White TikToker Slammed For Video Promoting “Conscious Community” Of Tourists In Guatemala

A TikTok from a white woman living in Guatemala as part of a “conscious community” filled with more white people is attracting a lot of controversy online.

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Michelle Rusk started sharing videos of her time working as an event coordinator for Tribal Village earlier this month. 

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The first video that gained traction on Twitter shows off the land and the view, before diving into a tour of the “co-creation community and retreat center” that makes the whole thing look like one big party that never ends.

A bunch of people — who appear to be predominantly white — “work together, play together, sing together, create together, and hang out together,” according to Rusk.

The video didn’t sit right with people online, who accused Rusk and her friends of “colonial tourism.”

Judging by what’s happening in Hawai’i, and Puerto Rico, that’s exactly what they expect.

— Civi Koki (@CiviKoki) March 21, 2021

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Literally the only brown person in the video is a servant.

— the best take haver (@JMH_145) March 21, 2021

Actually how about they go back to Europe and let us Indigenous peoples reclaim our land in the US! That sounds way better, they can take their wh*te supremacy with them.

— kangirciuq (@tumarneq) March 21, 2021

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Love to be fed by a local who likely makes $2 a day

— isi baehr-breen (its pronounced ‘izzy’) (@isaiah_bb) March 21, 2021

Europe doesn’t want these people back. We ask that they stay in their gated Californian communities on daddy’s money and just, like, totally wonder why people aren’t nicer to each otherrrr.

— Chris Hazeldine (@Brotacon) March 21, 2021

It didn’t take long for folks to dig up more information about Tribal Village and drag the entire group for some ridiculousness.

Their rates to stay as a guest were surprisingly low but then they charge or some of he workshops and healing sessions which may or may not be run by people who are in some way tied to the practices. Unsure if Shaft’s Yoni Massages are part of the package. pic.twitter.com/g0GXpuRHW7

— Rage Against The Washing Machine (@jessay) March 22, 2021

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The same thing is happening in Puerto Rico and they talk of service…what do they mean by service?

— Marisol Gomez (@gomezmarisol) March 21, 2021

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Rusk has posted other videos of her life in Guatemala following the one that first gained attention, and they’re all receiving the same sort of negative pushback.

“POV: you’re actually Christopher Columbus in the 21st century,” one user commented on this TikTok:

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A video showing what Rusk’s “life be like” drew criticisms that colonizing appears to be her “aesthetic,” whereas one TikTok with over two million views called what she and Tribal Village are doing—and posting— “colonial violence but rebranded for millennials.”

“How are you still posting these videos?” one person asked. “Are you not conscious of what everyone is saying?”

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*First Published: March 23, 2021, 10:21 am