The Importance of the IPs

The culture of indigenous peoples have long existed even before the development of the modern social
sciences. As the international body of the United Nations developed the Sustainable Development
Goals (SDG), indigenous communities have longed practiced a way of life that is embodies
environmental sustainability and grounded production (insert citation). Even so, indigenous
communities while at a minority remains stumped in economic poverty and health insecurity.

Indigenous Peoples (Eide, 1988)

-They are descendants of a people which lived in the region prior to the arrival of settlers coming in from
the outside, settlers who have since become the dominant population;

-they have maintained a culture which is different in significant respects from that of the dominant
population;

-they are, as a group, in an inferior position in the country concerned, in political and economic aspects.

-The term ‘‘indigenous’’ has emerged in practice over the years and (like the term ‘‘peoples’’) has no
accepted definition. Usually, a group is defined as indigenous group if it fulfils any of the following
criteria (Eide, 1988: 28):

-The culture of indigenous peoples have long existed even before the development of the modern social
sciences.

-Even so, indigenous communities while at a minority remains stumped in economic poverty and health
insecurity.

-Worldwide, there are about 370 million Indigenous Peoples and ethnic minorities living in more than 90
countries worldwide.

-INDIGENOUS PEOPLES are inheritors and practitioners of unique cultures and ways of relating to others,
and to the environment.

“10 things to know about the indigenous peoples”

1. WHEREVER WE LIVE, INDIGENOUS PEOPLES ARE OUR NEIGHBOURS

There are an estimated 370-500 million indigenous people in the world, spread across 90
countries. They live in all geographic regions and represent 5,000 different cultures.
2. INDIGENOUS PEOPLE CREATED AND SPEAK AN OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THE WORLD'S
7,000 LANGUAGES
Indigenous languages are extensive, complex systems of knowledge. They are central to the
identity of indigenous people, the preservation of their cultures, worldviews and visions, as well
as expressions of self-determination.
3. INDIGENOUS PEOPLE ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE POOR AND VULNERABLE
While making up less than five percent of the world's population, indigenous people account
for 15 percent of the poorest. They're more likely to suffer from malnutrition, and often lack
adequate social protection and economic resources. The international community recognizes
that special measures are required to protect their rights and maintain their distinct cultures.
4. INDIGENOUS PEOPLE LIVE SHORTER LIVES
The life expectancy of indigenous people is as much as 20 years lower than that of their non-
indigenous counterparts. Often lacking adequate healthcare and information, they are more
likely to get diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, HIV and AIDS.
5. INDIGENOUS WOMEN ARE MORE LIKELY TO SUFFER DISCRIMINATION AND VIOLENCE
More than one in three indigenous women are sexually assaulted during their lifetime, and
they also have higher rates of maternal mortality, teen pregnancy, and sexually transmitted
diseases.

From India to Peru, indigenous women are less likely to use healthcare facilities for childbirth
because of discrimination, mistreatment, and a lack of respect for cultural practices.
The Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples draws attention to the needs and rights of
indigenous women and calls for action to protect them from violence.
The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) was adopted by
the General Assembly on Thursday, 13 September 2007, by a majority of 144 states in favour, 4
votes against (Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States) and 11 abstentions
(Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burundi, Colombia, Georgia, Kenya, Nigeria, Russian
Federation, Samoa and Ukraine).Click here to view the voting record.

Years later the four countries that voted against have reversed their position and now support
the UN Declaration. Today the Declaration is the most comprehensive international instrument
on the rights of indigenous peoples. It establishes a universal framework of minimum standards
for the survival, dignity and well-being of the indigenous peoples of the world and it elaborates
on existing human rights standards and fundamental freedoms as they apply to the specific
situation of indigenous peoples.

