Warning! Avertissement!

Even being associated with SPEED Trust (http://speedtrust.blogspot.in), HUMAN TRIP INDIA strongly condemns Slum Tourism. Indian slums are neither touristic spots nor zoos. For understandable ethical reasons, please do not contact us (neither SPEED Trust) to visit slums. You may meet and discuss with slum dwellers women trained in three-wheelers driving while visiting Chennai within the autorickshaw sight-seeing tours organized by HUMAN TRIP INDIA, but in any case, our partners will bring you in slum areas where they live.

Herebelow are a few recommendations for visitors and volunteers intervening with SPEED Trust:

HUMAN TRIP INDIA partners are happy to welcome you in South India and every member of the associations will be keen to show you the different activities as well as share their experience with you.

So that your stay can be as pleasant as possible and so that you get all the treasures it can offer to you, we will ask you to respect some basic ethical and cultural rules:

·        For the volunteers welcomed by SPEED Trust, access to the slums is strictly prohibited. Gandhi Nagar slum is not a touristic place. In respect to the people with whom SPEED Trust works every day, we shall not take you to the inner slum. The irruption of foreigners in the area could have unexpected consequences like jealousy towards a family you would have visited, legal issues with authorities for SPEED Trust, etc.

·     No photograph or camera recording in the slum, for the same reason of respect. Nevertheless, there is no such restriction in the office, tailoring and weaving workshops, education centre, crèche, etc.

·        Appropriate clothing demanded. The people living in the slum are mostly from rural origin, which means that they are particularly attached to traditional practices. The men usually wear short under their lunghi, and wearing a single short is equal to wearing underwear in western cultures. Moreover, we particularly recommend women to wear clothes that cover their shoulders and legs.

·        No familiarities: Kissing someone on the cheeks is not well received in India, as well, physical interactions between people of different gender are not common. For example, a man would not shake hand with a woman he does not know. In order to say hello, just make your hands meet in front of you and slightly nod.

·        Customs and superstition: The Indian people is well-known to be a people attached to tradition, thus, you have to respect some daily life customs. For example, giving something (money) with your left hand is not seen as good manners; you also have to only use your right hand while eating.

·        The highest caution must be taken if you want to make gifts to the people. If you wish to give school equipments or toys, the best option is to let the association dispatch them to the population. Indeed, the association is in the best position to know whether it is possible or not and how to do it. The aim is to avoid encouraging jealousy or begging.

·        Smoking is prohibited in all public places in India, including the streets. Furthermore, it is absolutely defended in school or medical campus.

Du fait de son étroit partenariat avec SPEED Trust (http://speedtrust.blogspot.in), HUMAN TRIP INDIA condamne fermement le tourisme dans les bidonvilles. Les slums Indiens ne sont ni des lieux touristiques ni des zoos. Pour des raisons éthiques bien compréhensibles, ne nous contactez pas (ni SPEED Trust) pour visiter les slums. Vous pourrez rencontrer, discuter avec des femmes originaires des slums formées à la conduite de taxis triporteurs dans le cadre des visites de Chennai organisées par HUMAN TRIP INDIA, mais en aucun cas nos partenaires ne vous conduiront dans leur lieu de vie.

Ci-dessous, quelques recommandations et conseils à nos amis visiteurs et volontaires à SPEED Trust:

HUMAN TRIP INDIA et ses partenaires sont heureux de vous accueillir en Inde du Sud, de vous montrer leurs différentes activités et de vous faire partager leur expérience.

Afin que votre séjour soit aussi plaisant que possible et afin que le pays s’ouvre pleinement à vous et vous révèle toutes ses richesses, nous vous demanderons de respecter quelques règles éthiques et culturelles élémentaires:

·        Pour les volontaires intervenant à SPEED Trust, l’accès au bidonville est strictement interdit. Le slum de Gandhi Nagar n’est pas un lieu touristique. Par respect pour les personnes avec lesquelles SPEED Trust travaille quotidiennement, nous ne vous y emmènerons pas. L’irruption de personnes étrangères au sein du slum pourrait avoir des conséquences insoupçonnables, comme la jalousie envers une famille que vous auriez visitée, des problèmes légaux et administratifs entre SPEED Trust et les autorités, etc.

·        Les photos ou enregistrements vidéo ne sont pas autorisés dans le slum, pour les mêmes raisons de respect. Néanmoins, ceux-ci sont autorisés dans nos bureaux, ateliers de couture et de tissage, centre d’aide aux devoirs, crèche, et autres lieux, que vous serez amenés à visiter.

·        Des vêtements appropriés sont exigés. Les personnes vivant dans ce bidonville sont généralement d’origine rurale, c’est-à-dire particulièrement attachées aux traditions. Les hommes portent généralement un short en dessous de leur lunghi. Porter un simple short équivaut à ne s’habiller qu’en sous-vêtements dans les pays occidentaux. De plus, nous recommandons aux femmes de se couvrir les épaules et les jambes.

