Local Indigenous Populations Research Articles

Oil sparks in the Amazon: local conflicts, indigenous populations, and natural resources

Oil sparks in the Amazon: local conflicts, indigenous populations, and natural resources

Problems in Human Rights and Large Dams

This was intended to be included in Anton & Shelton, Environmental Problems and Human Rights (Cambridge, 2011), but space limitations forced its omission from the printed text. Among large infrastructure projects, damming rivers to provide hydroelectric power have been the source of considerable conflict between governments and the people who are affected by such projects, especially those forced to relocate. In many instances dams are built in pristine natural areas, destroying or degrading nature reserves, indigenous lands and/or archaeological sites. Increasing opposition to large dams has resulted in national and international litigation, as well as substantial changes in the practices of international financial institutions. This case study looks at the case of the Narmada dam in India, as it has evolved over time in response to public action, national litigation, and challenges to World Bank financing. In reading these materials, consider the following issues: (1) In developing countries, do the benefits of flood control and the provision of renewable energy outweigh the environmental and human rights impacts of large dams? (2) Can equal or greater benefits be achieved by alternative development projects that have fewer negative impacts on the environment and human rights? (3) By what procedures and substantive measures can the negative impacts be avoided or mitigated? (4) Even if there are considerable benefits to hydroelectric projects, should certain locations be off-limits to the construction of large dams? If so, what are the relevant criteria by which to decide? (5) How should the rights of local communities and indigenous populations be safeguarded?

Janne Lahti. Cultural Construction of Empire: The U.S. Army in Arizona and New Mexico.

In this book Janne Lahti brings more fully into western military history the officers and enlisted men who served in the American Southwest during the 1870s and 1880s, the women who accompanied them, and the local populations they encountered there. This volume is a welcome addition to the scholarship, especially for those whose studies have focused on the U.S. Northwest, as it reveals the particular difficulties faced by soldiers serving in the Southwest in the late nineteenth century: lack of building materials and food products, difficulty of transport and communication, language barriers with the local indigenous and Hispanic populations, and ongoing conflicts with the Apache in particular. At the same time, Lahti reveals the plight of the Apache, and the concessions and compromises many of them accepted in order to survive as a people. Despite the author's suggestion to the contrary, the volume does begin somewhat chronologically with chapters on the nineteenth-century transformation of Apacheria into the American Southwest and the initial movement of the U.S. Army into the region. The balance of the book concentrates on interactions, in every possible combination, between Anglo-American military members, their dependents, Hispanics, and Native Americans—all of whom called the Southwest home, at least for a time. Among the most compelling is Lahti's discussion of the Apache scouts, who saw service in the U.S. Army, albeit unofficial and without privileges or benefits, as their best means of survival. In keeping with the volume's theme, Lahti refers to these Apache scouts as “colonized labor,” part of the greater postcolonial movement at work in the region.

Tigers, Tiger Spirits and Were-tigers in Tribal Orissa

In the last years, several tiger sightings have been reported in rural areas of Orissa, in both villages and market towns. According to local rangers, such an anomalous behaviour is due to an unprecedented growth of the tiger's population, and the consequent need for more territory. Conversely, local indigenous populations (adivasi) look at the strange conduct of these animals as a manifestation of the presence of the spirits of the jungle. Alternatively, this is believed to be a peculiar phenomenon of therianthropy, that is, a metamorphosis in which a human animal takes the form of big cat (Oriya: palta bagha). In this article I will discuss were-tigers and rituals to counter such transformations among the Kondhs. On the one hand, I will explore how colonial literature reported incidents of therianthropy in Orissa and how such phenomena were dealt with. On the other, I will present and discuss my own ethnographies of were-tigers, a field of research I engaged with in the last 12 years in Orissa. The analysis of the presence of the tiger and the ways it interacts with the religion and culture of the Kondhs reveal previously unexplored areas of inquiry. The tiger is the symbol and essence of nature but it also represents its power. As such, it is dynamic, chaotic and creative. By assuming a divine form, the tiger becomes the Goddess, and thus serves as a point of contact for further explorations of Eastern Saktism, tribal culture and variegated patterns of popular Hindu folklore.