6. THE WORLD INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ GAMES BRING TOGETHER ATHLETES TO CELEBRATE

INDIGENOUS TRADITIONS
Athletes from 566 aboriginal communities all over the world took part in the first World Games
of Indigenous Peoples, held in 2015 in Brazil. The aim of the games is not just to compete, but
also to share knowledge and cultures.
The first edition of the World Games was attended by 1,129 representatives of 24 Brazilian
ethnic groups and 566 indigenous representatives from Argentina, Bolivia, Canada, Chile,
Colombia, Costa Rica, United States, Ethiopia, Finland, Gambia, Guatemala, Guyana, France ,
Mexico, Mongolia, Nicaragua, New Zealand, Panama, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Russia and
Uruguay.
7. INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES LEAD ON PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT
Indigenous peoples are inheritors and practitioners of unique cultures and ways of
living. Nearly 70 million indigenous women and men depend on forests for their livelihoods,
and many more are farmers, hunter gatherers or pastoralists.
These communities thrive by living in harmony with their surroundings. Research shows that
where indigenous groups have control of the land, forests and biodiversity flourishes.
 8. INDIGENOUS PEOPLES ARE FIGHTING CLIMATE CHANGE EVERY DAY
Indigenous communities’ contribution to fighting climate change are far greater than previously
thought. Their forestlands store at least one quarter of all above-ground tropical forest carbon
– about 55 trillion metric tons. This is equivalent to four times the total global carbon emissions
in 2014. Given that data isn’t available for all the lands native communities manage around the
world, the actual impact is far greater.
While Indigenous Peoples own, occupy, or use a quarter of the world’s surface area, they
safeguard 80% of the world’s remaining biodiversity.
Over 20% of the world’s tropical forest carbon is stored in Indigenous People’s territories in the
Amazon Basin, Mesoamerica, the DRC, and Indonesia.However, only a fraction of indigenous
lands are officially recognized by states.
9. INDIGENOUS PEOPLES ARE KEY TO THE 2030 AGENDA FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
From protecting the environment tacking inequality to ensuring peace and security, the
Sustainable Development Goals won’t be achieved without indigenous people. The United
Nations General Assembly has asked countries to emphasize their rights when implementing
the 2030 Agenda.
These communities thrive by living in harmony with their surroundings. Research shows that
where indigenous groups have control of the land, forests and biodiversity flourishes.
10. THE UN DECLARATION WON’T SUCCEED WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF PEOPLE EVERYWHERE.
The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is a milestone in solidarity with
indigenous peoples and the global community. However, there are significant gaps between
the formal recognition of indigenous rights and the reality. Since it adoption in in 2007, several
countries, particularly in Latin America, have taken steps to recognize the identity and rights of
indigenous peoples, but there is much more to do.
The year of 2017 marks the 10th anniversary of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous
Peoples.It reminds us just how big the challenge remains – to secure Indigenous Peoples’ basic
rights and make sure they’re included in the development process, so they have the
opportunity to live safer, healthier, and more prosperous lives.

The Importance of the Indigenous Peoples

The culture of indigenous peoples have long existed even before the development of the modern social
sciences. As the international body of the United Nations developed the Sustainable Development
Goals (SDG), indigenous communities have longed practiced a way of life that is embodies
environmental sustainability and grounded production (insert citation). Even so, indigenous
communities while at a minority remains stumped in economic poverty and health insecurity.

Indigenous Identity: Definition issues and concerns

The indigenous peoples have been called many names throughout the literature: indies, natives,
cultural minorities, national minorities, ethnic groups, and more. This section will explore the social
history of its literature and why the various definitions related to indigenous peoples remain
controversial.
The term “indigenous” has prevailed as a generic term for many years. In some countries, there may be
preference for other terms including tribes, first peoples/nations, aboriginals, ethnic groups, adivasi,
janajati.

Occupational and geographical terms like hunter-gatherers, nomads, peasants, hill people, etc., also
exist and for all practical purposes can be used interchangeably with “indigenous peoples”.

ABORIGINALS

NOTE: The Latin name was variously interpreted by ancient authors, though modern etymologies tend
to claim that the word is a parasynthetic derivative from the phrase ab origine, "from the beginning/first
appearance."

Aboriginals vs. Indigenous

1. Aboriginal refers to a group of people who first inhabited the land, WHILE
Indigenous refers to the original inhabitants of a particular place.
2. Aboriginal is mainly used to refer to indigenous people of Australia and Canada, WHILE
Indigenous is used to refer to indigenous people of many countries
3. Aboriginal may have negative association, WHILE
Indigenous, the more accepted, politically correct term

INDIANS
Exploration of these regions by European powers first began in the late 15th century and early
16th century led by the Portuguese explorers. The Portuguese described the entire region they
discovered as the Indies.
The MŽtis in Canada are recognized by the constitution as a separate ÒaboriginalÓ people, a
designation that might not be accepted internationally. Some indigenous groups have absorbed
a relatively large number of nonindigenous people. Such racial mixture, on its own, is not seen
as ending the indigenous status of the collectivity.

AMERIDIANS “American Indians”

-where the indigenous status of the Indian, Inuit, and Aleut peoples could not be doubted.

ETHNIC GROUPS (ETHNOLINGUISTIC)

Ethnic group is consanguine in nature, meaning, the ties are reckoned by blood and traced
through the family tree. Shared culture, traditions

“Indigenous peoples” was first used to refer to the natives of America

NOTE: Almost everywhere the indigenous peoples are easily identifiable as distinct from settler
or mestizo population

-But Western commentators, nongovernmental organizations, and intergovernmental bodies

have applied the terminology “INDIGENOUS” far beyond the Americas.
 In reaction, certain states, most notably China and India, have sought a definition that would
make it clear that the populations they refer to as “tribals” or “minority nationalities” are not
“indigenous peoples.”

