Indigenous Groups
The Dakota Access Pipeline controversy is centered around a
crude oil transport pipe that on its 1,200-mile route passes through territory
of a Sioux Indian reservation. The American government and engineers is the safest
and most cost-efficient means of transportation of crude oil, but indigenous
groups and environmentalists protested that it would contaminate drinking water
and damage sacred burial grounds. The problem with this situation is that the
government did not respect the issues of the indigenous claims to the land and
their heritage. This is similar to the Mapuche issue. Indigenous peoples, Mapuche
and Sioux, root their lineage and ancestry in the earth and the history of
generations past, but the government only acknowledges the laws of land
ownership that their created. Indigenous groups rightfully distrust the
promises of those in power because it is not possible to get full cooperation
from the group that took your land and disbanded your culture in the first
place. The Dakota Pipeline has leaked as predicted and the eucalyptus and pine
trees in Chile have overtaken the lands that once hosted native trees. The land
and indigenous populations are forced to deal with the consequences of
decisions made by the colonizer, their protests are not respected unless they
follow the rules set forth by the oppressor. This gives more of disadvantage to
marginalized groups that lack power, influence, and opportunity. Similar to the
indigenous groups in Chile, American indigenous populations struggle with a
high illiteracy and unemployment rate and are either cut off from the rest of
society or have significant struggles succeeding in the dominant culture. I
feel as though Chilean government should take more responsibility for the
current state of the native communities and acknowledge the advantages they
have economically and socially. Once this is thoroughly acknowledged, a better
discussion can be had that benefits both parties equally.
I really like your outlook on the two issues. It is horrible the way indigenous groups are treated. Colonizers are oppressors and I like how you phrased that. Hopefully one day they will be respected but until then I fully support them fighting for their rights and respect.
ReplyDeleteI think that the opportunity that we got to meet Karita because he is a member of the Mapuche tribe is very special. Talking to him about some of the things that he was experiencing made these issues much more real, and because we can communicate with him in Spanish as well, we were able to talk to him even more.
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