Lucy Page, a third year Geographer at Downing College, tells us about her dissertation which focuses on the sexualization and Americanization of sterotypical Hawaiian hula girls.
What is your dissertation about?
Inspired by Jean and John Comaroff’s (2009) work on the tensions between the commodification and
preservation of ethnic practices in the Zulu Kingdom my dissertation explores how the commodification and preservation of the Hawaiian hula intersect. More specifically it asks whether the sexualization, and Americanization of the stereotypical Hawaiian hula girl dancing the tourist-form of hula compromises or complements the preservation of the dance and its deeper cultural meaning and purpose. It focuses on the different representations and adaptations of the hula by exploring the different cultural sites and histories in which the dance has been practiced, performed, taught, watched and shared.
Why is this important?
My choice to focus on a cultural dance comes from there being a lack of concentration within qualitative research on cultural performances that have been adapted for the tourist (Desmond, 1999).
It is important to understand how outsiders form representations of other cultures and their cultural practices and how these representations differ to those the insiders would place on themselves. Making representations, forming identities and marking differences is how we come to understand the world. Cultural practices, particularly cultural dances have a long-standing importance in many cultures and often have deeper meanings ascribed to them than what is suggested to or understood by tourists. I hope to uncover some of these meanings and raise awareness of what is being done to preserve these ethnic practices, their roots and their trajectories. It is also important to review how they have evolved over time to accept or resist changes imposed from the outside world. This research topic feeds into some larger key themes such as colonialism, orientalism and touristification.
How did you find conducting your research remotely?
Sometimes tricky but when one door closed another one often opened. You have to seek opportunities and work the fact you have to do your research remotely to your advantage. I was still
able to host interviews with people from Hawaii, but the 11-hour time difference meant it was 9pm
here when I did them. This made things more limiting but not impossible. I also used online
newspaper archives and archived interviews and documentaries which were easily accessible online.
I would say the hardest thing about doing research remotely was the fact that I couldn’t have spontaneous conversation with people whose contact details wouldn’t be public – i.e. a tourist or local on the beach or an attendee at a hula class/show. I got around this by joining online hula classes and asking organizations or institutions to pass me on to people who might be able to help etc.
What would be your advice to current second years doing their dissertation?
Start the reading early, do a topic which you have a genuine interest in and start contacting people early on too if you can – I made my first connection in January and they were able to release me some resources that were of use to me before I had completed my proposal. Stay organized and if you are doing fieldwork remotely and virtually take breaks from your laptop! I had days where I had had headaches from spending a long time looking at a screen.
DISCLAIMER: THE VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THIS ARTICLE ARE THOSE OF THE AUTHOR ONLY AND DO NOT REPRESENT THE VIEWS OR OPINIONS OF COMPASS MAGAZINE AS A WHOLE OR THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY.