The suggested timeline is pre-colonialism. Haruna.
 
Indigenous People: A Human Right to Exist?




Grade Level

9-12




Introduction

The United Nations, in recognition of the vital role that indigenous peoples play in many world regions, declared 1993 the Year of the World's Indigenous Peoples. The declaration was intended to give indigenous peoples an opportunity to call attention to their cultures and to the discrimination and disadvantages they face. Many US citizens became aware of the political activities of indigenous peoples during protests against the celebration of Columbus Day in the United States. As a global issue, the rights of indigenous peoples is a problem that cuts across national boundaries and is closely linked to broader issues of human rights, development, the environment, and education and health. The activities in this lesson helps to clarify the definition of indigenous peoples, and explore the diversity of their cultures. 
Who are indigenous peoples? When the UN declared 1993 the Year of the World's Indigenous Peoples, one of the problems was that many were unclear about exactly which people were included. Students will be quick to recognize Native Americans as indigenous, but are the Greeks? The Vietnamese? No, according to the UN definition. In this activity students will apply the UN definition to groups in various world regions. 
Estimates of the number of indigenous people in the world range from 250-300 million. The UN recognizes approximately 5,000 different peoples that fit the definition of indigenous. These groups live in over seventy countries and vary widely in their cultures, religions, social life and economic organization. While some are hunters and gatherers who live in remote areas, others inhabit cities. These can be considered bi-cultural, because they participate in the dominant culture as well as their own. In some countries such as Bolivia, over 60 percent of the population is indigenous, and in Peru and Guatemala it is roughly one half. But, as a result of disease, disruption of their cultural life and open conflict, many groups have been destroyed. Ninety of Brazil's 270 indigenous groups have disappeared since 1900. There is concern that if the rights of indigenous people are not protected, many more groups will quietly disappear. 




Teacher/StudentObjective

The overall objective for this lesson is that students will understand the concept of an "indigenous people" and locate them in the various world areas. They should be able to make distinctions between indigenous peoples and so-called "national" types usually associated with the world's larger population. Further, the contribution of such peoples is not to be easily discounted, and this should be further elaborated to determine whether such peoples should continue to be supported and allowed to exist.




Gauging StudentUnderstanding

The progress indicators cited reflect desirable end goals. Teachers should be prepared to use a wide variety of observational, testing and authentic achievement evaluation measures in judging the progress of students. 
By first showing, photographs of "Native Americans" in traditional (costumes) dress, and then, pictures of Native Americans in modern dress, the students should be able to compare and contrast the characteristics of the continuing image (stereotype?) of the Native American in the minds of many with the realities of Native Americans today. A similar process might be used with other "native" groups from a wide variety of cultures across the globe (e.g., Maoris in New Zealand and Australia; gypsies in Hungary). 
From the previous discussion of the photographs, the students should demonstrate their ability to brainstorm a possible definition of the term: "indigenous population." Using the input of their peers, the class might develop a list of characteristics of such peoples. Possible items might be: original habitation; subjugation; geography/location; ethnicity; dress; and mode of living, etc.) Then using their listing and the tentative collective definition, the students should demonstrate their ability to apply this knowledge to the following groups to test their perceptions and knowledge: Texans, Mexicans, Sioux, the Japanese, Maori, the French, Mayans and Eskimos (Inuit). Students should then be provided with the UN definition to check their perceptions and definitional exercise, and then reexamine their responses to the listing of possible indigenous populations. 
UN Definition: Indigenous communities, peoples and nations are those which, having a historical continuity with pre-invasion and pre-colonial societies that developed on their territories, consider themselves distinct from other sectors of societies now prevailing in those territories, or parts of them. They form at present non-dominant sectors of society and are determined to preserve, develop and transmit to future generations their ancestral territories, and their ethnic identity, as the basis of their continued existence as peoples, in accordance with their own cultural patterns, social institutions and legal systems. 
Complete the lesson with another set of pictures of many different groups of people, both indigenous and non-indigenous, and check student recognition of what "indigenous" means. The students should then be encouraged to examine the pros and cons of the proposition: "Indigenous peoples should be rapidly integrated into the larger society." 




Materials



A teacher-developed "master" list of indigenous peoples. 

Several large photographs of Native Americans in traditional (or tribal/clan/group) dress; several accompanying pictures of Native Americans NOT in traditional "costume." 

Pictures of Native Americans today in both rural and urban settings would also be helpful. National Geographic would be an ideal source of such images. 

Pictures of a wide variety of other indigenous peoples from a spectrum of world cultures is highly desirable. The pictures should show these peoples in both rural and urban settings; and reflect a spectrum of socio-economic conditions. 




Initial Data forConsiderationand/or Process

The following questions might be used in guiding discussion of various phases of this lesson: 

What two criteria in the UN definition must be fulfilled for a people to be considered "indigenous." 
List any five groups anywhere in the world who might fit this definition? 
Explain why, even though the Japanese moved to their islands thousands of years ago, they are not considered indigenous. 
Why are the Mayans considered indigenous? 
Do immigrants to another country fall into the category of indigenous people before they are integrated into the society? 




Other PossibleActivities

Students should be encouraged to examine major conflicts around the globe (e.g., Bosnia, Kashmir, various Central African nations) and examine those conflicts for evidence of claims of indigenous peoples to a rightful homeland or a sustained existence. 

Given a map of the world, and a list of UN-recognized indigenous groups students should locate these groups. They might be encouraged to speculate about location of groups and consider why some areas of the world are major areas of indigenous people settlement. 

Examine the statement: "Indigenous peoples across the globe are declining at a rapid rate of attrition." Can students account for this decline? After offering some explanations, an authoritative statement should be proposed and debated. Consideration of advancing technology and its effect on such peoples should be a major topic. Comparisons to immigrants to our own society at an earlier time might be made to stress the nature of integrating factors in any population shifts. 

Direct students to prepare a debate format for the following: Why should the survival of indigenous peoples and their cultures be considered an important global issue? Is it really vital to us? Consideration of the contributions of indigenous people to medicine, vegetable cultivation, environmental principles, and aesthetic works, etc., might enrich such discussion. 







Adapted from "Who Are Indigenous Peoples?" in Global Issues for the 90s. Denver: Center for Teaching International Relations, University of Denver, 1993. pp 86-97
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