Flora, fauna and foreigners

There’s an interesting exhibit in the zoo in Nairobi, Kenya. It has recreated an authentic Starbucks-like environment where real live Caucasians straight from America tell all about their encounters in the daily grind of the urban jungle. The exhibit is called “The Yuppie Commute: A United States Adventure.” \nActually, I’m lying. I’m sure such an idea sounds crazy and impossible to anyone reading this. \nIf you did believe it, it probably seemed incredibly inhumane and unethical to have a zoo exhibit that consisted of living human beings portrayed in some stereotypical notion of a “natural habitat.” \nIt’s sad however, that the same outrage has not been expressed over a new exhibit at the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle. The exhibit is called “Maasai Journey: An African Adventure,” and consists of an “African Village” where some imported “Maasai Warriors” are on display to entertain average Americans and feed them stereotypes about Africa.\nAn April press release by the zoo stated that the “Maasai Warriors” would “tell visitors stories of their frightening encounters with lions and leopards, and of wielding spears to protect their animals.”\nOnce the exhibit began to generate controversy, the fearsome Maasai warriors, those brave men who stave off lions and leopards with their primitive, hand-made spears, were dubbed “educators” and “cultural interpreters.”\nThe guise of education can be quickly dismissed by the fact that these Maasai tribesman are “set” in a “village” built in the Kikuyu architecture style – a building-style used by a different Kenyan group.\nConsider it the equivalent of using a Montana ranch house in a zoo exhibit about New Yorkers. \nBut, of course, the idea of a zoo exhibit about Americans seems insanely out of the question to any of us. \nMany people feel that they have the right to remain ignorant and bigoted when it comes to other cultures. Those are the same people who can be found in touristy spots of other countries, loudly complaining about how ridiculous their cabdriver or bellboy was for not being able to speak English and how unfair it is that they can’t find a good cheeseburger joint.\nOh, the injustice! The horror! The tragedy! \nBefore you accuse me of causing a fuss for the sake of it, let me tell you: I’ve spent several summers in Kenya.\nI’ve snorkeled in the coral reefs off the shores of a beautiful Arab-influenced port city of Mombasa.\nI’ve eaten in five-star restaurants in the capital city of Nairobi – a metropolis the size of Seattle. \nYes, I’ve been on safari and yes, I’ve interacted with the Maasai people, and there’s a lot more to them than lion-fighting and spear-wielding. \nThe visitors to the Woodland Park Zoo’s new exhibit will never know these aspects of Kenya, a country very dear to me. \nWhat’s next? Some real-live Indians next to the tiger cage? Some authentic Arabs by the camel display? Imported Amazon tribesmen to go along with the rainforest exhibit? \nA zoo is no place to indulge a society’s ignorant fantasies about other people.