Machu Picchu: The Extraordinary and Ordinary

Visiting Machu Piccu today was EXTRAORDINARY! I am grateful to have gotten the chance to read Mark Rice’s Making of Machu Piccu beforehand because it provided context that made me think of the historical site differently. It is truly a wonder why Maccu Piccu has become internationally recognized to such a degree that it is now considering the other amazing historical sites in Peru. Before arriving to Peru, I often heard of how Macchu Piccu was a testament to the Incan’s advanced architectural and engineering skills. However, after seeing many other Incan sites such as Sascayhuaman, and Moray which used more complex stone-cutting techniques, it led me to ponder the impact of the narrative that was used to bolster Macchu Picchu’s popularity using stories that are appealing to tourists. A quote that came to mind during our tour was on page 47 of Making Macchu Piccu:

“Dean MacCannell notably described tourism as the creation of a “staged authenticity” that strives to meet the tourist’s expectations of how a site or event should appear rather than actually portraying reality itself.”

This idea of staged authenticity came up throughout the course when we discussed tourism, commodification, and the making and unmaking of indigeneity. In the context of Making Macchu Picchu, and tourism in general “staged authenticity” speaks to how tourists may come with preconceived notions when visiting sites such as Macchu Picchu, and much of the promotion and rhetoric revolving around the site emphasizes or even fabricates certain elements to appeal to consumers, rather than portraying the site authentically.

During our tour, much of the information our guide focused on seemed to counter my initial assumptions which were to speak about the grandness and uniqueness of Machu Picchu. Instead, our guide dispelled many of the myths surrounding Macchu Picchu such as how it is an extremely complex and unique structure. While Macchu Picchu is certainly impressive, we were informed about how Macchu Piccu was much easier to construct than the structures in Cusco because the stones the Incans used were found at the site itself; the Incans did not have to haul the stones from miles away, thereby being less strenuous to construct. Moreover, because of the consistent rainfall that the region receives, complex irrigation channels were not necessary and the people who lived in the area did not have to collect or store water for their agricultural needs. Additionally, most of the walls of Macchu Piccu were made using a simpler stone construction technique where the stones did not fit perfectly together and were broken into smaller pieces to form the walls, as opposed to the Incan walls we see in Cusco, where the stones were intricately carved to match perfectly with the surrounding stones. I appreciate the informative tour we got because it seemed to expose the distorted reality of Macchu Piccu that we often get with the idealized narrative. MacCannell's concept critiques the practice of staging authenticity because the true significance of the site or event can be obscured or diluted. It raises questions about whether tourism should prioritize authenticity in its original form or cater to tourists' expectations. Overall, MacCannell's description highlights how tourism often transforms authentic sites or experiences into carefully managed spectacles designed to fulfill tourists' expectations, even if it means sacrificing the genuine historical or cultural integrity of the place.