How Can I Respectfully Engage With and Honor Local Cultures While Traveling?

Reflecting on my favorite journeys, the cultural experiences shine brightest: the vibrant feathers of a Black Masking Indian's Mardi Gras attire in New Orleans; the joyful moments shared with Fijians over a kava bowl. For me, the true essence of travel lies in learning about—and being welcomed into—a community's traditions. But how can we ensure we're honoring those who share these experiences with us? Here are some helpful tips.

Do Your Research

Preparing by reading about the local history, customs, and culture can enrich your travels. For instance, DestinationIndigenous.ca, provided by the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada (ITAC), offers guidance on attending a powwow.

Be Mindful of Who Tells the Story

When considering an activity, performance, or tour marketed as a cultural experience, it's important to reflect on its context. Will it be held in a traditional setting or a staged environment? Who stands to benefit from it, either financially or in other ways? Inquire about its background, advises Kalani Ka‘anā‘anā, a Native Hawaiian and chief brand officer at the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority. “Most of the time, if they can explain where their knowledge originates and their role in sharing it, you can expect a meaningful experience.”

The ITAC’s Original Original mark identifies businesses that are at least 51 percent Indigenous-owned, along with other criteria, that provide accredited, genuine experiences. Notable examples include the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre in Whistler, highlighting the region’s First Nations communities, and Coastal Rainforest Dinogois, which offers wildlife tours in British Columbia’s Great Bear Rainforest.

As Tamara Littlelight, ITAC’s marketing director and a proud Anishinaabe from Keeseekoose First Nation, states, tourism provides Indigenous communities “an opportunity to reconnect with and take pride in their cultural heritage, while also sharing it with others.”

Support Traditions and Crafts

Travelers can contribute to the preservation of cultures globally in various ways. For instance, UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list highlights numerous endangered oral traditions, performing arts, and crafts, some of which require urgent safeguarding.

Likewise, the U.K.’s Heritage Crafts Association has highlighted numerous crafts that face extinction within a generation. At the Fife Arms in Braemar, Scotland, visitors can help sustain local traditions by learning to create traditional rag paper and sporrans (pouches).

The U.N.’s World Tourism Organization releases an annual Best Tourism Villages list, celebrating locations that implement social, economic, and environmental sustainability measures that enable visitors to aid in preserving local heritage. The 2022 list features Dazhai, in China’s mountainous Guangxi region, where a cable car allows guests to observe ancient rice terrace farming techniques. In Angochagua, Ecuador, another recognized village, visitors are invited to engage in farming, cooking, and crafting, honoring the Caranqui people's ancestral traditions while providing income and reinforcing cultural practices.

Engage—and honor boundaries

Avoid being a mere spectator. Take the time to connect with your hosts. In eastern Canada, Fogo Island Inn’s Community Host Program pairs guests with a lifelong Fogo Island resident for personalized half-day explorations of the island’s natural and cultural heritage.

Such exchanges can lead to meaningful dialogues, but some elements may remain private: Sacred rituals or ceremonies might be reserved for the community. Always follow local customs, respect privacy, and seek permission before capturing any photos.

Ka‘anā‘anā emphasizes that curiosity and humility are essential for respectfully engaging with culture. He describes Hawai‘i as a reflection of these qualities, assuring that if you approach with them, they will be returned to you abundantly. "In Hawai‘i, we have a saying: Aloha aku, aloha mai. By giving love, you receive love in return," he shares.