Geoheritage and Geoparks: One (Australian) Woman’s Point of View

Geology and landscape profoundly influence society, civilization and cultural diversity on our planet. The subtle relationships between peoples have changed irrevocably since our species began its journey in the Ice Age. The last 10,000 years have been a boom time: we planted crops, domesticated animals and built cities; population burgeoned; and in most places, the link to the land was lost. Important geological places (geosites) help us to rekindle and remember our place. Our geoheritage, now with the added designation of ‘Geoparks’, needs to reflect this intimate relationship: by helping people refind their roots and learning from early and indigenous people through their experiences to answer modern challenges, such as surviving climate change. The Geopark concept has brought economic revitalization to many rural regions, assisting local communities and indigenous populations, and added a new tool for geoconservation. In particular, women are being empowered to pursue new lines of work and to get involved in the Geopark process. Examples from Australian, Chinese, European and Iranian Geoparks show how the Global Geopark Network is supporting UNESCO ideals for women in the twenty-first century. This trend is important because women are traditionally the primary educators of children and they bring different perspectives to understanding geoheritage and to the Geopark process.

Sustainable tourism, justice and an ethic of care: toward the Just Destination

While a strong knowledge base has developed in sustainable tourism, theoretical links to justice and ethics have been slow to emerge at the destination level, especially about fairness, equity and justice for disadvantaged local groups, including poor, minority and indigenous populations. This paper draws upon, and justifies the use of several key philosophical traditions and social-political perspectives on justice to tackle this issue. A case study illustrates a range of justice issues experienced by local Mayan residents in Quintana Roo, Mexico, related to procedural and distributive justice, fairness and equity in the development and marketing of their natural and cultural heritage for tourism, as well as discriminatory and exclusionary practices toward that ethnic minority. Together, theoretical and empirical insights corroborate the need for a justice-oriented framework that addresses the social and cultural well-being of disadvantaged populations, and attempts to ensure that the poor are better off through tourism development and marketing. Following Rawls’ concept of justice, and linked to Fainstein's Just City, a preliminary framework, based on a joint ethic of justice and care, is outlined to guide tourism development, marketing and policy making in the Just Destination and to offer performative resistance to a globalized culture of consumption.

Indigenous children from three countries with non-cystic fibrosis chronic suppurative lung disease/bronchiectasis

Indigenous children in developed countries are at increased risk of chronic suppurative lung disease (CSLD), including bronchiectasis. We evaluated sociodemographic and medical factors in indigenous children with CSLD/bronchiectasis from Australia, United States (US), and New Zealand (NZ). Indigenous children aged 0.5-8 years with CSLD/bronchiectasis were enrolled from specialist clinics in Australia (n = 97), Alaska (n = 41), and NZ (n = 42) during 2004-2009, and followed for 1-5 years. Research staff administered standardized parent interviews, reviewed medical histories and performed physical examinations at enrollment. Study children in all three countries had poor housing and sociodemographic circumstances at enrollment. Except for increased household crowding, most poverty indices in study participants were similar to those reported for their respective local indigenous populations. However, compared to their local indigenous populations, study children were more often born prematurely and had both an increased frequency and earlier onset of acute lower respiratory infections (ALRIs). Most (95%) study participants had prior ALRI hospitalizations and 77% reported a chronic cough in the past year. Significant differences (wheeze, ear disease and plumbed water) between countries were present. Indigenous children with CSLD/bronchiectasis from three developed countries experience significant disparities in poverty indices in common with their respective indigenous population; however, household crowding, prematurity and early ALRIs were more common in study children than their local indigenous population. Addressing equity, especially by preventing prematurity and ALRIs, should reduce risk of CSLD/bronchiectasis in indigenous children.

Non-explosive, dome-forming eruptions at Mt. Taranaki, New Zealand

Volcanic domes may be emplaced rapidly and with few hazardous consequences, even at the summit of large stratovolcanoes. In this study the most recent activity of Mt. Taranaki in New Zealand is shown to have been a passive effusion of a c. 5.9 million m 3 lava dome with minor associated explosions and little syn-eruptive hazard. This event, the Sisters eruption, appears to have been unrecorded by local indigenous populations but likely occurred between A.D. 1785 and 1820. The magma erupted is chemically distinct from the preceding A.D. 1755 Tahurangi eruption. Based on breakdown of hornblende crystal rims, the Sisters magma was probably only four days outside the hornblende stability field before cooling, and the magma ascended its last four km along a conduit at rates of 0.012 ms − 1 . Based on dome surface morphology, a relatively low-viscosity magma is inferred. The dome remained in a metastable state for up to 70 years following the eruption; eventually generating a large, cool (< 350 °C) collapse of at least 2 million m 3 of rock, forming a highly hazardous mass flow that travelled over 5 km. Factors contributing to the post-eruption dome instability include: its emplacement onto a steep flank of unconsolidated breccia or talus, possible oversteepening, fracturing due to spreading and subsidence, rapid cooling during heavy rain, and a hydrothermally altered inner core. The likely trigger for the collapse was a heavy rainstorm or an earthquake. Volcanic domes in the summit regions of volcanoes must be considered metastable and a potential source for hazardous, non-eruption related mass flows for many decades following their emplacement.

