Two years ago, my friend, Penelope Toh, went on a group tour to Taiwan, Hualien with her family and cultural show was included in the package. She had a first-hand cultural dance experience with the Amis. To a certain extent, Penelope felt that Amish culture is authentic and genuine as the Ami are dressed in their traditional costumes, ready to convey their culture through interactive and engaging performances, plays and dance.
On the flipside, Penelope shared that Amish culture and traditions are certainly more than just the cultural dance and bridal ceremony. However, the Ami only showcased the most entertaining elements of their culture. Furthermore, they moderated and shortened the show so that it appears appealing to the tourists. This results in simplification of the Amish culture.
Accordingly to Penelope, Amish culture has also been commodified as she highlighted that tourist experiences are transformed into tangible commodities. For example, taking pictures and putting it into a frame to sell it to tourists at a price as souvenirs.
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