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Wednesday's conversation in class demonstrated that people have varied interests in the lives of indigenous peoples. The readings from Ken Coates' A Global History of Indigenous Peoples should help establish some key defining points and issues: How are indigenous peoples distinguished from others? What political, social, and economic attributes and challenges do they share?
During the course of the semester, we'll also explore the question: How has modern mainstream culture built on its relation to the indigenous?
This will be most interesting if you take the opportunity to explore examples you've chosen according to your own interests. To get started, I've asked you to think about this question:
How do indigenous peoples represent themselves and their key interests to the rest of the contemporary world, particularly through Internet communications?
For September 14, please find, share, and briefly explain on this blog at least one website that represents an indigenous people anywhere on earth, or an organization, association or publication devoted to indigenous people’s issues. Along with the title and URL of the website, offer a brief explanation of what resources may be found there or what may be learned from the site. State why the issue or perspective offered is important.
To the extent possible, select something actually generated and controlled by indigenous peoples and their representatives--not a study or commentary from outside. If you're in any doubt about the operating definition of "indigenous," refer to Coates' Introduction for guidance.
(Try casting a wide net at first: Check out a lot of sites before selecting one to share. Try searching indigenous along with a topic you're especially curious about: natural resources, art, tattooing, religion, subsistence, politics . . . )
Please post by 9 am on Wednesday, September 14, so that everyone has a chance to read it before class. There is no need to bring a copy to class--we'll use these blog entries to start our in-class workshop. It will be helpful if you bring a laptop computer to class with you on that date.
PS
ReplyDeleteI hope this exercise pursues our goals by allowing you to:
1) frame research topics according to your own particular interests and aspirations
2) find, evaluate, and assimilate new knowledge
3) consider the media of transmission and the context for new knowledge
4) start a discussion with others about both the selected topic and how we learn what we learn
If it's unclear how this exercise does so, or if you have any ideas about what might work better, be sure to let me know--here or by email to: bwelt@corcoran.org
Thanks.
After thinking about how indigenous peoples might represent themselves through Internet communications and taking into account the reading for this week, I found a website called the Indigenous Environmental Network (IEN). The site was started by grassroots Indigenous peoples in the 1990s. I found that the IEN helps inform people by “organizing campaigns, direct actions and public awareness, building the capacity of community and tribes to address EJ issues, development of initiatives to impact policy, and building alliances among Indigenous communities… and much more.” The indigenous peoples understand that any type of media will help them get their voices heard around the world. On their home page you will find a video called “The Indigenous Call: Take back our future” which is a very moving video. The video reminded me of the situation mentioned in Ken S. Coates, A Global History of Indigenous Peoples Struggle and Survival, when he describes occupying nations’ “throwing indigenous people in jail for commonplace act.” In the video, the indigenous people are only voicing their opinion, informing others of what was going on and doing no harm to anyone. Despite the fact that it was a peaceful protest, the demonstrators are being escorted away one by one by the police. This is just one example that very little has changed over the years and they are still struggling with the same problems their ancestors faced ages ago. The site helps illuminate not only the struggle to define what “indigenous” means, but also what the rights of indigenous peoples are.
ReplyDeletewebsite link: http://www.ienearth.org/
Caitlin:
ReplyDeleteA great example and a great site. Indigenous people from Canada and the US have just been protesting a couple of blocks from where our class meets, as the lead story at the site describes. Thanks for bringing it to everyone's attention.
Despite the wide variety of statements and discrepancies regarding the ideas about indigenous people in the book “A Global History of Indigenous People,” only people who can truly be called indigenous are those whose lives are entirely dependent on natural and environmental resources. These people usually live traditionally in their own small complex, with specific rules, customs, and beliefs. Although these people are only 6% of the worldwide population, due to the rapidly expansion of civilization and also, the influence of modernity on rural life, the number of aboriginal indigenous people must be much fewer than what has been statistically declared.
ReplyDeleteThroughout the reading and research about indigenous people, the following points and relative videos became significant to me. I feel that these videos are relevant to and can add something to our discussions about indigenous people.
- Originality of indigenous people.
- Force of the contemporary world to transform indigenous people, “either intentionally or unintentionally.”
