By: Meible Chi
As I walk through the streets of Old Town in Shangri-la, I can't help but notice the countless gift shops that are populating the cobblestone roads. It was rather surprising to see the foothold that tourism has taken place, because I inaccurately had the misconception that this region is untouched by the consumerism-obsessed tourism industry. Even though I have traveled thousands of miles to the Tibetan plateau, locals are selling cultural and religious symbols for mere cents. It is unquestionable that the West has had an influence on the local population, so it seems to me that the question regarding culture shouldn't be how to preserve it, rather, it should be how to conserve it in response to the changing social and economic landscape.
From the China Exploration and Research Society (CERS), I have learned that conserving culture and biodiversity of a region is very similar and can even be connected in more ways than one. It is a daunting and difficult challenge to undertake but necessary in order to retain a seed of the rich and vibrant environment that surrounds these locals. History has taught us that culture isn't static. It is always changing and evolving; even in the present day. With the tide of westernization washing over the region, I hope that local communities are able to conserve a core of their historic culture as well as evolve it into something that they are proud of calling it their own.
As I walk through the streets of Old Town in Shangri-la, I can't help but notice the countless gift shops that are populating the cobblestone roads. It was rather surprising to see the foothold that tourism has taken place, because I inaccurately had the misconception that this region is untouched by the consumerism-obsessed tourism industry. Even though I have traveled thousands of miles to the Tibetan plateau, locals are selling cultural and religious symbols for mere cents. It is unquestionable that the West has had an influence on the local population, so it seems to me that the question regarding culture shouldn't be how to preserve it, rather, it should be how to conserve it in response to the changing social and economic landscape.
From the China Exploration and Research Society (CERS), I have learned that conserving culture and biodiversity of a region is very similar and can even be connected in more ways than one. It is a daunting and difficult challenge to undertake but necessary in order to retain a seed of the rich and vibrant environment that surrounds these locals. History has taught us that culture isn't static. It is always changing and evolving; even in the present day. With the tide of westernization washing over the region, I hope that local communities are able to conserve a core of their historic culture as well as evolve it into something that they are proud of calling it their own.