·        Pas de familiarités: Faire la bise à quelqu’un n’est pas commun en Inde, tout comme les interactions physiques entre personnes de sexe opposé. Par exemple, il serait mal vu qu’un homme serre la main d’une femme qu’il ne connaît pas. Pour dire bonjour, il suffit de joindre ses mains devant soi.

·       Coutumes et superstition: La population indienne est particulièrement attachée aux croyances, vous devez donc respecter ses coutumes et traditions. Par exemple, utilisez uniquement la main droite pour manger ou pour tendre de l’argent à quelqu’un, l’usage de la main gauche est considéré dans ces cas-là comme une impolitesse.

·        La plus grande précaution doit être observée pour les dons. Si vous voulez offrir des jouets, des équipements scolaires, ou autres aux enfants, le mieux est de laisser le soin à l’association de répartir ces dons, de manière discrète et juste. En effet, par son travail quotidien avec la population, l’association est la mieux placée pour savoir si les dons sont possibles, et comment procéder. Le but est d’éviter d’encourager la mendicité ou la jalousie.

·        Il est interdit de fumer dans tous les lieux publics en Inde, y compris dans la rue.

Journey to tissues country / Voyage au pays des tissus

Our friends Catherine and Patricia have experimented a journey to Andhra Pradesh, to discover saris weaving and kalamkari printing. One of their best memory was the welcome and lunch shared with villagers in Nellore district. /  Nos amies Catherine et Patricia ont expérimenté un voyage à Andhra Pradesh pour y découvrir le tissage de saris et l'impression de kalamkari. Un de leur meilleur souvenir fût l'accueil et le déjeuner partagé avec des villageois du district de Nellore.

Volunteers at SPEED Trust

Murugammal

Murugammal, 31, is widow and stays with her 4 kids in Gandhi Nagar slum area.  She is the 18th woman trained by SPEED Trust in autorickshaw driving and thanks to the support of Secours Populaire Français from Midi-Pyrénées Region, she has been granted with a new vehicle so to start immediately her new activity.

You can hire Murugammal's services to visit Chennai at humantripindia@gmail.com or speedtrustindia@gmail.com or by phone at 9176197905. And to know more about Murugammal, just read her autobiography: http://speedtrustindia.blogspot.in/2013/11/murugammal-stalin-shares-her-success.html

Volunteering program (5) : Irula Tribal Women Welfare Society

Adhilakshmi

Adhilakshmi, 29 years, deserted with 2 children, lives in Gandhi nagar slum area. She is the 17th woman been trained by SPEED Trust in autorickshaw driving and provided with a vehicle by the organization since SPEED started this revolutionary and exclusive program in 2005.

Adhilakshmi will be delighted to make you visiting her city, just book her vehicle at humantripindia@gmail.com or speedtrustindia@gmail.com or by phone at 9176197905.

Re-think tourism

Land is a critical zone of contestation. Land grabs by resort and real estate developers lack any process of ethics or community involvement.

The rapid proliferation of mega-resorts that often include hotels, residential housings, golf courses, marinas, shopping centres, entertainment facilities and even land strips for private jets, are wreaking havoc on the natural environment, affecting the lives and livelihoods of millions of small-scale farmers and fisher-folk.

Steady streams of Jeeps with hoards of people flashing their cameras disturb the natural habitat and wildlife.

Current tourism practices & tourist behavior are neither sensitive nor respectful of the natural environment they have come to experience.

Time we rethink how tourism operates in natural environment.

Tourism policy, planning & investment in India is increasingly being geared towards attracting international tourists and catering to their needs. Domestic tourist number in India are a 100 times larger than that of foreign tourist. It is time to listen to the voices and needs of domestic tourists.

Equally important, is to insure that tourism policies and activities provide maximum benefit to the local communities.

India has the distinction of having the largest number of working children in the world today. It is common to see children working in abysmal conditions in restaurants and shacks, selling curios and trinkets, beach boys and girls, rag pickers, tourist guides, or begging rich tourists for money. Because of their physical and economic vulnerability most of these children end up in a life of servitude, suffering sexual and physical exploitation.

Large-scale, infrastructure-heavy tourism development like 5-star hotels, golf courses & water parks exploit the scare and precious natural resources of a region like water and often it is the local communities who are adversely impacted. Time we rethink a form of tourism which gives rather than takes away from the place.

Tourism development plans and projects are often large, luxury and resource intensive. The benefits go to the big players in the industry. Small and medium enterprises which are often locally owned rarely get the subsidies and facilities so freely given to the big players. It is critical that tourism privileges and benefits local economies and local communities.

Places of worship are popular tourist destinations. These are spaces rich in cultural traditions. While visiting these places we must absorb the experience in a responsible and non-intrusive way.

 

Every day new beach fronts are developed for tourists – privatized beaches, hotels, resorts, & adventure sports. In doing so, this form of tourism development alienates the local communities from access to the sea, a key natural resource that is linked to their livelihood.

Time we rethink a kind of tourism by being sensitive to the needs and priorities of local communities.

Illustration by: Tara Goswami

EQUATIONS is a non-profit organization involved in research & advocacy on tourism issues in India.

info@equitabletourism.org