Vadrouilleurs, Dervishes and Tourists
Going Between Frontstage and Backstage in Tunisia
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 3978555 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Habib Saidi |
| Year | 2006 |
| Volume | 11 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 409-420 |
| Publication date | 2006-12-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | The Journal of North African Studies (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1362-9387 • E-ISSN: 1743-9345 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/13629380600704878 |
| OpenAlex | W2018308039 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 2 |
| References cited | 12 |
This article reflects on the gaze as the defining practical and performative aspect of tourism, as well as on the dual nature of heritage sites, which act both as historical locations and as theatrical stages. The analysis is based on a field study carried out in Tunisia in 2004, focussing on the activities of a group of approximately 300 people known as vadrouilleurs, a term that can loosely be translated as wanderers. The vadrouilleurs occupy a unique position in relation to the tourist gaze in that they are Tunisians whose primary pastime is the exploration of their own country and heritage. This article aims to understand the vision that Tunisians have of themselves and of their country as seen through the unique lens of local tourism. The vadrouilleurs primarily visit the more remote areas of Tunisia: villages far from large cities, little known rural areas and archeological sites rarely seen by outsiders. As the majority of this group comes from rural Tunisia, though almost all of them now live in Tunis, their visits represent a return to their roots, imbuing their travels with a particular spiritual significance. The Dervishes and their dance are used as a metaphor for the spirituality of the vadrouilleurs' quest. In particular, the complex use of the gaze by both of these groups demonstrates the power of the gaze in both spiritual and touristic pursuits. The vadrouilleurs are in the unique position of being part of Tunisian society, while positioning themselves outside of it. This situation affords us a chance to closely examine the role of the gaze in their performance of tourism. In this case the power of the gaze is evident in its establishing and bridging of the worlds of theatre and tourism, as well as the two worlds of the vadrouilleurs. The gaze, as demonstrated in this article, is the key to their navigation of their relationship they have with their country and their ways of defining themselves
Aesthetics · Archaeology · Art · Dance · Gaze · Geography · Power (physics · Relation (database · Sociology · Tourism · Visual arts · Wilderness · Cultural Identity and Heritage · History · Multiculturalism, Politics, Migration, Gender · Psychology · Religious Tourism and Spaces
| Unique citing works | 2 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,11 |
| Citation span | 2008 - 2025 (18) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 2 |