Saving Indigenous Culture: A Priority of the Future
Indigenous people face a difficult choice of whether to move and disappear to save their culture or assimilate into mainstream culture. Either way, their culture will change to adapt to the new situation they are forced into, risking their unique language and culture in the process. However, if outsiders could intervene and protect their culture, it would benefit the world greatly. To begin with, the Indigenous people have lived off the land for thousands of years, and are aware of the best practices to preserve the land. They also face dangerous lives in the mainstream culture, from working minimum wage jobs, to racism in their city. Finally, they understand the land and the vegetation of …show more content…
First, respecting the earth and its gifts is deeply rooted in most indigenous cultures. A researcher went to an aboriginal community in Manitoba, to discuss the connection between aboriginal people and their land, to find that it was not only an ecological reason for survival but a spiritual connection to the land and its gifts (Foley, 2004). Respecting the land for reasons more than survival is an important lesson for the rest of the world to understand, as currently over consumption and mismanagement of resources rule most of the world. It will not be indifference that stops global warming and water shortages, it will be hard work and care that solves these pressing issues. Having a presence, like indigenous people, in the community that strives for respecting the land can be contagious, making others consider new ideas. Simply not using chemicals in farming and instead using natural fertilizer can be an important step to keeping water clean and food natural. As well, using methods of agriculture in moderation that is practiced by indigenous people is a lesson that the mass producers of cattle and fish could learn. The Inca people of Latin America had a handle on how each city used their own land and resources for their own food and how to save their land from degradation, unlike the current slash and burn techniques that are being used. Respecting the earth and using sustainable methods of agriculture are traditions held by indigenous people that should be transferred onto the rest of the
Indigenous people face a difficult choice of whether to move and disappear to save their culture or assimilate into mainstream culture. Either way, their culture will change to adapt to the new situation they are forced into, risking their unique language and culture in the process. However, if outsiders could intervene and protect their culture, it would benefit the world greatly. To begin with, the Indigenous people have lived off the land for thousands of years, and are aware of the best practices to preserve the land. They also face dangerous lives in the mainstream culture, from working minimum wage jobs, to racism in their city. Finally, they understand the land and the vegetation of …show more content…
First, respecting the earth and its gifts is deeply rooted in most indigenous cultures. A researcher went to an aboriginal community in Manitoba, to discuss the connection between aboriginal people and their land, to find that it was not only an ecological reason for survival but a spiritual connection to the land and its gifts (Foley, 2004). Respecting the land for reasons more than survival is an important lesson for the rest of the world to understand, as currently over consumption and mismanagement of resources rule most of the world. It will not be indifference that stops global warming and water shortages, it will be hard work and care that solves these pressing issues. Having a presence, like indigenous people, in the community that strives for respecting the land can be contagious, making others consider new ideas. Simply not using chemicals in farming and instead using natural fertilizer can be an important step to keeping water clean and food natural. As well, using methods of agriculture in moderation that is practiced by indigenous people is a lesson that the mass producers of cattle and fish could learn. The Inca people of Latin America had a handle on how each city used their own land and resources for their own food and how to save their land from degradation, unlike the current slash and burn techniques that are being used. Respecting the earth and using sustainable methods of agriculture are traditions held by indigenous people that should be transferred onto the rest of the