New Kinds of Land Conflict in Urban Cameroon: the Case of the ‘landless’ Indigenous Peoples in Yaoundé

ABSTRACTThe land disputes in Cameroon that are best known are between groups of local (indigenous) populations and people originating from elsewhere (incomers). This situation is fairly common in the cosmopolitan towns of Douala and Yaoundé. The purpose of this article is not to revisit these types of conflict, but rather to explore conflicts over land between the indigenous populations and the state. This new kind of opposition demonstrates that it is not only the incoming populations who are dispossessing indigenous people of their land. In fact, in various and more effective ways, the state is playing a significant part in the expropriation of indigenous land heritage. This process may be witnessed in urban housing developments, as well as in areas set aside for public utility, or those that are too dangerous to be developed (slopes, piedmonts and marshlands). Through its policy of urbanization, the state is seemingly contributing to producing ‘landless indigenous people’ in much the same way as and probably more effectively than the incomers. This article reviews the historical processes of land expropriation from the time of the colonial state, analysing the grievances of indigenous people faced with this situation, as well as the strategies they have developed in an effort to take back control of their lost lands.

South Africa: from species cradle to genomic applications

The South African government is committed to science and technology innovation, to establishing a knowledge-based economy and to harnessing life-sciences research for health and economic development. Given the constraints and the early stage of development of the field as a whole in South Africa, we found an impressive amount of research on human genomic variation in this country. Encouragingly, South Africa is beginning to apply genomics to address local health needs, including HIV and tuberculosis (TB) infections. We document a number of initiatives in South Africa that are beginning to study genetic variation within the various local indigenous populations. Other early initiatives focus on pharmacogenetic studies, mutation characterization in individual disease genes and genome-wide association studies. Public engagement in genomic issues is spear-headed by The Africa Genome Education Institute.

Negotiating Boundaries in the City: Migration, Ethnicity, and Gender in Britain. By Joanna Herbert.

Leicester has long been proclaimed the success of British multiculturalism. It has historically been a city accustomed to the arrival of new minorities and it has thrived in the reputation of being a welcoming host. More recently, it has been predicted that Leicester will soon become Britain's first black majority city in which the white indigenous population will be outnumbered. It is beyond these claims of attractions and multicultural success, however, that Herbert seeks to explore in this work addressing post-1950s South Asian immigration that constitutes a part of the Studies in Migration and Diaspora series. By drawing heavily upon oral history interviews with members of both the immigrant and local indigenous populations, she provides an in-depth account of how this Midlands city has achieved its rosy reputation and teases out the multifaceted grassroots experiences of immigration in the longue durée. What emerges is a complex framework of relationships, settlement and integration, all of which have been moulded and conditioned by time of arrival, ethnicity, gender and differing preconceptions concerning Britain. Firmly rooted in Bourdieu's model of agency, this work exposes the interactions between Leicester's white and South Asian communities, and focuses primarily on experiences within the workplace, neighbourhood and education.

The introduction of Old World crops (wheat, barley and peach) in Andean Argentina during the 16th century a.d.: archaeobotanical and ethnohistorical evidence

It was believed for a long time that the first Old World crops were introduced to the northwest of Argentina in a.d. 1550 during the foundation of Barco, and that the indigenous people incorporated them into their subsistence almost passively. However, since wheat, barley, and peach have been recovered from El Shincal, an Inka (Inca) administrative centre, new questions have arisen about who first brought these crops to the study region, as well as about where they were grown for the first time and which routes they followed after that. This paper will try to solve these questions during a period ranging from the 16th to the 18th century. This time span, although arbitrary, is consistent with the major damage to the original social structure caused by the Spaniards to the local indigenous populations. Our approach includes the comparison of ethnohistorical with archaeobotanical evidence. It is concluded that the first Old World crops were brought from Chile to Santiago del Estero by Spanish soldiers in a.d. 1556, and to Londres in a.d. 1558. These crops were taken up by local indigenous people during the period of the encomenderos and used to carry out a pachamanca ceremony at El Shincal during a Diaguita rebellion.

