01 June 2009
About This Issue
Whether they are called tribal, Native, or Aboriginal peoples — First Nations, Adivasis, or American Indians — indigenous peoples are ethnic groups who have inhabited particular regions from ancient times. Another common term for these groups is “original inhabitants,” because their residence in a place predates modern history.
As the authors in this issue of eJournal USA make clear, indigenous people worldwide have endured a long history of conquest and colonialism. Native peoples in many lands were decimated or wiped out by war and disease, relocated against their will, their children taken to boarding schools to inculcate “civilized” values. European settlers, for the most part, did not understand or recognize the very different value systems and worldviews of indigenous people in colonized lands. In recent decades a number of governments have acknowledged the damage done over centuries to their Native peoples and sought to redress past wrongs.
These countries have developed legal means for recognizing the rights of indigenous citizens and supporting their economic development and cultural preservation. Non-governmental groups have similarly worked toward these ends. This movement has created, in some places, a renaissance of Native cultures. Further empowerment came on September 13, 2007, when the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, a document negotiated between governments and indigenous peoples over two decades.
Essays in this journal are written mostly by experts descended from indigenous tribes, who speak from the Native point of view. Former Chief of the Cherokee Nation Wilma Mankiller writes of using the past to achieve a strong future for indigenous peoples, where “one of the greatest challenges will be to … pass on traditional knowledge systems.” Yupiaq elder Angayuqaq Oscar Kawagley says, “I grew up as an inseparable part of Nature.” His tribe has harnessed its traditional knowledge to modern science in an effort to adjust to the impact of climate change on their fragile Arctic homeland.
Bruce E. Johansen recounts the story of American Indian nations whose governance practices influenced the founders of the United States, practices that are reflected in the U.S. Constitution. Jace Weaver details the evolving legal relationship of American Indian nations with U.S. state and federal government systems.
Indigenous languages, rich in practical knowledge and spiritual symbolism, embody key elements of diverse cultures, but they are rapidly disappearing. Akira Y. Yamamoto explains why “each and every language is precious” and how they can be preserved. Vine Deloria Jr. and Joseph Bruchac depict the essential reverence of Native cultures for the environment.
Globalization has enabled networking among indigenous groups, helping them establish dialogues outside their local communities. An interview with José Barreiro, National Museum of American Indian (NMAI) director for Latin America; the International Indigenous and American Indian Initiative program at the University of North Texas described by Jonathan Hook; and Shubhranshu Choudhary’s article about citizen journalism by Adivasis in India show aspects of this exchange.
Also, a photo gallery offers a glimpse of indigenous people in arts and society. As NMAI historian and curator Gabrielle Tayac writes, “The brilliance of Native cultures is manifold.”
— The Editors
