Native American Culture Center (NACC)

In this day and age where cultures and customs have been diluted, a reconnection with ones cultural heritage will be a refreshing and welcome idea. Our cultures need to be preserved and taught to generations to come so as they can appreciate their values and feel a sense of identity. Popular cultures are slowly eroding traditional cultures, some of which have been totally swallowed up. The Native American Culture Centre is one such organization that strives to preserve the Native American cultural heritage. The success of such an organization largely depends on how it interacts with its stakeholders as well as how it handles external and internal factors that face the organization. This paper seeks to give background information of NACC with relation to its interactions with stakeholders.

If this sample essay on"Native American Culture Center (NACC)" doesn’t help,
our writers will!

Trust an expert

NACC falls within the hospitality category as it offers services to locals and tourists alike who visit to learn about native cultural heritage as well as unwind from the pressures of jobs. The hospitality industry seeks to identify customer needs and seek ways of best meeting these needs. Poor customer service might create a negative image of the cultural centre and in the process reduce the number of visitors to the centre. To determine how best to meet its mission and attain its vision, NACC should employ SWOT analysis to gauge its progress as well as to identify the areas that need improvements. SWOT analysis is a too, for identifying an organizations strengths and the available opportunities in its environment to be exploited, the internal weaknesses of the organization that needs to be improved as well as the threats facing the organization (Native American blog National Relief Charities, 2016).

NACC offers the opportunity for natives to work and learn their culture, as well as for tourists to learn and appreciate new cultures. One of the biggest strengths for the cultural centre would be its authenticity, being the only cultural organization that seeks to preserve Native American culture for generations. As such, it has the potential for offering quality experience and in the process bring about economic, social and educational benefits to the locals. The centre could use maps and artifacts to tell the history of the native tribes and how European infiltration and settlement altered their cultures and way of life. To strengthen this, such practices as dancing, carving and games could be performed to entertain the tourists and keep the culture alive. The centre could employ knowledgeable staff to tell the tribes ways of life such as religion and how they preserved the environment. This will not only make it an entertaining experience but educative as well. NACC mission is to document and convey the history of the native tribes using educational programs and the preservation of historic artifacts as well as scenic, natural landscapes ("Social Networking Use", 2012).

One of the major weaknesses facing the cultural centre is the erratic weather conditions that might not be favorable for tourist activities. Poor weather conditions imply that only the locals can visit the centre, drastically reducing the number of visitors. Summer is the only season that the centre experiences a maximum inflow of tourists. Lack of adequate lodging facilities is also one of the major weaknesses facing the centre.

Proper management of the centre can present a great opportunity to attract an increased flow of tourists. The heightened interest to learn new cultures by the tourists as well as for the locals to learn their own cultures can be tapped by the management to increase sales. Extending the duration of visitors stay during cultural events such as games will add to their satisfaction and will be encouraged to visit often. Increasing the frequency of special events will attract visits even during the low season and improve the centres visibility. The sale of such merchandise as t-shirts and carvings can also go a long way in boosting the attractiveness of the centre. The social media can also be used as a platform for popularizing the culture center. As a vast majority of users (76 percent of adult users) are now connected on social sites, the center can showcase its activities in such platforms so as to create awareness and increase the number of visitors ("SWOT Analysis: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats", 2014).

The biggest threat facing the center is cultural dilution caused by popular culture. With the spread of technology and easy access to digital media, many people, especially the youth have been influenced to ape western cultures popularized by the media. In so doing, customs and cultural practices are ignored in favor of fame and popular lifestyles portrayed by celebrities. Individualistic tendencies, for instance, will be promoted and easily adopted instead of communal lifestyle which is a common phenomenon among the native tribes.

The majority of Americans are interested in learning the cultures of the natives and understanding their ways of life prior to European domination and influence. One way to get a glimpse of the native culture is by visiting the cultural center so as to learn and experience firsthand their ways of life and customs. The center is mainly concerned with the preservation of native culture and seeks to maximize the utility derived for any visitor by offering quality education services, tours, and games.

References

Native American blog National Relief Charities, N. (2016). Two Worlds: Native Culture Preservation A Native American / American Indian Blog by Partnership With Native Americans. Native American / American Indian Blog by Partnership With Native Americans. Retrieved 12 August 2016, from http://blog.nativepartnership.org/two-worlds-native-culture-preservation/

Social Networking Use. (2012). Pew Research Center. Retrieved 12 August 2016, from http://www.pewresearch.org/data-trend/media-and-technology/social-networking-use/

SWOT Analysis: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. (2014). Early Childhood Knowledge and Learning Center. Retrieved 12 August 2016, from https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-system/operations/mang-sys/planning/2SWOTAnalysisS.htm