Experiences of Colonization by Indigenous People Essay - 4

Experiences of Colonization by Indigenous People - Essay Example And who furthermore have maintained at least in part their distinct linguistic, cultural and social/organizational characteristics and, in doing so, remain differentiated in some degree from the surrounding populations and dominant culture of the nation-state Several other related terms are also in vogue e.g. aborigines, native peoples, first peoples, Fourth World, first nations and autochthonous (derived from Greek, meaning â€Å"sprung from the earth†). However, in this era of political correctness, the term Indigenous People is more commonly used to avoid implications of racism etc. [1]. Indigenous peoples living in more than 70 countries, of whom approximately 150 million live in the Commonwealth countries. These are; Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea (South Pacific), Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India, and Malaysia (South and South East Asia), Botswana, South Africa, Namibia, Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda (Africa), and Canada, Guyana, and Belize (North Americas and the Caribbean).† [2]. Despite the diversity of indigenous peoples, it may be noted that they share common problems and issues in dealing with the prevailing, or invading, society. They are generally concerned that the cultures of indigenous peoples are being lost and that indigenous peoples suffer both discrimination and pressure to assimilate into their surrounding societies. This is borne out by the fact that the lands and cultures of nearly all of the peoples listed at the end of this article are under threat. Notable exceptions are the Sakha and Komi peoples (two of the Northern Indigenous Peoples of Siberia), who now control their own autonomous republics within the Russian state.