Media vs Indigenous People?

Today I was in my Intergration Dutch class in which we read texts which are meant to teach foreigners about the Dutch culture, its society, as well as the issues we face here in the Netherlands. The text made me realize how media can play a significant role in how indigenous people are perceived and treated nowadays.

The passage in the book talks about how Hasna El Mouradi, a 20 year old student of Moroccan descent, was threatened with her life after writing a controversial column in the NRC newspaper about the relationship between Arabic and Berber people in Morocco. However, before getting into the topic as to why she cannot walk the streets safely, it is important to point out what the Berber culture consists of.

Berbers are the indigenous groups of people who live primarily in North Africa, however, Berber people can be found all over Africa. They are mainly concentrated in Morocco and Algeria and smaller groups can be found in Tunesia, Libya and Egypt (www.al-bab.com). They, as most indigenous folk, have their own language, music, artifacts and traditions. Regrettably, a divide has come to exist between the early Berbers and the Arabic people in the past 100 years, mostly due to different political traditions and opposing beliefs about heritage and language.

This division is echoed in modern-day society in articles such as the one written by El Mouradi. Writing from a "modern Arabic Moroccan" point of view, says the following:
"The Berbers used to be the bosses of Morocco and because of that, they hold resentment that we took their land. We find the Berbers to be under-developed and primitive because, for example, they bring their mountain goats to the Netherlands. The Berbers are the ones that choose the criminal path and for that reason they're the ones giving Moroccans a bad name." (Spunk.nl, 2005)
*please note, this is my own translation of the text!!

As you can tell, this is definitely a text that may make a few angry, if not furious! However, what I am trying to get to is not the content of the text, nor the message behind it. The point of this analysis and comparison is not to point a finger, nor deny someone's freedom of speech. The purpose behind this is to figure out whether this mentality, the power of media and the strength of word of mouth are the reasons for misunderstandings, conflict and rejection of indigenous people?

The two Moroccan colleagues in my class (one Arabic and the other Berber) stated that there absolutely wasn't such an issue, nor did they treat or write about each other in such ways in their country. So my questions is: why did this columnist have to paint this picture in this light?  Is there a prejudicial factor because of her own background/experience? Can she really give herself credit for speaking for all Arabic Moroccans or was this just an opinionated, self-prophesysing rant?

Most importantly, though, is: May this kind of writing and perception be one of the reasons for discrimination and prejudice against indigenous people nowadays?
And, if so, how can we start using media/opinions.stories to actually help indigenous people rather than portray them as 'insignificant, backwards'?

                                                          (Chefchaouen, 2008)

INDIGENOUS LIFESTYLE MAY BE THE ANSWER TO A MORE SUSTAINABLE SOCIETY

In a recent article in the National Geographic about Climate Change and Indigenous People,  Stephen Leahy shows how the Indigenous People's lifestyle may be the key to a more sustainable society as a whole. The article is based on interviews held with various participants who were invited for a 3-day workshop in Cairnes, Australia.


Until recently, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), an international body which assesses climate change, did not include traditional knowledge of indigenous peoples. However, in order to change  societal behavior about CO2, this knowledge may be the missing link. This time the IPCC invited indigenous people to part-take in the conversation in the workshops. However, much to their dismay the workshops were set up in classroom style and limited by time. This method does not reflect the way that indigenous folk carry out meetings and discuss topics, nevertheless, the fact that the organization is now actively seeking participation shows their openness towards traditional methods and lifestyle.


Education may also be a way to start changing behavior in order to reduce CO2 emissions. As stated in the article, we are taught how to 'dominate nature' rather than learning how to live harmoniously with it. In addition, we rely on charts, statistical data and man-made techniques to tell us how we can further reduce carbon consumption, yet we do not look at the nature that is being destroyed around us to make sense of the impact we have on our environment.


Despite the fact that this 3-day workshop is a large step in the right direction for international and intergovernmental developments, the shift should actually be taking place in our own individual minds. Start by thinking: How can I reduce my carbon emissions? How can I stimulate others to do so? What is an interesting way to teach our children to get along with nature? Which lessons can I learn from indigenous people and how can we integrate this knowledge to make it accessible and attainable for all who wish to make a difference?