'We are not wildlife': Kibera residents slam poverty tourism

[soleiltropiques]

'We are not wildlife': Kibera residents slam poverty tourism

Tourism in Nairobi slum is rising but many residents are angry at becoming an attraction for wealthy foreign visitors.

Comments

[tilmon]

Hmm. From what I understand, there are indeed tourists, foreign and domestic, who visit impoverished areas of major US and European cities, and that the origin of the word "slumming" came from wealthy Americans and English touring their own cities' blighted areas for thrills.

[soleiltropiques]

I think context is really, really important to remember here. (As I stated above.)

There is a long and dark history of treating POC as 'tourist attractions' and this can't be simply divorced from that racist history.

Also, this isn't visiting slums in their own countries (which would also be classist and frequently racist as fuck, because poverty all too frequently has a racial component in western countries). This is *choosing* to visit a slum in a poor country to 'view the locals' which is, arguably, even worse.

[tilmon]

By no means do I mean to imply that it isn't terrible. But it's not less terrible when neighborhoods are gentrified and "urban renewed", which is the end result of what begins as poverty tourism. I have no reason to think this won't happen in African slums, either. White people who can't afford to set themselves up as landlords in their home countries will start buying properties in the communities they visit, and then start demanding that services and standards equivalent to what they are used to be implemented. Nevermind that the vast majority of their new neighbors can't afford those services and standards, they'll argue for housing and street and health codes that will force current owners to sell, families to be evicted, and unlicensed vendors and home manufacturers to be shut down.

[soleiltropiques]

Ah! I see what you're saying now, I misread your earlier comment. (Sorry...)

And you're right.