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Hunza is growing sick of reckless city tourists, says vlogger Rosie Gabrielle

Hunza is growing sick of reckless city tourists, says vlogger Rosie Gabrielle

A recent music festival organised in Hunza was slammed by locals for corrupting their culture, spreading vulgarity and pollution.
16 Jun, 2021

Hunza is going through a crisis. The region, adored and owned by locals, is viewed as another disposable exotic vacation spot for city dwellers. This point was highlighted when a music festival was recently held in the region.

Canadian travel vlogger Rosie Gabrielle has been on a mission to motorbike around the world and is currently in Hunza. Some locals reached out to her with their concerns, hoping she would use her platform to help them. She shared their words in an Instagram post titled Keep the North Pure.

The post has pictures of the pollution caused by festival goers, a collage of images from the event and screenshots of her conversation with aggrieved locals.

The common sentiment is that while they appreciate people coming to enjoy the beauty of their land, they don't appreciate them bringing the rubbish and pollution of the city with them.

They complained about how recent tourists have been spreading "vulgarity" and "drug culture". The locals feel that these problematic things are veiled behind the screen of arts and entertainment, and argued that there are better ways of doing so. They believe their values are being threatened.

Gabrielle also shared her own thoughts on the situation with a thoughtful caption. She said lack of international travelling opportunities have forced people up north but they're bringing with them "bad behaviours, drugs, vulgarity, rave parties and leaving a lot of trash".

She shared her own experience about travelling to Northern Pakistan as well, saying she was disturbed by local tourists and had to seek out more solitary spots.

The vlogger said she understood the need for people to travel and relax after a tough year, but rightfully pointed out their entitlement in destroying the places they visit.

A sentiment shared by the locals was echoed by Gabrielle, who maintained that locals love welcoming tourists, it's just their practices they disapprove of. They welcome musical events and workshops to exchange skills, but what's going on right now is viewed as a threat to their culture.

And they're right. People go from polluted cities and often leave a trail of pollution and trash behind when they visit the northern areas. Tourists should respect the feelings of the residents of the areas they're visiting and respect their culture. How would you like it if someone came to your home, littered, partied and then left you with the responsibility of cleaning up?

