Survival International

Survival International (SI), established in 1969, is a non-governmental, human rights organization that advocates for the rights of indigenous people groups around the world. Survival International helps indigenous tribes protect their lives and lands, as well as determine their own futures. SI believes civilized society can learn a lot from tribal people groups, so they work to give them a voice to address the world. The ultimate goal of Survival International is to ensure that the rights tribal peoples are both respected and protected. (About us, n.d.) Unlike some NGO’s, Survival International doesn’t accept funding from government sources. SI receives support from more than 80 countries worldwide. This ensures they can freely speak out against any threat to the people groups they work to protect. To that effect, SI was the first organization to blow the whistle on the negative effects of projects funded by the World Bank. In addition, SI associates with the United Nations (UN) through the Department of Public Information (DPI), and the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in a consultancy capacity. (Survival, n.d.)…

Unfortunately the statistics in this domain too paint a grim picture. Results indicate that ‘Indigenous Australians have considerably lower numeracy and literacy levels than the non-Indigenous population, significantly higher school absenteeism rates, and lower school completion outcomes’ (Bandias et al., 2013, cited in Cuervo et al., 2015, p.8). Additionally, the situation in regional and remote communities is even worse. On the one hand there is a general decline in the quality of education in…

Throughout society the vast majority of individuals struggle with different forms of oppression as well as privilege based on their identities. The way an individual identifies himself or herself changes the way in which they move through the world. Although differences are present, as Chris Dixon (2014) mentions “ we are forging a shared politics through struggle. We believe in the power of people to fight for justice and dignity and to shape history in the process.” (p. 3). With all of the…

Native ways of keeping culture alive must be revitalized, as colonization was detrimental but did not destroy everything. Indigenous relationships with the peopled universe emphasize environmental values and a way of being that holds strong to cultural values. Colonizers desperately tried to erase this deeply rooted culture, but it is hard to erase a link so completely tied to the land. Deeply embedded in each native person’s pedagogy is history, collective trauma, the reverberating effects of…

R v. Marshall is a landmark decision regarding Indigenous treaty rights and the right to fish. The single case consisted of two decisions: R v Marshall (No 1) [1999] 3 S.C.R. 456 and R v Marshall (No 2) [1999] 3 S.C.R. 533. The accused in the case, Donald Marshall, was a Mi’Kmaq Indian who was charged with three offences found in the federal fishery regulations: Fishing without a license, selling eels without a license, and fishing during the close season. In the first decision, the Supreme…

Rock art can be viewed as part of everyone’s cultural heritage or as part of a specific groups’ cultural heritage. It is this difference of thought that can cause much debate on who should have access to and how to manage rock art sites. One way to ensure that the heritage is preserved regardless of what happens to the rock art itself is to record the stories that go along with the art. “Collecting and archiving [stories], with due respect for the traditional owners and in accordance with their…

Despite high assassination rates among indigenous leaders, their deaths have continued to garner attention in the international community. This has opened doors for national/transnational solidarity with other social movements. “Transnational organizing and coalition building opened up new opportunities for pueblos to influence national legislative agendas, and many nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) that specialize in development or human rights came to see indigenous peoples as clients”…

I first saw Emily Carr’s paintings in a book of great Canadian artists within the library of my Ontario public school. In this book was the painting created in 1935 called Scorned as Timber, Beloved as the Sky. This painting depicts a tall tree rejected as being too spindly for good lumber that is left standing in clearcut forest against the feathered shimmering sky. The painting had a unusually quality that depicts a place that was impossible to go, yet to surrounds Canadian’s everyday the…

From the first English arrivals in Australia, the Aboriginal people have lived in the shadow in their own country, with many issues that have not been resolved yet. Noel Pearson is one of the country´s most respected Aboriginal leaders and impressive intellects and powerful orators in Australia. He is a popular defender for Aboriginal rights, especially Aboriginal land. He has changed the approach to welfare, child abuse, child protection, education and economic development. In 2007, together…

Strategy outline of Waitomo Adventure’s Survival Course What’s being proposed? I am proposing an idea called ‘Survival of the wilder worms’ held at Waitomo adventure’s ltd as I know they have a lot of bush land for this to be held there. I would like to propose to the owner of Waitomo Adventures this as it would benefit their company by having an extra activity for groups to take part in. What you will learn is how to build a natural shelter, light lasting fires, build a search and rescue…