ABSTRACT
Following Bruner, the "Indigenous performance" can be considered a new stage in African ethnic tourism. Thus, this performative scenario, in a Butlerian sense, is explored in this chapter through examples of Maasai and Batwa Indigenous heritage ecotourism, contrasted with examples of slum tourism to draw out some potentially problematic aspects of this undertaking. The chapter outlines how the economics of this practice may prolong the performance of "being Indigenous" in Africa beyond the rapidly eroding Indigenous political discourse. The performance of "being Indigenous" refers both to the performativity of identity and the formal theatrical performance of songs, dances, mock hunting parties and warfare specifically for a paying tourist audience by ethnic groups who self-identify as Indigenous. cultural performance of self to self plays to national and international spectators where tourism is an essential component of the ritual. slum tours are distinct from Indigenous heritage ecotourism.
