Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
the linkages may be positive and provide
cohesive ties,
or may be negative if they
create
conflictual relations
. Many festive events create community solidarity, such
as by: providing identity to the people involved through reinforcing existing beliefs
or political hegemonic structures; revitalizing local interactions and communi-
ties; reconstituting differences between the participants and the host population.
These consequences may be considered positive from the viewpoint of the festival
rationale.
Festivals may also be contested or conflictual, in the sense that the festive events
may lead to greater differences of opinions by the people affected by the festival.
One source of potential conflict comes from alternative views of why the festival
is created, or because of rivalry over the way the event is organized or how people
are positioned in the festivities. Others may come from criticism from people who
are not involved in the festivals and who deplore or even oppose the very reason
for the festivals, perhaps on the basis of different beliefs. Frequently, complaints
are made that the festive events disrupt the life-styles and daily regimes of some
people, while the excessive behaviour of some, especially that of a sexual nature, is
deplored by those with traditional family values, a particular problem in the Mardi
Gras in New Orleans. Of course, these alternative views of the utility of the festive
events may be held by different people in the festive town or city at the same time.
This means that either one group is ignored, or some reconciliation strategy must
be employed between the groups, for there are situations where a minority gain
control and disrupt, abolish or transform the festive event into some other form or
even function.
14.5.7
Festival Constructions
Most festive events are not spontaneous, even though they seem to suddenly appear
in a time and space. They have to be
constructed
, which usually involves major
investments in time, effort and resources, but also may contain
deconstructive
ten-
dencies, especially in a societal sense. In the first case, historic festivals, like many
today, have always attracted skilled artists, as performers, or creators of the various
elements of the event and of the temporary structures. Both can add to the utility of
the festive events by adding to the cultural attributes of an urban place. Many fes-
tivals have dramatic or spectacular features; they are choreographed and organized
in detail and take weeks, sometime months, to prepare. In recent years a new field
of management has grown up to explore the mechanisms by which large events,
now called Special Event Festivals, are created and can be successful (Allen et al.
2005
). The construction of these events can be summarized as a series of stages,
namely: Conceptualising and Planning; Finance and Sponsorship; Marketing; Bud-
geting; Risk Assessment; Employee Acquisition; Event Control and Management;
Aftermath Impacts and Evaluation. The personnel involved in these stages certainly
add to the capabilities and payrolls of the festive city or place. Of course, similar
sequences were always needed in the historic organization and implementation of
large festive events in cities, and even in the local ones. But the processes by which
