The essentials
Indigenous peoples are generally understood as the descendants of the people who lived in a territory before others arrived and became dominant there, often through conquest or settlement. They usually maintain their own customs, culture and social institutions, and many depend closely on land, forests and other natural resources.
Indigenous communities live in many regions, such as Central and South America, Africa, India (where they are often referred to as tribal communities or Adivasis), the Philippines and among the Aboriginal peoples of Australia and the Maori of New Zealand. Development projects such as large dams, mining and the clearing of forests have often displaced them from their lands.
Key points
- Indigenous peoples demand recognition as equal communities with their own identity, rights over their lands and resources, and a voice in decisions that affect them.
- The World Council of Indigenous Peoples was formed in 1975.
- The UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in 2007.
- Indigenous struggles link environmental questions with human rights: protecting forests and land is tied to protecting their way of life.
- In India, the Constitution provides safeguards for Scheduled Tribes, and many movements have raised the issue of displacement by development projects.
Exam tips
Remember the World Council (1975) and the UN Declaration (2007). Questions often ask why the rights of indigenous peoples are linked to environmental issues.
Common mistakes
- Thinking indigenous rights are only a cultural issue. They are closely connected with land, resources and the environment.