Impact of cultural diffusion on an indigenous population

1. Impact of cultural diffusion on an indigenous population The Penan SYLLABUS LINK Examine the impact of cultural diffusion on one indigenous and remote society through the influence ofinternational interactions.

2. How can we define Indigenous peoples?

4. How can we define Indigenous peoples? Definition as used by the International Labour Organisation (concerning the working rights of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples, 1989) applies to: • ‘both tribal peoples whose social, cultural and economic conditions distinguish them from other sections of the national community and whose status is regulated wholly or partially by their own customs or traditions or by special laws or regulations, and to peoples who are regarded as indigenous on account of their descent from the populations which inhabit the country at the time of conquest or colonisation’. Basically, they were the original inhabitants of the area and their culture is different to that of the dominant contemporary culture of the country.

5. Uncontacted remote tribes… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lWVVFHzuLE

6. Read the text ‘introduction to indigenous people’ • What are the characteristics of indigenous peoples? • What are the challenges they face?

7. How can we define culture? Culture can be seen as a “way of life” which is passed down through generations. A product of our collective intellect and memories which shapes theway we try to make sense of the world – the way we interpret the world, and attach meaning and value to things. Cultures are expressed through cultural traits, which are the distinguishing / identifying features of a particular culture. Beliefs, tastes, myths, language, customs, literature, music, food, arts, clothes, institutions, technology, architecture, sports, humour, patterns of social behaviour etc.

8. How can we define cultural integration and cultural diffusion? Cultural integration is the increasing integration of the different cultures found throughout the world. Cultural diffusion is the diffusion (spread) of a dominant “global culture”. It could be argued that this leads to a reduction of the cultural differences and a dilution of local cultures.

9. The study of cultural integration/diffusion will lead to much discussion and often conflicting opinions. But it is undeniable that they are big topics and powerful processes. Just how powerful, relentless and pervasive can be illustrated by the affects of these processes on a small group of indigenous people living in the remote rainforests of Borneo.

10. Savages, uncivilised heathens, White man’s burden

11. Backward, a barrier to progress

12. Just simply people, no better or worse than anyone else.

13. Watch the survival International video • Synoptic links • What links can be made between the ideas in this video and.. • Our concept of development? • Sustainable development? • Cultural imperialism?

14. The Penan population numbers close to 10,000 with more than 5,000 of them concentrated in Baram (Miri Division) followed by some 1,500 in Belaga (Kapit Division), around 1,000 and 700 in Mulu and Bintulu respectively and 200 in Limbang. The Penan live in the state of Sarawak which is in the Malaysian part of the island of Borneo.

15. “When I was young, life used to be very simple. No one drove the animals away. The forest was kind and offered enough food for all. Life has now become very difficult on account of the logging.”

16. Since the 1980s the Penan have been resisting the increase in logging in their ancestral lands by blockading roads. But faced with the combined force of logging companies, the Sarawak government, police and army they have not been able to stop the relentless destruction of the forest.

17. Penan longhouse – Batu Bungan The Penan are traditionally hunter gatherers living in the rainforest but most have been settled in longhouse communities as part of government “modernisation” programmes.

18. Some of these longhouse communities are on the tourist trail. Tourists visiting the Penan stalls in Batu Bungan which is located in the tourist area of Mulu National Park.

19. Gunung Mulu National Park 10% tourist areas 90% wilderness areas. The Penan have hunting rights within Mulu National Park and the newly established Pulong Tau National Park

20. Synoptic links to other sections of the course • Paper 2: Impact of resource consumption (Nexus) this tribe is directly impacted by Palm oil production • Paper 3: Impacts of TNC growth and global interactions • Paper 3: Environmental impacts of global interactions • Paper 3: Impact of civil society- what can organisations such as survival international do to reduce the impacts? • SDGs- reducing inequalities • Paper 1: Impact of tourism- is this an example of ‘zooifcation of culture’ or are these tribes culture actually being preserved as a result of tourism?

22. Sarawak Energy Berhad has disclosed the location of twelve proposed hydroelectric power projects to be constructed between 2008 and 2020. Sarawak Energy Berhad controls the production and distribution of electricity within the state. The dams would submerge several Penan, Kelabit and Kenyah villages, displacing at least a thousand people. One dam would also submerge part of a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Mulu National Park. www.survival-international.org

24. Link to SDGs Good extra reading: https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_emp/---ifp_skills/documents/publication/wcms_503715.pdf

25. Survival International: Civil Society https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=99&v=hG1HkMeog70 http://www.survivalinternational.org/ http://www.survivalinternational.org/tribes/penan Why is it important for Survival international to protect the cultural traits of a tribe such as the Penan? How can the work of Survival international be seen as civil society action? How can the work of survival international be seen as an anti- globalisation movement?

26. More indigenous groups to study on Kognity • 5.2.3 Cultural diffusion and indigenous groups