Stories about Indigenous from February, 2010
India, Bangladesh: Protest On Killings In Bangladesh
Musings Of A Chakma reports that “the members of Chakma ethnic community living in Delhi held a huge peaceful protest demonstration in front of Jantar Mantar, New Delhi from 11 AM to 3 PM on 25 February 2010 to protest against the attacks on Chakmas and other indigenous Jummas in...
Americas: International Mother Language Day
February 21 marked International Mother Language Day promoted by UNESCO. It was a time in the Americas to reflect on the use of Spanish, as well as the importance of preserving indigenous languages.
Bangladesh: Protecting The Pahari People
Faisal at The Spittoon highlights the recent violence against the Paharis (hill people) in Bangladesh and asks: “what good is having a secular liberal democracy if you don’t protect your minority communities?”
Puerto Rico: Artifacts Seized
The Voice of the Taino People Online notes that “the French authorities confiscated a piece of the Taino culture valued as high as one million euros…”
India: Fighting For The Forest
Indian Tribals Blog reports about a struggle of the tribal people in the reserved forests of Udaipur district in Rajsthan, India who fighting to avoid displacement from their ancestral land.
Bangladesh: Communal Attack On Jumma Villages
Unheard Voices reports of the attack of Bengali settlers on Jumma indigenous villages in Rangamati district of Bangladesh which left 5 indigenous people dead. The blog is following the developments and the subsequent protests.
Ecuador: Saraguro Culture Blog
Ecuadorian blogger Angel Gualán recently unveiled his new blog called Mashi Angel [es] where he will continue to write about the Saraguro culture.
USA: Native Cherokees Fight for Sacred Mound
Cherokee Native Americans in North Carolina are currently fighting the construction of an electrical station they say would impede the spiritual experience at Kituwah, a sacred mound that is cherished as "Mothertown".
Bangladesh: Jhum Cultivation In The Hill Tracts
Expat blogger Bernie Allen writes about an ingenious style of farming in Bangladesh: “Jhum cultivation is practiced by the Indigenous people on the hills and slopes of the Chittagong Hill Tracts because of the lack of flat land for cultivation.”
India: Death of a Prehistoric Language
The last speaker of the ancient Bo language, Boa Senior, has died in her native Andaman Islands (part of India) in February 2010. It's a vivid confirmation of last year's report from UNESCO, warning that 2,500 languages are at risk of disappearing.
India: The Death Of Bo Language
Madhu Baganiar, who belongs to the indigenous Oraon (Kurukh) community comments on the demise of Bo language with the death of Boa senior, the lone survivor of the Bo tribe: “tribal language(s) could be preserved and (could) prosper through known script only, as the pace of alienation of tribal language...
Ukraine: Yanukovych Campaign Ad in Crimean Tatar
LJ user indrih posts a copy of Victor Yanukovych's campaign ad in the Crimean Tatar language and explains (RUS): “Next to Yanukovych's last name are the words ‘light’ and ‘kindness,’ next to Tymoshenko's last name – ‘darkness’ and ‘evil.’ ‘This is the difference between them,’ is written underneath this comparative...
Spain: Indigenous Film Festival
Canal Solidario writes about the Indigenous Film Festival which will take place in Sevilla, Spain. During the screening, films from indigenous communities inside Nicaragua, Canada and Brazil will be shown and participants will also discuss the role of multimedia and internet tools in protecting cultural diversity.