Message-ID: <mailto:9505278042.AA804270192@ccmail.orst.edu> Date: Tue, 27 Jun 1995 09:24:33 PST From: Jose Argueta <mailto:arguetaj@CCMAIL.ORST.EDU> Subject: Re: Info request: indigenous self-development To: Multiple recipients of list DEVEL-L
Greetings. I am a grad student in int'l development and I am working at the World Bank this summer. I am doing research on indigenous self-development in Latin America for a social scientist in the Latin America and Caribbean Technical Dept.
I am using this list to solicit information and ideas from development workers, academics, and others who have been researching/reading/ writing/thinking about these issues a lot longer than I have been. I would appreciate any information you could forward regarding:
--Conditions for self-development of indigenous peoples in L.America. What do you mean by 'development?' My personal believe is that, in the case of the most 'naturally living tribes, they should be allowed to live in the way they have done since thounsands of years ago. I believe 'development' is an state in which a society reaches the equilibrium point with its environment. In this sense, those people are more 'developed' than we are. There are also indigenous who have already gotten into our conventional scheme of development. I believe that once you are in, it is too late to go back. Then, different approaches need to be undertaken, depending on the conditions. My point is that the adjetive 'indigenous' embrance a variety of societies in such quite different development stages. Therefore, they should be addressed accordingly.
--Has it generally arisen as a result of a crisis or increasing external pressures on resources?
--What is most important? land rights, food security, the environment, community organizing, education, or do they all have to happen at the same time? All of them are important. However, I think that in most developing countries such as Honduras, the underlaying problem is the absolute absence of respect to other people's rights. The more powerfull people 'run over' the rest. This is so, because of the structural disarrayment(?) of those countries. There, no mechanisms exist to complain, protest, or even sue those who misbehave. There are no mechanisms to assure respect of other people's rights; regardless they were indigenous or not. None society can survive without well defined and fully respected rules. Without it, some will violate the others' rights without any accountability, and thus it will remain.
--What role does culture play? This is a too complex one! But it is a good idea to look for native people opinions and insights to try to figure it out. American, as well as any other might, will see those worlds thru their own lenses. I have noticed that is very hard for my american friends to understand the cultural ground that result in the LatinAmerican reality; I the same way I don't understand or like some American cultural characteristics. Latin America is'nt the 'logical' world you live in here. My suggestion is for you to try to see the cultures through the native people's eyes.
I regret not being able to help you with information. But, you can contact La Asociacion de Etnias Indigenas in Honduras. Perhaps someone in this net can provide the address to you, or try thru the Honduran Ministry of Culture and Turism.
Good Luck
Rene Argueta
--Examples or case studies of indigenous groups that have developed on their own (ie, working for land rights, economically productive activities, or resource management) and how to find out about them.
Please feel free to forward this message to other lists or individuals.
Thank you in advance. Kathy Johns
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From: Kathryn Johns <mailto:kjohns@GWIS2.CIRC.GWU.EDU>
Subject: Info request: indigenous self-development
To: Multiple recipients of list DEVEL-L
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