Hot whatever summer™ is here, and many folks are excitedly planning the travel adventures that they missed during the bleakest moments of the pandemic. We want to see — and feel like we’re part of — the big world again. But while a lot of destinations benefit financially from tourism, for locals, having a bunch of clueless visitors trampling around your city can be disheartening. No one wants to be that tourist, disrespecting locals and their homes just to snap some Instagram pics and check landmarks off a to-see list. Plus, when we travel without acknowledging the people who helped make these places what they are today and the indigenous communities that have largely been erased, we miss out on the opportunity to experience a place authentically and discover the underground spots that are way cooler than the tourist traps. The good news: Activist tour guides around the country are helping visitors see the hidden histories of America’s most loved cities.
Lola Jean Darling, a 39-year-old hattukholba (trans woman) in Bulbancha — a.k.a. New Orleans — offers walking tours that center the Indigenous roots of the city. Bulbancha, which generally translates to “place of many tongues,” is one of the original names for New Orleans, because it was the gathering place for many different Indigenous tribes. Darling is a member of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, and she says she doesn’t really consider the tours she offers her job, per say; rather, they’re just part of how she lives her life. That’s reflected in how each walk comes to be. There’s no formal schedule or booking system; sometimes Darling proactively plans walks and partners with local groups to spread the word, but people interested in a tour can also direct message her on social media to arrange something.
