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by . Wayne K. D. Davies, Geography, University of Calgary, Canada. (wdavies@ucalgary.ca)

FESTVITIES

AS

URBAN TRANSFORMATIONS

:

MULTI-DIMENSIONAL PERSPECTIVES.

Slide2

CONTEXT OF PREVIOUS IGU PAPERS General Themes of Most Papers. Searching for Different Dimensions or Sources of Variation in Various Aspects of Urban Geography, e.g. Urban Systems/ Factorial Ecology of Cities/ Community Variations/Post Modernism Approaches/ Sustainability/ Crime Variations/………………now Festivals in

Cities..as

part of key Transformations of CitiesSlide3

ImportanceFestive Events are some of the most important features that contribute to the vitality, excitement and distinctiveness of urban places. Part of major TRANSFORMATIONS of recent urban changes. Urban Commission theme?World Scale examples define the places.Few Towns /Cities are now without a festival.Festivals are often high spot/climax of year.Slide4

Question: How can we Assess/Interpret Festivals ?

What the various Dimensions or Sources of Variation that define their various characters

?

More Interesting than previous ‘dry’ topics as seen by following examples:

Oktoberfest/ Mardi Gras/

Rio

Carnival

/ Sapporo Snow

Festival/

/Calgary

StampedeSlide5
Slide6

Mardi Gras ParadeSlide7

Mardi Gras, New OrleansSlide8

MardiMardi

Gras:

Alternative Life-StyleSlide9

Rio: Carnival ParadeSlide10

Snow Festival in SapporoSlide11

Calgary StampedeSlide12

Relevance of FestivalsPart of urban life since towns began.Tremendous increase in last 30 years.Also some cities have many festivalsMontreal has over a 100/year. Calgary claims 69.New? Curcio-Nagy ( 2004) showed that colonial Mexico City had 5 major and >100 smaller festivals/year.

Changes described as: ‘ hyper-festive’ society(Murray 199); development of’ Festive

Citie’s

( (Gravari-

Barbas

2007); image saturated society as spectacle(

L

abord

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Singular Views of FestivalsMost are Case Studies… not General/ Theoretical.Conclusions often conflicted, e.g. a) Community? Durkheim (1976) saw them as consolidating communities. Bakthin (1984) saw them as contestations of groups for power b) Engines of Growth, part of cultural renovation of cities …….or purveyors of false consciousness that disguise inequalities and needs of poor? Slide14

Multi-Dimensional ApproachFestivals are complex entities. Gotham (2005) in study of New Orleans showed that the festivals in N.O. often had conflicted and contradictory effects and they were multi-faceted.So what are the different Dimensions?

Do they have Alternative and Different results

?Slide15
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8 Dimensions of Festivals (others?)Note Alternative ResultsEphemeral.. Temporary in Time and Space.

Functions

: Six Types

Forms

: Authentic v Inauthentic

Experiences

: Transformative v

Transgressive

Exchanges

: Symbolic v Reciprocal

or Market Exch.

Commun

.

Connectivies

: Cohesive v

Conflictual

Constructivenes

s: Constructive v Deconstructive

Impacts

: Gains v Societal Losses

Note: Modifications to all through Time.Slide17
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1. Ephemeral-Temporary in Time and SpaceTime. Events not part of regular, working time. . ‘out of time’ character.Space. Temporary

Occupance

. Different festivals in different spaces in city or region.

Spill over into diff. areas.

One site for many festivalsSlide19

2. Functions--TypologyTemporal-Cyclical. Pre-urban. e.g Solstices/PlantingReligious Beliefs …additional to abovePolitical…Hegemonic …or Alternative/Protest.Traditions or Heritage (Ethnic and Local Place).

New Cultural Events.

Life-Styles

.

Festivals may Overlap/have more than one function…and …Morph from 1 to another through timeSlide20

3. FormsOne or more of Parades/Costumes/ Music/Dancing etcAuthentic to original culture ORInauthentic…distorted version (Hobsbawn+Ringer 1983 .Invention of Tradition)

e.g

La

Cavalcata

Sarda

.( Sardinia) .1899, 1951

Magliocco

…distortions

Azara

. .Cohesion...Interest in past….Anti-

homogSlide21

4. ExperiencesTransformative..Sensory. Pleasure, Excitement.. Insight into past……..Horror? Transgressive

..

Challenge to Norms…. Break Mores..

Riots/Debauchery.

Allowed for a few

days..escape

from stricturesSlide22

5. ExchangesAs Symbolic…Sacrifice as scapegoat… Please GodsReciprocal relationships .e.g.. gift exchangeMarket Exchange…Often an associated part of other functions of older festivals.

Now dominant in search for profits?Slide23

6. ConnectivitiesHow do festivals affect connections between people…...especially locals?Either: Cohesive. .in binding people into community v Conflictual. Alternative views of what to

do..

Opposition to noises/excesses of festival

Both may apply to various groups… .Reconcile? Slide24

7. ConstructionConstruction..Takes time, specialised artists, organisers etcCoping. Needs of sanitation, food and drink, shelter, policingSlide25

8. Societal Impacts?Gains… In addition to ones dealt wit.. Economic. .Direct/Multiplier/Future Investment/PrestigeLosses… a) Needs of Disadvantaged..

..stadia for tourists not houses, jobs, education.

b) Increased corporate control

…grants for sole sponsorship…...locals lose

??? How to reconcileSlide26
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Conclusions. Festivals/festive events are important transformative elements. They define the character

of urban places and

provide

so many

functions

, including excitement and pleasure, to

cities. (Few

geogs

, except M.G-B, study them)

Objective has been to look generally

at

the kaleidoscope

of features

in festivals. Provides

conceptual

framework of the

various dimensions

of festivals

,

via examples …globally/historically. Slide29

Viewed festivals from the lenses of these 8 dimensions. (Are there more?) Enables us to assess the varied character of festivals.

It also helps us understand the

way different dimensions can produce quite contradictory results, results which often need to be reconciled

.

……endSlide30

Reminder: The (Male)Choice is Yours!