On a not so fine day, if the government storms down on you and begins to throw you out of your job, grab your land and bring down your house for no apparent reason, you will feel outraged. Won’t you? This is what is happening to the 370 million indigenous peoples spread across the globe. Like some bizarre beasts hunted by the knights in the past, these traditional societies are being driven to extinction by their own brothers who call themselves civilized. World over, animal activists and environmentalists are worried that many species of animals that have ornamented this earth for centuries are now fast dying a silent death. These virtuous people have been voicing their concerns about the drastic effect of this rapid loss on the whole of humanity.
The indigenous tribes are also important to their ecosystems in the same way. By virtue of their lack of sophistication and ability to manipulate the natural resources around them they have found a way of life that is harmonious with the environment. Their rituals and practices have themselves have become a part of the fragile balances of nature that maintains a stable ecosystem.
The effects of the global change are first felt in these groups due to their greater dependency on nature. Their understanding of the changes is much more profound and closer to the truth for the same reason. These changes create catastrophes in these small communities and the wreckage left has nothing to salvage. Sometimes these archaic civilizations can teach precious bits of knowledge to our advanced scientific race.
In the pursuit of technological success we are inexorably devouring these small collections of ancient heritage all over the earth. The FAO and the GIAHS are actively involved in helping these indigenous people stand tall in their own lands. By profitable amendments to the local law and through international co=operation the agencies have begun to encourage the rural cultures in countries like Peru, Chile and China. Like they say history repeats itself, so better learn from it.
Source: Biopact
