Indigenous Cultures
When most people think about indigenous peoples, they picture tribes from long ago. The image I used to always get was from a picture of Native Americans that I had seen as a kid. It was of some chieftain in full headdress, proudly and defiantly standing on horseback on top of a butte. This image placed indigenous cultures clearly in the past. I didn't give a single thought to the possibility that there are many vibrant indigenous communities that still exist.
I only found out about worldwide indigenous culture recently. A friend of mine has been studying anthropology, and she has given some particular attention to indigenous cultures in the South American rain forests. Apparently, there are quite a few Stone Age peoples still around nowadays. I wouldn't call these cultures exactly pristine most of them have had extensive contact with modern civilization. Nevertheless, they managed to cling to their native cultural traditions even in the face of modern incursions.
There are different schools of thought about indigenous cultures. A lot of people argue that it is our duty to bring them into the 21st century. They believe that modern medicine and technology can greatly enhance the lives of these people. There is some wisdom to this argument. You see, indigenous cultures do tend to have shorter life spans, and fewer options than modern cultures do. They are increasingly being forced off their land, and they don't have the option to go into cities and get a conventional job.
Then again, many people believe that indigenous cultures should be protected above all else. They argue that indigenous tribes are not only valuable in and of themselves as valid expressions of the human right to live as one chooses, but also valuable for us is a link to the past. You can't exactly assume that an indigenous culture is exactly like your ancestors, but you can look at the way they do things to get some clue to how your own ancestors once lived. Once these indigenous cultures have been wiped out or assimilated, we will no longer have the ability to study them.
I haven't quite made up my mind, but I tend to side more with the latter than the former. It seems kind of imperialist to say that our way of living is better than an indigenous cultural way. I can't deny that I do like my conveniences. I love being able to use the Internet and I have benefited greatly from modern medicine and the comforts of home. At the same time, that doesn't mean that I have the right to choose modern life for other people.
