Self-Determination

Rosie Sula introduces this report with a beautiful chant about the legends of Lake Sebu, an important feature within the traditional territory of the T'boli people of the Philippines.

Indigenous South Africans go on a yearly 400 mile pilgrimage to bring awareness to ongoing violations of basic human rights of South Africans, the withholding of remains and sacred items belonging to Indigenous communities by museums, as well as to reconnect to the earth and environment through the rigorous journey from coast to coast. We spoke to two South African Indigenous rights activists to hear their takes on how this tradition has shaped their activism.

Music
"Xul Kej" by Sotz'il. Used with permission.

December 20 is International Human Solidarity Day: a day celebrate unity in diversity, and is a day to remind governments to honor their agreements to international declarations. 10 years ago to day, governments around the world voted to adopot the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. We speak with Saami Council member John Henriksen who was instrumental in the signing of this declaration, on his view on the challenges and successes in implementing these human rights for Indigenous Peoples on the ground today.

November 25th, 2017 is International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Indigenous women face disproportionate rates of violence and discrimination due to their intersecting identities (woman and Indigenous) which have both been historically marginalized in society. Nepali activists explain their work to end violence against women in their country, and lay out next steps for continuing the work of women's liberation around the world.

INTERVIEWEES
Yasso Kanti Bhattachan, Indigenous Women’s Federation of Nepal
Chanda Thapa Magar, Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact

Though collaboration is crucial to finding solutions for climate change, Indigenous People must be able to maintain, protect, and control their cultural heritage, sciences, and technologies. The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples provides a legal framework for intellectual ownership by Indigenous communities of their traditional knowledge. However, many additional cultural barriers to equal-footed climate change collaboration exist, such as the automatic devaluation of Indigenous science by Western science practitioners.

Indigenous Rights Radio Producer Dev Kumar Sunuwar interviews Joan Carling, former expert member at the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, and former general secretary of the Asian Indigenous Peoples Pact. They reflect on the first 10 years of the implementation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Carling advocates for increased policy cohesion and the prioritization of Indigenous rights in global policy-making on all fronts.

Lakes and forests in the Mt. Talinis area of the Phillipines are under threat from recent expansions of the energy industry. Apolinario Carino is working with the organization PENAGMANNAK, a federation of 17 Indigenous Peoples’ community groups, to pioneer community management strategies of reforestation designed to empower the Indigenous groups to shape the future of their lands. Apolinario hopes to share the knowledge that they have gained from these experiences in order to better combat climate change on a global scale.

Indigenous Rights Radio Producer Avexnim Cojtí Ren investigates the movement to repatriate sacred objects, remains, and cultural patrimony taken without consent from Indigenous Peoples by governments, collectors, and individuals. Concepts of ownership, histories of oppression, methods of legal recourse, and recent examples of repatriation attempts all play an important role in the prospects for the return of heritage items to Indigenous Peoples.

In many Indigenous communities, dual justice systems operate in tandem: the European system, a colonial imposition characterized by hierarchical, punitive, written codicies, and the Indigenous system, which is often based in tradition and holistic in nature.

Human Rights Lawyer Michelle Cook (Dine') elaborates on the interactions between these two systems, and explains how communities can use the language of human rights to challenge the colonial legal system imposition in order to gain a seat at the table as independent nations with internationally recognized justice systems.

The International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is commemorated annually on 9 August. Ten years after the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Nepal-based Indigenous Rights Radio Producer Dev Kumar Sunuwar reflects with prominent Nepali Indigenous leaders on the country's progress in the implementation of international standards for Indigenous Rights.