JENNY MALANG¹

Mulu National Park was officially constituted in 1974 and open to the public in 1985. Within the boundaries of the park is one of the most extensive and spectacular limestone cave systems as well as the second highest peak in Sarawak. It is now become a major tourist destination, and indeed one of Sarawak’s major attractions. The park has recently been declared a World Heritage Site.

Tourism, like any new development, can bring both benefits and problems to the local communities and their cultural patterns (World Tourism Organisation, 1994). Although they are more difficult to measure than the economic or environmental impacts, socio-cultural impacts are major considerations in developing tourism in any place.

Along the boundary of this park live indigenous tribes, namely the Penan and the Berawan. The question is whether the expanding tourism benefits local people and provides an incentive to protect the Park. This preliminary study involved semi-structured interviews of ten local residents to find out their perceptions of visitors and the park, and in particular -

• to identify local people’s perceptions of tourism development in Mulu National Park,
• to make a comparison of past and present ways of life since tourism was introduced in the area, and
• to identify local benefits through tourism.

In June 2001 I interviewed ten people (five Penan from Batu Bungan and five Berawan from Long Terawan) by choosing the oldest family member from every fifth door of Long Terawan and from every fifth house at Batu Bungan. The semi-structured interviews to obtain information on –

• the history of local migration and their reason for moving close to the park,
• local perceptions of tourists,
• comparison of their past and present lifestyles, and
• their involvement with the park and the benefits from it.

Observations were also carried out at both places to find out observable changes in their ways of life.

Penans
Based on the data collected their reasons for moving to Batu Bungan were to search for a better place to live as well to gain more income generated from tourism activities. Some of the people interviewed only lived at Batu Bungan during school time to care for their children at the p primary school; the mothers sell handicrafts, while the men still go out to collect jungle produce and extract the sago palm.

Berawans
The Berawan migrated from Usun Apau uplands and moved further down river to the present longhouse. Their migration from the uplands was generally to find a better place to settle down and more fertile land for their shifting cultivation style of farming.

Generally, the responses from the study show that the local community agrees that tourism generally plays an important role in improving the living standards of the host communities. Tourism also creates more job opportunities and income for the local people.

The development of the airport and flights to Miri are welcome improvements, however people complain that they sometimes have problems getting on the planes, because priority is given to visitors.

The increasing number of visitors who come to the park has indirectly transformed their lives towards modern styles, as inevitably take place in any tourist destination, and major changes in their lifestyle cause great concern for the elders. Those involved with tourists in particular will tend to emulate foreign lifestyles, especially the younger generation. Drinking, taking drugs, and gambling are becoming problems, as are theft and pilfering, as. the young seek to acquire goods and fashionable clothing to emulate tourists.

With exposure to modern and easy ways of life young people have neglected their culture and traditions that were practised by their parents, especially weaving and making handicrafts. Cultural performances are regarded as old fashioned, where in the past such performances were held with pride and highly praised among the local communities.

BENEFITS FROM TOURISM

A number of Berawan and Penan operate boat transport services taking visitors from the park headquarters to various destinations within the park. This is a part time job depending on the number of visitors who require their services. Some people were disappointed because they felt that they were not getting their fair share of benefits compared with outsiders.

The responses from the interviewees were generally positive, but I often felt that these were not always genuine, and people were reluctant to express negative opinions.

CONCLUSION

Tourism has been claimed to benefit local communities and to be socially and culturally sustainable. It also fosters environmental conservation, cultural understanding and appreciation. Economic benefits from tourism are expected to motivate local people to support conservation and the park. However, the local community’s perception of tourism activities should also be considered. These include the positive and negative tourism impacts on the local community.

Benefits to local people can be increased if there is a fairer distribution of income between local people and outside businesses, and this will improve local perceptions of tourism. Better communication between locals and tourism businesses would help to avoid misunderstanding and bad feeling, and local people should be fully involved in decision-making on new projects. The Government should protect the interests and rights and privileges of local people in the development of tourism in the Park.

Traditional culture and ethics are being eroded by modern ideas, and they should be preserved for the sake of our future generations, as well as to provide a cultural experience for visitors.

World Tourism Organisation, (1994). National and Regional Tourism planning: Methodologies and Case Studies. International Thomson Publishing. Inc, UK.