Stories about Indigenous from June, 2010
Belize: Mayans Win Right to Land
Repeating Islands reports on a landmark court ruling “in favor of 38 Mayan Communities in the Toledo District”, which confirms their rights to the land surrounding their communities.
South Africa: Rethinking customary law
Pierre de Vos discusses South African customary law: “When I studied law at Stellenbosch University, we did not study a single aspect of customary law. It was as if customary law (and the millions of people who lived in terms of it) did not exist.”
Bolivia: Evo Morales and His Indigenous and Environmental Challenges
In the blog Pronto, Miguel Centellas writes that despite the logical assumption that indigenous groups would never go against Evo Morales, “the government is losing its grip on the indigenous movement.” Centellas analyses the indigenous and environmental challenges the Bolivian government is facing.
Bolivia: Aymara New Year
The blog Letras Alteñas [es] has posted two videos showing the celebration of the Aymara New Year in the city of Tiahuanacu.
India: Economic Blockade In Manipur State
The northeastern state of Manipur in India is facing a humanitarian crisis with the price of necessities soaring up as it has been subjected to a blockade of the National Highway 39 (NH-39) connecting Imphal (Manipur) with Kohima (Nagaland).
Taiwan: Indigenous conference brings together Austronesian speakers
Life in Taiwan reports on an international conference for indigenous peoples held in Taiwan. The conference brought together people from Austronesian-speaking countries to discuss issues such as health, education and endangered languages. Austronesian languages are spoken in the islands of the Pacific and Indian Oceans and parts of Southeast Asia.
Dominica: A Day in the Life
Dominica Weekly highlights a documentary which “brings to life the rich heritage and culture of the Kalinago (Carib) people in Dominica.”
Peru: The Blogosphere Remembers Bagua
A year from the tragic incidents in Bagua, where officially 34 people died (23 of them were policemen) and unofficial reports speak of a much larger number of casualties, Peruvians used blogs to express their different feelings: pain, frustration, and disenchantment were the predominant sentiments.
St. Kitts & Nevis: Jumbie Tree?
“‘You parked us under a silk cotton tree at NOON?'”: Lifespan of a Chennette reminds us why that's not a particularly good idea.
Israel: IDF Poetry Slam Between Druze, Bedouin Soldiers
Picture this: Druze and Bedouin Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers sitting in a room singing call and response poetry to each other in the ancient Arabic style of Zajal. The video and background information can be found at Nizo's Blog, subtitled “A Gay Palestinian Muses on the Missile East.”
Peru: A Year Since Bagua
June 5 marks a year of the Baguazo, the name given to the unfortunate events that took pace in Bagua where officially 34 people died, of which 23 were policemen; however, unofficial reports claim the number of deaths is greater, especially from the side of the civilian protesters. Here is an account of reactions and of some events planned to commemorate the first anniversary of the incidents.
Taiwan: Chiayi Sound Project
“Chiayi Sound Project initiated from 2008. It mainly focuses on field recording in southern Taiwan – Chiayi, the recording topics include oral history, nature environment, folk music, industry, religion and local events.” Check the project's latest recording of Mayasvi, one of the two most important rituals of Tsou indigenous people.