The fate of mercury species in a sub‐arctic snowpack during snowmelt

An extensive mercury study was conducted in April 2002 prior to and during the annual melting of a snowpack in a sub‐arctic site along the Hudson Bay (Canada). Gas‐phase measurements show that the snowmelt coincides with an elemental mercury (Hg°) pulse in the snowpack air far above ambient levels. Additional measurements of inorganic mercury (Hg2+) and methylmercury (MeHg+) in snow pits, in surface snow and in a meltwater sample clearly reveal that most of Hg is removed from the snow during the first days of snowmelt. We estimate that gas‐phase exchanges contribute poorly to remove Hg from the snowpack; consequently during a snowmelt day more than 90% of Hg present in the snow surface is likely released with the meltwater. In arctic areas, where Hg accumulates at an accelerated rate in the snow surfaces [Lu et al., 2001] during mercury depletion events (MDE), the discharge of this toxic and bio‐accumulating pollutant in water systems could be a threat to ecosystems and local indigenous populations.

Prehistoric human occupation in the arid chacabuco-colina ecotone in central chile

The focus of this paper is on a diachronic analysis of settlement and subsistence patterns in an arid ecotone setting located between two forest zones in central Chile. Extensive survey and limited excavation show that the majority of sites of all culture historical periods are centrally located in the ecotone, suggesting that prehispanic societies concentrated on the exploitation of plant foods in all zones, particularly the seeds and fruit of the carob tree, and processed them at tacita (cup stone) sites. Hunting seems to have been a secondary economic activity. Although local indigenous populations eventually developed an incipient agricultural lifeway dependent on corn, beans, squash, and other domesticates, they continued to rely heavily on the carob as a primary food staple unitl the late historic period. The general prehistory of the region is discussed in terms of culture ecology and specifically subsistence and settlement patterns. The importance of the prehistory of this region to Chile is also considered as well as the attempt by archeologists to save the sites from destruction by modern development.

Genetic variation and disease susceptibility in NCWP groups in Britain

Summary Genetic studies in New Commonwealth and Pakistani (NCWP) groups resident in Britain show not only that these populations differ from one another but also that there are considerable genetic differences among the groups migrating from a single region of the Indian sub‐continent. Investigations show that for various disorders, such as diabetes, cirrhosis of the liver, cerebrovascular and heart disorders, the NCWP communities have higher morbidity and mortality rates compared to the local indigenous populations. This article discusses whether these differences in NCWP groups are genetically influenced or are of environmental origin.

The Depression and the Administration in South-Central Cameroun

production patterns and local economic structures. Political historians, on the other hand, tend to periodize the interwar period differently, and point out that colonial policy hardly changed during the entire two decades.2 They suggest, as some colonial administrators themselves also claimed, that the Depression and the following years was a time of great strain between rapidly altering economic conditions and stagnation in policy from the metropolitan governments.3 Writing on the French colonial service, William Cohen calls the interwar years The Era of Lost Opportunities. At the local level, however, both the administrators and indigenous populations were forced to integrate economics with politics without directives and without control over the intruding forces of the world economy. Although some developments seem to have been general throughout rural west Africa-the extension of commodity production, for example--in many other respects the experience of African peoples in their relationship with both the state and the market differed from one locality to another and one commodity to another. In his history of postwar Camerounian politics, Richard Joseph therefore looks to the 1930s to explain the source of the political diversity that emerged after 1945.4 Victor Levine argues that the Camerounian colonial state came through the Depression in fine style, running up very few debts and quickly re-establishing solvency.5 A French administrator during that time observed that the people also survived; they returned to home-produced goods for consumption and suffered severe hardships mainly due to repressive measures to extort head taxes from them.6 But the sudden plunge in prices had a profound and long-term effect on particular groups, as each section of the population, from the French administration to the peasantry struggled to maintain their steadily eroding position. This paper discusses the confrontation of political exigencies and economic realities during the Depression in the