Cultural heritage events : a case study of the ATKV Rieldans competition in South Africa

Abstract

Cultural heritage events as a tourism product have increased in recent years, both globally and in South Africa. Within the sphere of cultural heritage tourism, people construct and present their heritage and traditions to tourists in a reconstructed setting. To the visitors and people who are directly involved with the planning of the event, a sense of belonging and group identity are experienced by linking the present to the past in a celebratory mood. The annual ‘Afrikaanse Taal en Kultuurvereniging’ (ATKV) Riel Dance Competition in South Africa is an example of such an event, which celebrates a threatened cultural heritage in the form of a competition. The idea of a dance competition in order to preserve cultural heritage started in response to a feeling of marginalisation of culture among certain segments of the Coloured community of South Africa after the establishment of democracy in 1994. This dissertation used the constructivist-interpretivist approach in geographical enquiry to explain the role of cultural heritage events. Multiple sources of evidence and information were used in this study, including focus group interviews, observations, audio-visual materials, questionnaires and participant observation. The participants and visitors alike felt that the ATKV Riel Dance Competition serves an important role in preserving and protecting the cultural heritage of the Coloured community. The competition played a role in fulfilling the need of a large percentage of its participants and visitors for a group identity. There was no significant financial benefit for the communities who participated in the ATKV Riel Dance Competition. However, on a political level the competition played an important role in nation-building and cultural expression in South Africa.