What is it about?
This article interrogates how the government engagement in economic and political management decisions may affect the cultural representation and cultural identity of minority or diasporic cultures. Set in Auckland, New Zealand, the results demonstrate how festival producer relationships and diaspora community involvement transform under the influence of festivalization. Auckland’s “Major Civic Event,” Diwali: Festival of Lights is the largest festivity representing New Zealand’s Indian diaspora. More recently, and especially in diasporic settings, Diwali has been referred to as a “festival” and a public celebration for Hindus and non-Hindus alike. The case study, central to this research, traces factors (1998 to 2013) that have transformed the production of Diwali, from a community celebration to a cultural tourism destination. The findings demonstrate how diaspora communities react when executive management decisions seek to align events with tourism and economic development.
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Perspectives
This article explores the roles community and government partnerships play in producing cultural festivals. The important partnerships formed are central to the role that festivals play in the growth of 'eventful' cities and diasporic cultures.
Dr Alison Booth
Auckland University of Technology
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Whose Diwali is it? Diaspora, Identity, and Festivalization, Tourism Culture & Communication, December 2015, Cognizant Communication Corporation,
DOI: 10.3727/109830415x14483038034209.
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