World Conference on Indigenous Peoples

At this year's United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of Parties (COP 26) in Glasgow, Scotland, Cultural Survival spoke with Frank Ettawageshik (Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians), Executive Director of the United Tribes of Michigan and President of Association on American Indian Affairs, who has been involved in international Indigenous rights advocacy for decades, about Indigenous leadership in climate action. 

The COP26 summit will bring parties together to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
How is climate change affecting Indigenous Peoples?
Cultural Survival's Avexnim Cojti spoke to Fawn Sharp, President of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI)
Produced by Avexnim Cojti (Maya Ki'che) and Shaldon Ferris (Khoisan)
Interviewee: Fawn Sharp (Quinault Indian Nation)
Music: 'Whispers' by Ziibiwan, used with permission

The information and communications technologies have the potential to provide new solutions to development challenges, particularly in the context of globalization, and can foster economic growth, competitiveness, access to information and knowledge, poverty eradication, and social inclusion that will help to expedite the integration of all countries, especially developing countries, in particular the least developed countries, into the global economy.

Diana Morat from Eldos FM interviews Tauriq Jenkins on the saga of Amazon.com who wants to set up shop in Cape Town, South Africa. The piece of land that has been identified by Amazon has become a bone of contention. First Nations have a strong claim to this land because in 1510 it was the site of the first battle between the Khoi and European colonizers - in this instance the Portuguese Viceroy of India, Francisco d'Almeida. This is sacred land. The issues are of human rights, of heritage, of water and flora and fauna, of recreation and refreshment, of air and stars.

The International Day for People of African Descent will be celebrated for the first time on August 31, 2021. Through this observance, the United Nations aims to promote the extraordinary contributions of the African diaspora around the world and to eliminate all forms of discrimination against people of African descent. Cultural activist Letitia Timas Petersen tells us the story of Franz Taaibosch, an Indigenous Korana South African who was taken abroad to be paraded as a circus act.

Every year on August 9, International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples marks the ‘first formal meeting’ of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations, held back in 1982. It is celebrated to bring attention to the 476 million Indigenous Peoples living in 90 countries across the globe. This year’s theme is `Leaving no one Behind: Indigenous Peoples and the call for a social contract.” The term social contract in relation to Indigenous Peoples may be confusing as this has not yet been discussed much.

There are over 476 million Indigenous Peoples living in 90 countries across the world, accounting for 6.2 percent of the global population. Indigenous Peoples are the holders of a vast diversity of unique cultures, traditions, languages, and knowledge systems. They have a special relationship with their lands and hold diverse concepts of development based on their own worldviews and priorities.
In this radio program, we hear from Nailejileji Tipap, who works as the Gender and Public Relations Coordinator at Pastoralists Indigenous NGOs Forum in Tanzania.

Daunnette Moniz-Reyome, a proud member of the UmoⁿhoⁿTribe in Nebraska, is turning 19 this year. She began modeling at age 13, appearing in multiple spreads and videos by Teen Vogue, which opened up the world of media attention to her. Despite her passion for the modeling and entertainment industries, Moniz-Reyome struggled to find Native American models to look up to. So, she decided to become that model for other Native American youth.
Produced by Shaldon Ferris (Khoisan)
Interviewee: Daunnette Moniz-Reyome (Umoⁿhoⁿ)
Image: Daunnette on set

Human trafficking is one of the most difficult issues to address in Nepal, affecting and exploiting thousands of women, adolescent girls, and children. Indigenous women and girls are disproportionately affected by human trafficking and represent almost 70 percent of the cases. Indigenous women and girls make up the majority of the people trafficked and exploited. Following the 2015 earthquake in Nepal, economic opportunities have been severely impacted and the numbers of missing women and girls including children have risen sharply.

Deidre Jantjies is an Indigenous South African Film producer. Her animated web series called Stories van die wind (Stories of the wind), was recently screened at The Wairoa Maori Indigenous Film Festival in New Zealand. Deidre tells us about using animation to tell our own stories.

Produced by Shaldon Ferris (Khoisan)
Interviewee Deidre Jantjies (Outeniqua)
Image: Screenshot from 'Stories van die wind"
Music: "Anania2" by the Baba Project, used with permission.
"Burn your village to the ground", by a Tribe called Red, used with permission.