· January, 2009

Stories about Indigenous from January, 2009

Bahamas: A Better Way

  28 January 2009

“The Bahamas is so very rich in culture that we could all be benefitting from it. But we’re not”: Nicolette Bethel explains why.

Trinidad & Tobago: Pelham and Pan

  28 January 2009

From Trinidad and Tobago, Caribbean Free Radio publishes another podcast, this time focusing on “veteran producer and steel orchestra arranger, Pelham Goddard” as he discusses the evolution of steel pan music.

Turkey: Armenian “Martin Luther King Jr.” Commemorated

  20 January 2009

The second anniversary of a murdered journalist once again had the power to move mountains in strained relations between between Armenia and Turkey, two states separated by the biblical mount Ararat and an unholy history. Yesterday's commemoration might not have been on such a large scale, but newspaper articles, editorials, and reaction from bloggers show that the murder of a prominent member of Turkey’s dwindling Christian Armenian minority by a Turkish ultra-nationalist continues to shock the world.

Ecuador: Correa Faces Pressure From Indigenous Groups

  19 January 2009

In Ecuador, President Rafael Correa is facing pressure from indigenous groups over his government's support of a new mining law. The coalition led by the National Confederation of Indigenous Nations (CONAIE) say that there was very little discussion and that it would violate the communities' sovereignty, as well as cause environmental contamination. Correa must decide how to face these mobilizations from groups that historically have been strong backers of his government.

Peru: Changing Indigenous Last Names to Avoid Discrimination

  15 January 2009

In Peru, some citizens see the necessity to change their last names, especially those that are typically indigenous, such as from “Quispe” to “Quimper,” as a way to avoid discrimination [es]. Eland Vera compares this to the practice by some movie stars in the United States who have done the...

Azerbaijan: Mud Volcanoes

  13 January 2009

Joe's Trippin’ pays a visit to the Qobustan State reserve in Azerbaijan. The blog says that while there are as many as 600,000 rock paintings in the territory of the reserve, its main attraction is nearly half of the world's 700 mud volcanoes. The entry also provides information on how...