and encourage behaviors that are expected to be useful for supporting area management (Vásquez Lavín et al, 2016;Tiberghien et al, 2018).…”

“…It is important for managers to know the needs and interests of stakeholders and how to implemet them in the field (Hearne & Salinas, 2002;Dileep Kumar et al, 2020). Second, program designs that are not in accordance with the needs of users or other stakeholders will cause messages in the interpretation not to be conveyed properly (Tiberghien & Lennon, 2019;Fang et al, 2021). The third reason, polarization studies will also provide valuable information on the diversity of tourist segments and their interest in interpreting resources and activities, which have an impact on travel decision making (Servidio & Ruffolo, 2016;Mutanga et al, 2017;Woźniak et al, 2018;López-Guzmán et al, 2019;Flower et al, 2021).…”