Comments

CringeCop Jun 16, 2021 12:35pm
Didn’t you guys throw a fit when some guy said the same thing and broke off his engagement w some third rate Pakistani micro-celebrity? Y’all pick and choose when to speak out. Hypocritee
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NYS Jun 16, 2021 12:41pm
After repetidly reminder no action has been taken so far vlogers are wavering red flag Sound Strategy to preserve the heritage
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Aafiyat Nazar Jun 16, 2021 12:51pm
I have also observed four motor bickers who were writing their names on the rocks along KKH. In another incident, two days back four men were plucking the fruits, breaking the branches, and trampling the crops surrounding the tree. These are the wild people who after living for long in their cage-like home when they see greenery and fruits, and open air, they cannot control their wild instincts. Throwing garbage is on the rise and the people of the area are helpless.
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Tariq Jun 16, 2021 01:13pm
Pakistanis in general had no education at any level in the life as how to act as responsible and mannered citizen. lack any real education both at home and outside home.
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Chrís Dăn Jun 16, 2021 01:18pm
Our pavements,our roads,our streets are living witnesses of our dirty habits.
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M. Saeed Jun 16, 2021 01:26pm
@CringeCop , you have to show your own civilized manner before talking low and dirty about any cultural entity.
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M. Saeed Jun 16, 2021 01:34pm
@Aafiyat Nazar, we can never preserve the beauty of our serene north, if we cannot stop throwing garbage around and not keep the beauty spots clean for the next visitors, just like you do after using an air-plane toilet.
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Riazullah Baig Jun 16, 2021 01:44pm
It's not about the music or a kind of dress but the type of tourism we are trying to promote! In my opinion, these places are not meant for mass tourism but controlled one so that the fragile ecology of that area could be taken care of. It will have adverse effects of the climate in the days to come.
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Chrís Dăn Jun 16, 2021 01:47pm
@Tariq they do not teach it in schools or in homes.
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Asif A. Shah Jun 16, 2021 02:39pm
The people of Hunza need tourism to survive. However, the tourists must behave in a responsible manner. In particular, they must not discard trash on the streets.
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Shabbir Jun 16, 2021 02:47pm
@Tariq very true.
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Parvez Jun 16, 2021 03:12pm
.... and she is so, so right .
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HashBrown® Jun 16, 2021 03:13pm
@CringeCop "Didn’t you guys throw a fit when some guy said the same thing and broke off his engagement w some third rate Pakistani micro-celebrity? Y’all pick and choose when to speak out. Hypocritee" He was cashing in on her culture, not the other way around. And his remarks were mocking, rather than constructive criticism - it's not hard to tell the difference. By the way, using "y'all" doesn't make you sound progressive - it's just an obnoxious americanism that makes the rest of the world cringe. Which is ironic, given your name...
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Average Citizen Jun 16, 2021 03:23pm
Ofcourse the local people of Hunza would approach a foreign women roaming on a bike to share their concerns about tourists. I don't think there is a language barrier to overcome or the same concerns of vulgarity. White women savior syndrome.
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Ali Jun 16, 2021 04:56pm
I had long hoped that we do not build roads to the north... for we are not ready to enjoy it’s virtues in the way we should. Our north is too precious to be left to those who are not ready to behave. Can not agree more with Gabrielle. We need to preserve the nature and the cultures. And yes , stop the vulgarity for it has no place.
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Zak Jun 16, 2021 05:43pm
I am from the UK. There white people would clean the streets and plant flowers on the foot paths. In Pakistan I've seen shop keepers through cartons plastic bags. dirty fruit on the street. Children through all sorts of Rubbish on the street after buying thing from the sweet shop. These people are junglies and very little education.
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well-wisher Jun 16, 2021 07:42pm
@Aafiyat Nazar PK govt must STOP this destruction of sacred Hunza. If Hunza is lost, PK will be lost too.
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ST Jun 17, 2021 12:21pm
But even if someone wants to throw the trash in a trash bin, there's nothing around. Should be more trash cans everywhere ' , emptied and properly placed.
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Sania ilyas Jun 17, 2021 05:36pm
You are tourists are making our area full of pollutin and beside that they their behaviors are not good toward the local people. I am also from hunza and I will be thankful if there will be some actions taken against the pollution spread by tourists.
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Ali Jun 18, 2021 05:22pm
@Zak ok UK ok
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Erum Aziz Jun 18, 2021 08:21pm
@CringeCop "third rate Pakistani micro-celebrity" was the "first world german blogger only choice". We shouldn't discuss Personal matters in media, because it's purely a Hypocrisy.. By the way Asian are like that, go an visit India..
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Sajjad Jun 19, 2021 10:40am
The local communities in GB in general and Hunza in particular, have been so upset by the negative behaviours of the governments exhibited towards them in many ways for decades because their faiths, culture and traditions as well as their social, economic, physical and natural environments are being seriously spoiled and targeted. Despite huge spending on workshops and seminars on tourism development and tall claimes, yet they have miserably failed to come up with clear rules and regulations to control the bad, uncivilised and notorious tourists coming from the cities of Pakistan. Rather, they keep on facilitating these gangsters in the name of tourism. The local communities have been badly trapped by such elements who find themselves to be helpless on this front because they see their rich cultures are being destroyed and are on the verge of disaster. It is ultimately the responsibility of the governments to prevent and protect the people, their cultures and traditions and their social and physical environments by enforcing the laws, if exist at all. I would rather request the local communities, especially the intellectuals to come forth, leave behind their personal interests and form District and Tehsil-wise Task Forces to help control such negative developments in their areas. The local administrations would need to facilitate these task forces in their actions as per the laws of the land as well as the local cutures. This is time for actions.
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Shazzad Jun 21, 2021 01:08pm
@Erum Aziz Imran Khan with Jemima Goldsmith jew
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