Mennonite
Central
Committee

Indigenous Communities

Participants: Luis Acosta, Janna Bowman, Janet Byler, James Phinneas Gosslink, Jack Lesniewski, Carlos Martínez.

This topic was one of four that consultation participants discussed in small groups. During the time available the group discussed the positive and negative aspects of economic globalization for indigenous peoples. Participants work with indigenous groups in Colombia, Guatemala, Bolivia and other locations.

Positive aspects of globalization for indigenous peoples

1. More regional get-togethers and meetings of indigenous peoples in the southern cone and elsewhere.
2. More groups stand in solidarity with indigenous peoples.
3. More avenues are open to indigenous peoples due to the fact that they are exposed to other power groups through globalized communication. This weakens the hold of traditional elites which have oppressed them in previous times.
4. Indigenous peoples in Bolivia (Guarani) have received access to land as a result of globalized information about their plight.
5. The globalization of the Mayan language and form of dress has increased the possibility of survival for this culture.
6. With free trade comes the increased economic potential for selling traditional arts and crafts.
7. There are more opportunities open to educated indigenous people than before because they don’t have to depend on the goodwill of the rural elites to find work (see 3 above).
8. Indigenous peoples have discovered alternatives to the vicious cycle of inputs and outputs.
9. As a result of mass media the indigenous cause has grown in power and recognition.
10. New methods of communication facilitate the preservation of indigenous languages.
11. Indigenous peoples have access to bilingual education due to points 2, 3 and 9 above.

 

Negative aspects of globalization for indigenous peoples

1. An economic model which say that indigenous peoples are not productive.
2. Urbanization attracting indigenous people: Increased access to more jobs for educated indigenous people, contact with power groups outside of their traditional context, and the globalization of consumerist expectations are convincing indigenous peoples to abandon their land-based existence for an urban one.
3. Privatization and the changing value of land threatens the indigenous cultures because land is the foundation of their culture and their economic model is agrarian.
4. They are not prepared for global competition.
5. The over-exploitation of resources and mega-aid projects are destroying the environments and the ecological balance where indigenous people live.
6. Indigenous peoples are more vulnerable to the negative effects of globalization since they tend to be less educated, less integrated into the formal economies of the countries where they live, and because one of the aims of globalization is to replace subsistence farming with large-scale agriculture.
7. Outside aid creates dependency and destroys their own culture.
8. The globalization of information about indigenous peoples creates stereotypes and shallow knowledge about them.
9. Projects that don’t respect the people’s culture.
10. Globalization facilitates the flight of better prepared indigenous people to other centers, at the same time depriving the community of its human resources.
11. The culture of exaggerated consumerism which accompanies globalization is replacing the cultural value of enough.