Tourism & Crafting
Tourism affects many aspects of people’s lives, especially their jobs and the availability of them. In the early years of American tourism, Native American crafting was affected by the people that bought their handmade items. Makers in some cases found that buyers wanted the items that were not the makers best work because it looked “more handmade or authentic” due to its imperfections (Smith, 1982). Other areas that are known for being home to indigenous communities, like Manitoulin Island, may even thrive off of tourism because so many people that visit the area buy something that was made by a local maker. The economy on Manitoulin Island thrives off of the people that buy the arts and crafts that are made by the residents of the island (Brown, 1996). Communities like this rely on the sales of handmade items, like this square birchbark box.