Fourth World Eye Blog » Mirjam Hirch

Jarawa in India on Verge of Extinction

Mirjam Hirch — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 08:05:43 +0000

Human safaris, the incresing pressure of resources depletion and development have been wreaking havoc on one of India’s most ancient tribes. A recent documentary illustrates some of the ares of tension.

Outsiders need to start listening to what the tribes themselves have to say on matters affecting them and the existential questions that have to be tackled.

Indian Tribes’ Case To Reach The Supreme Court

Mirjam Hirch — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 18:31:45 +0000

The Dongria Kondh people fight against the mining of bauxite in their ancestral lands, the Niyamgiri hills in India. Their battle is “not just that of an isolated tribe for its customary rights over its traditional lands and habitats, but that of the entire world over protecting our natural heritage”, as the newspaper the Guardian quotes one of the leaders of the Save Niyamgiri Committee, Lingaraj Azad, in a recent article.

‘Human Safaris’ in India

Mirjam Hirch — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 20:57:31 +0000

Uncontacted until recently the Jarawa of the Andaman Islands in India are exposed to potential abuse. Disrespectful tourists come in droves to take photos and make illegal films of the Jarawa inside their homelands. As described in a recent article in the Guardian, human rights activists have protested that the government was “making a circus” out of the tribes with the police using the Jarawa, accepting bribes from tourists, instead of protecting the indigenous group.

The Mystery of the Basques

Mirjam Hirch — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 19:02:35 +0000

“A people that sings will never die-out.” This is the line recited at the end of the short documentary on the survival of Basque cultural identity. Unifying forces are described as well as the importance of boat building, linguistic and other factors that form the underlying elements on which the Basque ship of history has been navigating since time immemorial.

Civilized to Death

Mirjam Hirch — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:33:31 +0000

The short documentation, Civilized to Death, gives an in depth analysis of the social determinants of health among First Nation groups in Canada. Underlying mechanisms for consistent indigenous ill health likely hold true in other indigenous contexts.
Part 1
Part 2

President Obama’s speech to Native American Leadership Committee

Mirjam Hirch — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 20:05:11 +0000

President Obama held a speech on Friday, January 27^th in front of about 75 American Indian leaders who attended a fundraiser for his reelection campaign. In his address Obama expresses commitment to improve the lives of “our first Americans” and emphasizes his belief “that one day we’re going to be able to look back on these years and say this was a turning point in nation to-nation relations.”

Revival of Hawaiian Cultural Practice

Mirjam Hirch — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 16:40:28 +0000

Native Hawaiians held a cultural celebration in Nu’uanu in honor of Queen Emma 176th birthday on Jan. 2. A procession took place at the queen’s Summer Palace. Following traditional protocol a newly created white kahili (feathered standards used by Hawaiian royalty) was being presented. The celebration marked the revival of a cultural practice long believed to be lost.

2011 White House Tribal Nations Conference

Mirjam Hirch — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 00:25:34 +0000

President Obama in his recent speech at the White House Tribal Nations conference underlines the fact that “Native Americans face unemployment and poverty rates that are far higher than the national average” and acknowledges that solving these problems will take considerable time and effort. In his speech he announces he signed an executive order to launch the White House Initiative on American Indian and Alaska Native Education.

Traditional Knowledge and Modern Science

Mirjam Hirch — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 13:09:45 +0000

Traditional knowledge is more and more in the focus of attention. Especially in the circumpolar North Indigenous knowledge it is acknowledged can be crucial to better understand the dynamics and effects of climate change. Collaboration between scientists and indigenous peoples on the ground has been increasingly brought about. A recent article based on findings published in the journal Nature speaks of this. In Sami country e.g. the reindeer herders have been working with scientists of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to analyze snow conditions and best herding practices for future climate conditions. The power of maps and digital recording has been recognized in these efforts. New concepts and models are needed to define best collaboration and documentation practices.

Suicide Prevention

Mirjam Hirch — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 20:18:13 +0000

Suicide remains an epidemic among Alaska Natives most of who have been affected by the tragedy of suicide in some way. To improve health and decrease rates of suicide and substance abuse in Indigenous communities a decolonization process is needed based on the principle of self-determination Evon Peter, Gwich’in commented in his speech at a U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs field hearing held on Oct. 22, 2011 in Anchorage, Alaska. Mr. Peter maintains that: “The path to our recovery will require several factors to be acted upon simultaneously. All are rooted in the need for expanding control over our destiny as Alaska Natives through self-determination.“

While the rate of suicides among Indigenous Americans in the age group 15-29 has been reported to be nearly twice the national average, rates are even more drastic in Alaska according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This disproportionate rate of suicide is currently being addressed during the Alaska Area Action Summit for Suicide Prevention taking place in Anchorage, AK from Oct 25-27. At the summit the need for culturally sensitive care has been expressed, the need for coordinated efforts in partnership with the individual tribes emphasized. No single entity is able to find solutions to the complex and interwoven socio-cultural, historic, economic and political factors that are at the root of Indigenous mental health problems. Therefore a collaborative approach is vital.