Revisiting the Interaction Between
the Citizen and Heritage: Bethlehem Story

By Dr. Norma Masriyyeh

It is almost impossible to view the current tourism scene away from, or in isolation of, the political and social realities of the Palestinian people as well as from the state of affairs of the citizens of Bethlehem themselves, whose life and destiny are tied to tourism. On the fringes of the scene and around it, a lot of pinching questions loom over our heads. To what extent has the tourism reality in Bethlehem been able to uphold the requirements or needs of this mission on the cultural and social levels, meeting the demands of this sector with its various dimensions and being suitable for the Palestinians, who are facing the repercussions of the status quo and its duties? To what extent do the family, school, university and institution carry out their expected role in preserving an old/new heritage, which runs the risk of being obliterated, and in helping the new, educated generation to love this heritage and appreciate and discover its secrets and beauties? To what extent can the Bethlehemite in particular and the innovative Palestinian in general boost the levels of tourism and culture in Bethlehem through collective work, overcoming the gaps in the way?

Dr. Norma Masriyyeh

 

These questions and many others show that our historical consciousness of the situation is real and serious and that the desire to bypass the current scene, in all its negative aspects, is deep and true. This historical consciousness uncovers two proximal levels of interaction in the state of affairs of tourism at present. One is heritage, with its diverse milestones of churches, architecture and quarters, etc. The other is the interaction of Bethlehemites with this heritage, manifested in their unending quest for the potentials of acclimatizing to a new and variable reality, through different worries, demands and aspirations imposed by the evolution of man and time. It is also reflected in their engagement in the life struggle and existence as well as their upholding of the features of cultural identity.

Many have become used to viewing the relationship between Bethlehemites and the tourism heritage with a quizzical rather than positive eye, through engaging in some practices that contravene civilized practices, at the levels of community and culture. Those who focus their attention on the negative aspects of performance are right, but they are interested in the empty half of the glass and do not come close to the half that is full. We are now getting closer to the half that is full, the other side of the picture, which includes several positive effects of the state of affairs of tourism in Bethlehem. This reality reveals the concerted efforts of a Bethlehem community that interacts with the event at the appropriate time and that is capable of portraying events, thus increasing the space of consciousness and the ability to participate and belong.

However, in the midst of criticisms, we do not pay attention to what is more serious and significant, namely the nature of our relation as a community with our historical heritage. Nor do we focus on the necessity of planning at a national level that investigates the phenomenon in all its three dimensions: the nature of our heritage and its relation with the pulse of the modern age; its quality, its distinctive characteristics and its difference from other heritages. Moreover, it takes into account our ability to enhance heritage and Bethlehem at the tourism and cultural levels, through the activation of the community circle, the media of culture, other governmental institutions as well as institutions of civil society, all of which are responsible for the current situation in Bethlehem.

A lot of the crises that we are going through at the tourism and cultural levels are attributable to the absence of a modern objective outlook, a fair, flexible vision and an open mind that has its foundations in the consciousness of heritage. A modern outlook that is based on the consciousness and understanding of heritage signifies the capacity to assimilate and embody what is new and immersion into the culture and spirit of the modern age, with our participation, contribution and ability to find solutions for the numerous difficulties. This is done out of the belief that this heritage is the deep-rooted historical record that underscores our cultural identity as Palestinians. The beauty of this heritage is reflected in a functional conception, differing semantic fields and the infusion of thousands of rich life experiences that teem with knowledge and human experiences acquired through the ages.
The initiation of active work that has been adopted by the Open Bethlehem Project for realizing the communal spirit of the goal of boosting the city of Bethlehem on the levels of heritage and human beings is our sole path towards the future. We are armed with modern aids capable of making a breakthrough into this future and contributing creatively towards its modernization in words and deeds, through fulfilling our responsibilities and meeting the needs of the city. It is our sole path towards achieving a modernized heritage and modernizing the human being. A modernized heritage becomes a firm tie for our identity and culture in the dialogue among cultures and civilizations. Here, the beauty of our heritage in all its modern functional manifestations becomes a defence of our cultural heritage, which we do not wish to see dissipate or disappear in the midst of this colossal inundation of information and symbols of civilization in the varied branches of culture and heritage, espoused by the superpowers.