- Inconsistency of civilized societies and primitive life.
- Conflict of some harsh traditional costumes with ethics and humanities.
The links below are some report done by TV Al-Jazeera about indigenous tribes in the Amazon.
'Uncontacted' tribe found in Brazil's Amazon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeItzzlkOuoo&feature=relmfu
Brazil's indigenous want more land - 10 Jun 09
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOih9a5CYII
Brazil's flying doctors 03 Feb 09
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=-yiHHx3VAu4
Brazil indigenous fight for return of blood - 28 Jan 09
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWd_a8ULLHA&feature=relmfu
Female Circumcision Is A Must In This Village
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5z-PnwJ0_xk
SEP13, 2011
http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/
ReplyDeleteUnited Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
Purpose: “The UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues is an advisory body to the Economic and Social Council, with a mandate to discuss indigenous issues related to economic and social development, culture, the environment, education, health and human rights.”
The UNPFII website contains information surrounding their mission of serving as an advisory board to the Economic and Social Council, focusing their attention on all things related to indigenous peoples. Upon visiting the website, visitors will find a list of current members, mission statement, history, and information about topics being covered in current meeting sessions.
Having a voice in the United Nations council is imperative to all peoples. Since the laws created and help offered during hearings applies to such a large group of people, it’s important to have a voice in all decisions made.
I decided to focus heavily on the word, 'represents' in the question. One tribe in particular, viewed as the most un-contacted is the Sentinelese peoples. Through research their group has shown little intereest in the modern world. Even when contacted and given a gift, coconuts, towards the end of the encounter their tribe made a gester commonly known to the surrounding people of move away or you should leave in essence.
ReplyDeleteMany of the sites available are dedicated to preserving the Sentinelese peoples and making sure that they are left alone. They live off an island outside of India. One of the only and few contacts made with them resulted the Sentinelese peoples becoming sick, likely due to not being immune to common colds and illnesses we are capable of living through. A major driving factor of several of the sites is to point out that, two other tribes similar to the Sentinelese peoples have been contacted and now live in poverty and rely solely on government aid. Most recent photographs of the Sentinelese peoples show quite a different outcome from not being contacted. Most appear to be very strong and healthy.
Some time ago India was hit with a tsunami and the Sentinelese peoples island they inhabit was hit hard. The tribe / peoples still remain and have been spotted via helicopter.
In the 1990s after the group of people tried to make contact with gifts of coconuts a barrier was placed around the island and anyone trespassing would be in violation of the local laws.
I know the question went into more detail about wanting to know more about the aspects of the tribe such as religion, but little was available. It is said they could possibly have lived on the island for 60,000 years and be direct descendants of the first African civilizations.
Resources
http://www.andaman.org/BOOK/chapter8/text8.htm#sentineli
Chapter 8 is on The Sentineli
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sentinelese_people
Wiki is lose with information and requires more references. Mainly used for a starting point.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/01/0125_050125_tsunami_island.html
Brief notes about the peoples and their possible ancestry through DNA evidence.
http://www.nativeweb.org/
ReplyDeleteNative Web is a nonprofit website and organization that hosts different websites created by indigenous people from around the globe. “Our purpose: to provide a cyber-place for Earth's indigenous peoples.”
This site is still growing, the more groups that join and create a page to communicate through the internet, the larger this organization will become. This also means that more information straight from the indigenous people to other people from many different cultural backgrounds. As of right now there are 58 sites to visit within Native Web.
These websites made by of certain tribes or villages contains different types of information. Including photographs, traditions, the languages, lands, constitutional rights, art, history, etc.
http://hopi.org/
ReplyDeleteThe website is dedicated to the Hopi Indians of northern Arizona. The purpose of the site is to help raise awareness and aide for the Hopi people and to help restore their villages. You can get involved and go help with the restoration efforts through donations or going to a Hopi village and help with construction projects which mainly consist of repairs.
The Hopi people follow strict religious beliefs, and if going to a Hopi village cameras of any type are forbidden. Also it is considered rude to look into windows of a house, most religious ceremonies are closed to the public unless otherwise stated, and it's even considered disrespectful to touch their shrines. The website explains all of this and tells about how one would go about traveling to a Hopi village.
