By Natalie Shobana Ambrose
theSun, Malaysia (page 12)
November 17th, 2011
http://www.thesundaily.my/news/211066
During the Rugby World Cup, a major highlight was Te Rauparaha's war chant – more popularly know as the All Blacks Haka. This pre-game tradition has been in place since 1905 and belongs to the Ngati Toa tribe. What is most interesting though about the All Blacks performing thehaka is how well the culture of the first peoples to the land of the long white cloud has been integrated into New Zealand culture, something not many countries have been as successful at doing.
During the Rugby World Cup, a major highlight was Te Rauparaha's war chant – more popularly know as the All Blacks Haka. This pre-game tradition has been in place since 1905 and belongs to the Ngati Toa tribe. What is most interesting though about the All Blacks performing thehaka is how well the culture of the first peoples to the land of the long white cloud has been integrated into New Zealand culture, something not many countries have been as successful at doing.
In many countries, these indigenous minorities are subjected to poverty and social exclusion and are marginalised. The development of many countries has not taken into account the rights of the original peoples. At best when we look at tribal culture, what we experience is surface awareness – that of traditional dance, food and clothing; but deeper questions such as land rights, natural integration and the right to self-determination need to be addressed and not just dialogued about.
Tribal sovereignty is an extremely sensitive issue, but what more important an issue for those who have seen their land taken away from them by the “new comers” and colonisers. Globally there are about 300 million indigenous people, according to the World Bank. A relatively small number compared to the now 7 billion world population; yet 4.5 % of the global population is a significant number and important part of our humanity. These distinct communities are not homogenous, even if from the same country. Their identities and cultures are inextricably linked to natural resources – their land. So when their land is taken away or given to middlemen to manage, not only does it cause a loss of identity, it also threatens their cultural survival and is a failure on our part to look after our heritage.
Indigenous people make up 10% of the world’s poor and in Malaysia they account for 20% of the nation’s hardcore poor. When we speak about the orang asli in Malaysia, many sensitivities surface. We have come from a thinking that development has one framework – it deals with ecological and economic perspectives. However, a social structure needs to be in place – a humanising factor in development efforts.
Successful development efforts occur when real dialogues takes place. When the needs of the people affected spearhead the discussions. Borrowing from a speech made by Colin Nicholas, coordinator of the Centre for Orang Asli Concerns, the nature of development has to be decided by the ones affected the most – on their own terms and on their own land. But what happens when their land is taken away or there is no security tenure to their lands, and concerns brought up with the government go unaddressed for years? Instead of valuing the heritage of our multiethnic country, we promote social disintegration of the original people of this land.
When we discuss social structures of sustainable societies, there is a great emphasis on social equity, justice and liberation. Societies that are unjust are not sustainable, and so how we treat the first peoples of our country determines how sustainable we are as a country. Social, economic and ecological development have to move forward simultaneously to include participation of the communities that are being “developed”. As such, the orang asli have to be the primary participants in the development process rather than objects that an external body pawns for projects or charitable purposes. Not only is participation necessary, but tools of empowerment crucial. Those marginalised need to be given decision-making positions so that they are empowered, know their rights and know how to assert these rights. Empowerment is the journey and the outcome of development. So how well are we doing?
Indigenous peoples rights is a sensitive issue in many parts of the world because the majority fail to acknowledge that we have played the role of colonisers too. According to our prime minister’s budget speech in October, Malaysia has 190,00 orang asli – the question is: what have we done for them, is it enough and is it fast enough? There may not be a social contract, but there sure is a moral obligation at the very least.
Natalie is humbled by the good work of the Centre for Orang Asli Concerns and congratulates them on being awarded the United Nations Organisation of the Year award 2011. Comments: letters@thesundaily.com
