Indigenous People

Indigenous peoples

“The provision of basic material needs is not sufficient to make minority groups and indigenous peoples feel they are truly part of the greater national entity. For that they have to be confident that they too have an active role to play in shaping the destiny of the state that demands their allegiance."
Aung San Suu Kyi

“Indigenous” is the generic term for “first peoples” – those peoples who are deemed to be the original inhabitants of lands. In Australia, the Indigenous people prefer the more distinctive identifier, “Aboriginal” or “Torres Strait Islander”.

Historically, most Indigenous peoples have become ethnic minorities as a result of an invasion by a stronger group or power. As a consequence, they generally lose their land, food sources and means of livelihood. The ensuing clash of cultures and competition for resources often leads to the dominant group killing the Indigenous peoples or ‘containing’ them on restricted reservations. Invariably, they face pressure to assimilate into the new mainstream culture. The Indigenous people then have to begin the long battle to maintain their cultural identity while seeking to achieve an equal status with those who have stolen their land and inheritance.

This movement towards self-determination by Indigenous peoples is a struggle not only between political groups but between different ways of looking at the world. While modern culture tends to regard the natural world as a resource to be commercialised, many Indigenous communities retain a strong spiritual connection with the land. Understanding this connection may be essential not only for the wellbeing of Indigenous people, but to ensure a sustainable future for all humanity.

One thing that is abundantly clear is that the dispossession of Indigenous peoples and the removal of their control over land, livelihood and social mores creates a spiritual and physical destruction which is very difficult to reverse or remedy through governmental economic or social policies.

A very important step is to work towards a reconciliation between those parties who have historically been estranged and unequal. In many countries, this is seen to be pragmatically achievable when mutual respect and shared responsibility are demonstrated at all levels. The process of reconciliation relies upon trust and a strong belief that different communities can live side by side in a peaceful and productive manner. This is a process that we seek for the world as a whole - as individuals, as communities, and as nations.

Learning about Indigenous peoples

There are many programs around the world which are active in making the plight and wisdom of Indigenous peoples known.

The Center for World Indigenous Studies seeks to improve our understanding of Indigenous peoples worldwide. Three other agencies that offer background perspectives are the United Nations’ Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, the International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs and the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization.

For links to Indigenous issues try the WWW Virtual Library on Indigenous Studies and Native Web.

Human rights are a major issue for so many people in our world, but this is especially true for Indigenous communities. The People's Movement for Human Rights Education provides a summary on rights and governmental obligations for ethnic minorities.

Many groups are fighting to advance the rights of Indigenous peoples – amongst the best known are: Survival International, Minority Rights Groups International and Cultural Survival.

Along with the struggle for basic human rights there is also a movement for the recognition and retention of Indigenous knowledge. Three organisations that are working to foster this are the Indigenous Knowledge and Development Network, the Science and Development Network and the World Bank’s Indigenous Knowledge Program.

The close association between Indigenous peoples and their environment and the threats to this relationship is of concern to organisations such as the Indigenous Environment Network, the Forest Peoples Programme and the Honor the Earth.

The Australian picture

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have lived in Australia for over 40,000 years. Yet, today, most live as second class citizens in their own land, measurably disadvantaged in terms of social and economic criteria.

For general background on Indigenous Australians: the Australian Museum site offers a broad overview of the culture and history, the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Educational Website provides more detail, and the European Network for Indigenous Australian Rights is one of the best locations for accessing a wide range of articles and news. IndigOz is the primary search engine for links specific to this subject.

To monitor current news, look at the National Indigenous Times, Koori Mail and Land Rights News and listen to the National Indigenous Radio Service or the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s Message Stick.

There are so many human rights issues that affect Indigenous Australians. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice page of the Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission documents them in their annual Social Justice Report. The Social Justice Report 2002 deals with a key issue for all Indigenous peoples - the attainment of self-determination. Also, you should check out the Action for Aboriginal Rights site. Health is another area of particular concern and you can find out more at the Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet site.

To catch up on current Australian Government in relation to Indigenous Affairs, go to the Indigenous Portal.

In Australia, the process of reconciliation has been much discussed in recent years. A former Governor-General, Sir William Deane, spoke eloquently on the topic in a talk - Some signposts from Daguragu. The Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation and the New South Wales Reconciliation Council sites will keep you up-to-date with the current situation.

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Learning about Indigenous peoples

The Australian picture