Does anyone else see the irony in this? A day to promote and protect the rights of the WORLD'S indigenous population...aren't we all that?
ReplyDelete"The International Day of the World's Indigenous People is observed on August 9 each year to promote and protect the rights of the world’s indigenous population. This event also recognizes the achievements and contributions that indigenous people make to improve world issues such as environmental protection. It was first pronounced by the General Assembly of the United Nations in December 1994, marking the day of the first meeting of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations of the Subcommission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, in 1982."
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Day_of_the_World%E2%80%99s_Indigenous_People
And yes, I know, wikipedia is not the greatest source, but it is often a good place to get some research leads.
Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) http://www.itk.ca/
ReplyDeleteThe Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (ITK) website identifies itself as the national Inuit organization in Canada, and claims to represent 55,000 Inuit in four regions – Nunatsiavut (Labrador), Nunavik (northern Quebec), Nunavut, and the Inuvialuit Settlement Region in the Northwest Territories.
Since 1971 the ITK has worked as a national advocacy organization to help improve sustainable Arctic science and lobby as the political voice of the Inuit people. ITK's primary focus is environmental and centered on climate change and Arctic science, however the site diverse site content varies across a broad spectrum of needs of Inuit people and visitors. Content varies from education, art, and employment posts and links, to suicide prevention and current events pertinent to Inuit people.
Their website is current, with postings, podcasts, videos, blogs and links in the past few weeks. It is clean, organized, non-threatening, aesthetically pleasing, and simple to navigate without a polished Madison Avenue style. ITK has kept up with current technology and taken advantage of one click modern social networking and advertising mediums, such as facebook and Twitter and a vast number of other sharing options as a means of outreach. They have also provided their annual report and four different ways to donate money. The organization appears to be taking a very low key vanilla approach to speaking out on issues that impact Inuit people. Given their small population, being a small quiet, polite organization asking for things may in fact be an effective approach for lobbying the Canadian government and industry.
Survival International www.survivalinternational.org
ReplyDeleteIn my research for this assignment, one of the websites I visited for potential leads to actual indigenous websites, was Survival International. The site was non-threatening, name dropping, and chock full of vague language boasting their global support. They also sell a coffee table style book of beautiful photos and essays about indigenous people. The site described the book as follows:
We are One is both a portrait of the beauty and diversity of tribal peoples, and a call to arms that raises many of the contemporary humanitarian and environmental issues inherent in their fight for survival: the growing universal need to place human values over economic ones; climate change and the destruction of rainforests; why western notions of ‘progress’ and ‘development’ should be redefined and why the tribal values of balance, humility and reciprocity are more important than ever in today’s world.
“This is one of the most inspiring books I have ever seen. It captures with beautiful words and pictures a side of humanity that is rarely visible to many living in modern industrial societies. Not only does it convey another way of looking at the world, but demonstrates how the monoculture of western consumerism has, in the pursuit of material gain, lost so much.”
- Tony Juniper, Prince of Wales's Rainforest Project
http://www.survivalinternational.org/weareone
I was reminded of the ridiculous scenes from the first few minutes of the movie Get Him to the Greek, and the lyrics of the movie's starting song, African Child:
"I have crossed the mystic desert to snap pictures of the poor,
I've invited 'em to brunch, let 'em crash out on my floor,
there's sunshine in my veins, my kitchen's filled with flies,
I'm crying out in vain, like a little African child trapped in me,
there's a little African child trapped in me."
The disconnect between the classes and world's populations is further satirized in the interview scene where the main character, Aldous Snow, said, "I was watching the news one day and I saw footage about war in - I think it was Darfur, or Zimbabwe, or Rawanda, one of them. And I just thought, 'this isn't right.' And I made some phone calls and it turns out...it isn't ."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFHOzarT78Q
Survival International's website made me feel cynical about it all, and the video of the woman describing the coffee table book was very much like Aldous Snow's attitude. I could see people buying this book, liking their facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/survival), and then feeling as though they have made an impact or a difference in the lives of some remote distant people when all they've done is clicked and poured money into a glossy marketing money making venture.
I don't know that we'll make much of a difference here in Savages! but perhaps we will in our future endeavors.