Abstract

PEREIRO PEREZ, Xerardo. Indigenous Tourism Guna (Panama): Imaginaries and Lie Regimes of International Tourist Guides. Estud. perspect. tur. [online]. 2012, vol.21, n.4, pp.945-962. ISSN 1851-1732.

In this paper it is analyzed, from an anthropological perspective, the meaning and the ideological role of images and metanarratives indigenous tourist destination Guna Yala (Panama), framing these in a scene of fighting between the gunas and the global tourism system. In this indigenous area is tested for decades a model self-managed community-based indigenous tourism that conflicts with tourism development models desired by the Panamanian government and the global tourism system. After reviewing some theoretical debates about the role of tourism in the imaginary construction of the gaze, the author focus on the reflection on the tourist image of Guna Yala power relations arena, differentiated between the official tourist image, images gunas created by entrepreneurs and international tourist guides. The touristic images are defined as ideological artifacts that contribute to the creation of different versions of indigenous identities. The methodology used in the research has been the anthropological fieldwork (2003-2010), based on participant observation, document analysis work and content of the images and discourses on tourism guna. It has had special relevance the analysis of audiovisual and documental production of tourism images, especially that of international guides in order to research the tourist representation of the gunas of Panama.

Keywords : Anthropology; Indigenous tourism; Tourist images; Touristic lying regimens; Guna Yala (Panamá).

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