Indigenous people

Indigenous people are strikingly diverse in their culture, religion, and social and economic organisation. Yet today, as in the past, they are prey to stereotyping by the outside world. By some they are idealised as the embodiment of spiritual values; by others they are denigrated as an obstacle to economic progress. However, they are neither: they are people who cherish their own distinct cultures, are the victims of past and present-day colonialism, and are determined to survive. Some live according to their traditions; some receive welfare; others work in factories, offices or the professions. As well as their diversity, there are some shared values and experiences among indigenous cultures. Where they have maintained a close living relationship to the land, there exists a co-operative attitude of give and take, a respect for the Earth and the life it supports, and a perception that humanity is but one of many species.

Source: Burger, J. (1990) The Gaia Atlas of First Peoples: A Future for the Indigenous World, Penguin Books, Ringwood, p. 15.