As our Bethlehem heritage approaches a new millennium, we should take a national stand on the current and future state of affairs in Bethlehem and on reopening the door for belonging in the study and activation of our heritage, which is, in essence, belonging and identity since it is an issue for the entire society. It is the responsibility of all citizens, out of our conviction as Palestinians and out of what we have always learnt from experience, that there is a "fulfillable impossibility." All this depends on the consciousness of human beings and their stamina for struggle for the sake of transcending their reality by transcending their identities. Henceforth, there has been a circular tie between the renewal of the individual and that of society. Both renew each other. And when the starting point is oneself, this is true nationalism.

The pressing questions that present themselves here are: What is to be done? What is the way out or solution for establishing a Bethlehem community that possesses the real will to revive and revise? The politicization of culture at the expense of community development due to our struggle to achieve independence and making resistance against the occupation a priority have led to dwarfing the role of community development as one of the most essential scaffolds of resistance. The outcome has been recession in a lot of life's aspects, communally and culturally, from which all are suffering, including the citizens of Bethlehem.

The tone of complaint about the state of affairs in Bethlehem has been reflected by the results of a field study of "The Popular Participation in the Process of Planning and Preserving Heritage," which I carried out for ‎The Centre for Cultural Heritage Preservation in Bethlehem (the sample consisted of 1,500 female and male citizens). The findings reveal real social, political and cultural ramifications that reflect themselves in the popular cultural practices of the citizens of the city, which transcend the barriers in some of their aspects. However, the distinctive historical horizon of Bethlehem still holds a space for optimism, hope and linkage with the series of cultural accumulation possessed by those citizens, who positively believe in the power of communal innovation and joint creativity, bringing into being an amalgamation between deep-rootedness and realism that has formed part of the communal unconsciousness engraved into the collective memory of our people. The positive aspects of the responses of the sample expressed the huge number of aspirations for seeing their city "in a state better than any other European tourist city."

This intervention has shed some light on concerns that are not totally absent but mark time. They pose questions that await answers: Has the building of the individual become a social demand on the agenda of the communal policy in Palestine? Has the concept of freedom become a value in its own right? Have education and work become goals in themselves? These are the pressing questions that we should address, and our destiny will be determined on the basis of our answers. We cannot continue what we have been doing, in light of the fast developments, which drags with it those who are standing still and the slow movers. The restrictions on the freedom of the mind are restrictions on distinctive scientific, artistic and cultural innovation and creativity, which is latent in the treasures of our heritage. It is high time we worked on reviving and renewing this heritage so that the existing and future generations may witness its bright face, together with all its deep-rooted popular originality/genuineness.

In this critical discussion we do not set off from a standpoint of rejection of or absolute doubt in the transgressions happening in Bethlehem. We rather should view this state of affairs with a critical eye that befits the history and sanctity of the city. This takes into account the essential role which should be played by each citizen in Bethlehem for the sake of searching for connectedness between his/her existence and the development of the city. The goal aims at the adoption of the concept "heritage for development" out of the belief in the communal spirit of the goal and for the sake of establishing the connectedness of heritage with the past, present and future on one hand and meeting the real interests and needs of the social and communal life of the city and its citizens, creating a melting pot of interaction, activity and energetic participation on the other hand.

Furthermore, and within the objective context, the temporal span and historical route of the city of Bethlehem remain connected with the international tourism industry due to the sanctity of the place and its distinctive history, which requires that each Bethlehem citizen shoulder his/her responsibility and role, whether out of national conscience or duty. The question that is eminent here: To what extent can we infer or figure out the relation between the human being and the place?

To conclude, I think it is important to pose a question for ourselves, one that I hope we can all join in: Are we not entitled to ask about our position in world innovation, to innovate and think about who should receive our innovation?

Dr. Norma Masriyyeh is an Associate Professor of Political Sociology at Bethlehem University. She can be reached at normah@bethlehem.edu.