Brainstorming/stereotypes exercise 1/20
"Indigenous" Words: primitive, distinct, language, wise, Africa, long standing, first, oppression, preservation, friendly, endangered, self-sufficient, land rights, traditional, backwards, imperialism, isolated, culture, old, mistreated, small, rustic, community, peoples, simple, music, agriculture, native, Mayan, small numbers, exploited, history, poor, aborigine
Patterns: Primitivity; Not fitting in, world moved on, behind in progress, needy; Struggle; Fight to survive; Romanticism; Donšt live "spurious" lives, noble savage; Separateness; Distinct, specific, particularistic; Remote locations; Fragile vs. Enduring; Passive vs. Assertive; Victimization; Benign
Where do we get these ideas? Media: television shows ("Survivor"), documentaries, National Geographic; Word of mouth; Parents socialize us; Schoo;l Political correctness; Tourism
----
Summary of major assertions in our debate on "What is Indigenous"? 1/25
Questions: What is this authoršs attitude toward the label indigenous? How should it be defined? Who should define indigenous and why?
Kuper
It is an identity being used for political gain
There are inherent contradictions within the indigenous peoples movement about its definition: If you define it as marginalized culture, then Boers have legitimate claim to being indigenous
If you define in racial/blood quantity terms, you have to ask wherešs the scientific evidence
How much blood is enough? One drop? What about Celts? If you identify them by blood quantum, does that mean you should return land to them?
What if they have been assimilated into national culture?
The idea of indigenous is based on muddled anthropology it is meaningless as a scientific term, only understandable as a political term.
Indigenous rights movement is dangerous because it stirs up racial conflict and racism
It creates a situation in which certain racially-defined groups have inalienable rights, while immigrants have no rights. How is this different from apartheid?
Indigenous peoplesš allies are open to criticism for their support of these racist positions
Beteille
Anthropologists have long used and made crucial mistakes in their use of words like "tribe" and "caste" Trying to define "indigenous people" in academic terms only creates intellectual confusion
Every criteria that might be used blood, racial features, etc. donšt hold true and have no scientific basis.
Political correctness is driving this term, that no can really define because it is too blurry and problematic
The term has come to mean priority of settlement, but how many times do people move around and relocate themselves?
The idea of being indigenous comes into being when an immigrant group arrives. But how long does it take for the new immigrant group to itself become indigenous? This is an issue in India where Hinduism itself appears "indigenous" even if it didnšt arrive before some groups.
The intellectual confusion this term breeds obscures the fact that it is changing the world in terms of age-old criteria of blood and soil.
Kenrick and Lewis
There is a de facto definition that appears to work well. It has the following criteria: 1) priority in time with respect to occupation and use of territory 2) voluntary perpetuation of cultural status 3) self-identification 4) it is an underprivileged, marginalized group
In reference to Kuperšs issues, the main difference with Boers and Celts is that this working definition applies to specific groups that think of themselves as separate and distinct from those in power.These groups have been in power.
The indigenous movement is about defending cultural differences and making sure those differences donšt become the basis of marginalization.
It is not about taking rights away from other groups, but seeking equality for marginalized groups.
McIntosh and Colchester
Indigeneity is a necessarily relative term, and defining it too rigidly boxes you into a corner and into binary oppositions so we shouldnšt get bogged down in defintional debates.
An important issue is self-definition (Colchester) if we donšt allow for it, the focus is on our own arguments, not the real issues of discrimination and abuse of rights.
Just as there isnšt one definition of indigeneity, there is not just one solution to the problems facing these people. Everyone is suffering from distinct problems, and we need to be focus on district to district actions. At the same time, we need to work to unite for a common cause amongst these people.