ARE YOU SURE ABOUT THE MEANING OF THESE WORDS?
globalization
happiness
technology
family
government
money
progress
land beauty
sustainability
fashion
welfare
solidarity
resources
development THINK AGAIN!
TRIBAL PEOPLES FOR TOMORROW´S WORLD A guide by Stephen Corry The treatment of indigenous and tribal peoples, the world’s largest minority, is a major humanitarian issue. It shapes world history and raises profound questions about what it really means to be human. This book explains who these peoples are, how they live, why governments hate them, and why their disappearance is far from inevitable. It proposes new definitions of `indigenous´ and `tribal´, and looks at many aspects of their lives, including their attitudes to sex, religion, and money. Concepts such as `culture´ and `the noble savage´ are examined, as well as the impact of big business, globalization, backpackers and the Internet. Easily accessible, the book is a distillation of a life’s work. It argues passionately, and controversially, that hunting and nomadism are neither backward nor primitive, but intelligent and conscious choices – and that upholding the law and understanding racist prejudice solves most tribal peoples´ problems. It shines a light on the ground-breaking, but entirely unrecognized, contributions they have already made to the world, and exposes the inconvenient truth that their survival is in everyone’s interested.
This book makes the case that we’ve far more to learn from tribal peoples than we have to teach them. It’s compelling stuff. Colin Firth, Actor
This book is a refreshingly original approach to who tribal peoples really are and the startling contribution they make. Damien Hirst, Artist
Corry has devoted his lifetime of energy and intelligence to the cause of tribal peoples. He offers an astonishing wealth of knowledge and a multitude of insight in language that is clear and yet impassioned. Here is a book that is both fun and luminous Hugh Brody, Anthropologist
A book everyone must read – powerful stories of the harsh realities of both assimilation and rejection of our peoples and our struggles around the world.
Jolene Ashini, Innu
Corry is a liar, devil and loose cannon.
Botswana government ministers (evicting Bushmen from their lands)
In case you need more information about indigenous and tribal peoples you can send us an E-Mail: team@survival-international.de, or visit our website: www.survivalinternational.de. Survival Deutschland, Greifswalder Str 4, 10405 Berlin Tel.:+49 30 72 29 31 08 Fax: +49 30 72 29 73 22 Photos: © Survival; © Fiona Watson/Survival; © Dennison Berwick/Survival; © Selcen Kucukustel; © Arnau Blanch/Survival; © David Hill/Survival; © Lewis Davids/Survival; © Thierry Falise/Survival; © C Fagan/Round River Conservation Studies
CONTENTS OF THE BOOK PREFACE The book takes a fresh look at indigenous peoples. It touches on myriad aspects of the issue, confronting several sensitive topics along the way which many want to remain buried. It presents the con"icting opinions about the most contentious issues. It is not rooted in distant study, but rather in the real world of indigenous peoples today. Initially commissioned by Oneworld Books, Oxford, as a ‘beginner’s guide’, the work is intended as an introduction, and has no references, footnotes or jargon. I hope that some readers will have their interest fanned, and go on to seek further knowledge of, and so sympathy for, these peoples. After all, some tribes undoubtedly face destruction over the next few years. They need understanding, respect, and help. Ironically, although tribal peoples’ problems are often thought to be intractable – a sort of inevitable, historical imperative driven by ‘progress’ – in fact they are easily solved. Simple enforcement of their land rights, as well as changing the opinions of ordinary people is really all it takes. This book is an ambitious one and should declare its bias at the start: it is based on the surprising, though easily provable, fact that the more indigenous and tribal peoples are simply properly understood, the less they will be mistreated, and the more they will be respected as both our very close relatives and a vitally important sector of our great human family. INDEX Preface
i
Acknowledgements
v
Whoa are indigenous and tribal peoples?
1
Genesis and Exodus
34
Live-giving land
45
What´s in a name?
70
Africa
75
Asia
86
Australia & Oceania
99
North America
114
Central America
129
South America
138
Europe
Lifestyles - variations on a theme What are their problems? The world´s response
150
154
202
215
Through a looking glass
245
What on earth do they want?
275
Should they have it?
286
Conclusion
297
About the author
303