Who decides the fate of Indigenous cultures?
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Approximately 476 million Indigenous people worldwide continue to fight for rights and recognition despite histories of colonization and oppression.
For centuries, these communities have protected global biodiversity, often more effectively than government programs. However, many states deny Indigenous peoples’ identities or control over their lands and resources, prioritizing extraction of natural resources or economic gain. In the Philippines, Indigenous leaders faced criminal charges for protesting mining. In Brazil, 258 Indigenous people were murdered in 2025 while defending their land.
Governments often exert control through policies like China’s new cotton law, which monitors production and compels Indigenous farmers to comply with state supervision. In Tanzania, the state takes Indigenous Maasai lands for tourism and investment. Despite these challenges, Indigenous communities are actively working to preserve their cultures. Individuals within these communities are taking initiative. In Nigeria, Kam community members created language recordings, while an educator in India documents the endangered Juang language.
In Russia, a Buryat fashion designer supports her family and preserves textile heritage. These efforts, alongside the economic value of traditional practices like Ghana’s traditional medicine and the growing market for Indigenous African crops, demonstrate the importance of Indigenous control over decisions impacting their lives and cultures.
