Positive Human Prototypes for ecological stewardship
Biological diversity and diversity of cultures
On a global basis, cultural diversity is closely linked to biological diversity. Remarkable overlaps exist between global mappings of biological richness and areas of rich language diversity; language diversity signifies cultural multiplicity. Indigenous peoples account for as much as 90% of the human cultural diversity.2
Cultures are closely identified with languages, and language survival is often used to indicate cultural survival. More than half of the world's estimated original 15,000 languages have disappeared already. Unless important measures are taken to protect indigenous peoples' rights and cultures, linguists and anthropologists estimate that only 5 to 10 percent of the some 6,000 to 7,000 languages are expected to survive the next 50* years.4
Modern science has discovered a new reality that demonstrates the link between planetary health and the existence of indigenous peoples. This verity or bio-cultural axiom is called the “concept of symbiotic conservation” and states that “biological and cultural diversity are mutually dependent and geographically coterminous”. In layman’s terms this is to say that indigenous people steward healthy ecosystems. Where cultural diversity exists we discover nature existing in a state of harmony and where we find biodiversity we find indigenous peoples dwelling within it. The boundaries planetary health are the boundaries of indigenous peoples.
Most of the lands, about 16% of terrestrial earth, that remain pristine, unknown, untamed, and essentially untouched by human adversity, are home to the majority of indigenous peoples. In general, the higher the concentration of native populations, the richer and healthier the ego-regions are found to be.
Indigenous peoples occupy a substantial share of the world’s undisturbed wildernesses.(Durning,1003)
The one million tribes of Amazonia possess 334 million acres of tropical forests in 8 countries. In Laos, 80 percent or more of all forest lands remains under indigenous systems of management. Brazil, Indonesia and Zaire alone contain over 60% of all the world’s tropical forests; these forests are continually inhabited and managed by indigenous peoples.
Indigenous people have claim to nearly 30% of the earth’s land; they are only allowed legal use of 6% however. Indigenous peoples live in what are termed “frontier lands” or “refuge regions” that are remote areas of great “wilderness”. These ego-regions retain their biological health and abundance. Ecosystems providing a homeland to indigenous peoples remain whole and unaffected by human habitation; the original structure of the ecosystem is unscathed even while its components are used to support human life.
Every part of the planet has been inhabited, modified, and manipulated throughout human history. The last tracts of wilderness are inhabited and have been home to indigenous people for millennia. These remaining tracts are home to exceptionally high levels of biodiversity. In the final analysis, they hold the key to successful biodiversity conservation within the biologically richest regions of earth.
Humans and wild nature can positively coexist; in fact we have been doing it for millennia. All of the great civilizations were born out of brilliant strategies of natural resource management; they represent the blossoms of an ancient tree of life, which is the unity of man and nature, and the creation of harmony and abundant life. This tree, and the great fruits of technology that it bears, can survive this present era of neglect and human destruction only if we claim responsibility for our actions and work collectively to heal our planet. It is our earth’s indigenous people who hold that secret. They wait silently for us to realize fate; sit patiently for us to lend them our ears. The Tree of Life Guardianship sits poised between both worlds, speaking the language of the indigenous heart, reaching out to our native relatives with the powers of the great empires of humankind; and through the kind gestures of common people.
In Native ways it is said, “The greatest place a person can get to, is the heart of a simple, common man.”
The path of a true human is hard; it takes a long time to find, and is difficult to stay on; yet, it is the only path that ever means anything.
*Other estimates give us to the end of the century before this near extinction crisis is realized; see languages and UNESCO report contained therein.