International Labor Organisation Convention of 1957

“regarded as indigenous on account of their descent from the populations which inhabited the country,
or a geographical region to which the country belongs, at the time of conquest or colonisation.”

- It has been changed since then, and many other organizations gave their own definitions like World
Bank.

-The convention was revised in 1989 as Convention 169

UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

 Self- identification as indigenous peoples at the individual level and accepted by the community
as their member.
 Historical continuity with pre-colonial and/or pre-settler societies
 Strong link to territories and surrounding natural resources
 Distinct social, economic or political systems
 Distinct language, culture and beliefs
 Form non-dominant groups of society
 Resolve to maintain and reproduce their ancestral environments and systems as distinctive
peoples and communities.

According to the UN, the most fruitful approach is to identify, rather than define indigenous
peoples. This is based on the fundamental criterion of self-identification as underlined in a
number of human rights documents.

In many cases, the notion of being termed “indigenous” has negative connotations and some
people may choose not to reveal or define their origin. Others must respect such choices, while
at the same time working against the discrimination of indigenous peoples.

IPs in the Philippines

 Indigenous peoples in the Philippines belong to different ethnic groups and reside in different
parts of the country. There are more than one hundred indigenous communities (NCIP, 2010),
about 61% of whom are in Mindanao, 33% in Luzon, and 6% in the Visayas.

RATIONALE
 History brush up

 BEFORE SPANISH COLONIZATION:

o Communal ownership
o No concept of private ownership or legal title
o Communities shared ownership of land
  UPON SPANISH COLONIZATION

o “Regalian Doctrine” or Jure Regalia

 Natural fruit of conquest
 Everything belongs to the King

Article 12, Section 2 of the Constitution:

“All lands of the public domain, waters, minerals, coal, petroleum, and other mineral oils, all
forces of potential energy, fisheries, forests or timber, wildlife, flora or fauna, and other natural
resources are owned by the State.”

LANDS OF THE PUBLIC DOMAIN

Agricultural (further classified by law, ex: commercial, residential),Forest or
Timber,Mineral,National parks
(Article 12, Section 3)

RA 8371
“An Act to Recognize, Protect and Promote the Rights of Indigenous Cultural Communities/
Indigenous Peoples, Creating a National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, Establishing
implementing mechanisms, Appropriating funds therefor and for other purposes”
October 29, 1997

STATE POLICIESWhat is the purpose of the law? (RACE)

1. Recognize, Protect and Promote the Rights of Indigenous Cultural Communities/ Indigenous
Peoples, 
2. Appropriating funds therefor and for other purposes
3. Create a National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP)
4. Establish implementing mechanisms

Who are IP / ICCs?

Paragraph (h), Section 3:

1. group of people identified by self-ascription and ascription by others

2. Shares common language, custom, tradition

3. Through resistance to political, social and cultural inroads of colonization, became historically
differentiated from majority of Filipinos

4. continuously lived as organized community on  a communally bounded and defined territory under
claim of ownership since time immemorial
 Ancestral Domain: under claim of
ownership by themselves/ through
their ancestors since time
immemorial, continuously up to
present (UNLESS, interrupted by
force majeure or force, stealth, deceit,
government projects)
 Ancestral Domain: under claim of
ownership by themselves/ through
their ancestors since time
immemorial, continuously up to
present (UNLESS, interrupted by
force majeure or force, stealth,
deceit, government projects)
 Ancestral Domain: under claim of
ownership by themselves/ through
their ancestors since time
immemorial, continuously up to
present (UNLESS, interrupted by
force majeure or force, stealth,
deceit, government projects)
 Ancestral Domain: under claim of
ownership by themselves/ through
their ancestors since time
immemorial, continuously up to
present (UNLESS, interrupted by
force majeure or force, stealth,
deceit, government projects)
 Ancestral Domain: under claim of
ownership by themselves/ through
their ancestors since time
immemorial, continuously up to
present (UNLESS, interrupted by
force majeure or force, stealth,
deceit, government projects)
 Ancestral Domain: under claim of
ownership by themselves/ through
their ancestors since time
immemorial, continuously up to
present (UNLESS, interrupted by
force majeure or force, stealth,
deceit, government projects)
 Ancestral Domain: under claim of
ownership by themselves/ through
their ancestors since time
immemorial, continuously up to
present (UNLESS, interrupted by
force majeure or force, stealth,
deceit, government projects)