Infrastructural development for Indigenous communities must honor tradition
Indigenous peoples across the Caribbean face several challenges in post-colonial societies that cling to a violent colonial past founded upon their conquest, subordination and displacement. According to the UN, indigenous peoples ‘…suffer disproportionately from climate change, environmental degradation, high levels of poverty, poor access to education, health and broader human rights violations.’ Additionally, they experience exclusion within legal systems, both in legislation and in navigating institutions, along with political underrepresentation.
Compounding those struggles are severe infrastructural deficiencies in many Indigenous communities regionally, including inadequate housing (which is complicated by persistent disputes with extractive industries and other third party interests over their ancestral lands), lack of access to clean water and sanitation as well as insufficient access to quality healthcare and educational facilities. These deficits perpetuate intergenerational marginalization and disadvantage, leading to adverse health, educational and socio-economic outcomes that severely compromise the ability of the Caribbean’s Indigenous peoples to live dignified lives.
While empowering Indigenous peoples through the infrastructural development of their communities is crucial, it must be undertaken in a manner that honors tradition and respects their unique customs. A balanced approach is especially necessary in the Caribbean, where modernization imperatives tend to conflict with traditional ways of life. A paternalistic approach—however well-intentioned—can erode the autonomy and agency of Indigenous peoples thereby undermining their right to self-determination, which is enshrined in Article 3 of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples 2007.
It is easy to assume that our modern, sedentary way of living is superior but the lifestyles of Caribbean Indigenous peoples offer valuable lessons in contentment, sustainability, and resilience. Their reverential love for nature—as both living and life-giving—is admirable and also offers profound insights into the importance of ecological stewardship in an increasingly extractivist world. Accordingly, their customs and traditional way of living should not be dismissed but rather appreciated for their wisdom and sustainability.
In advocating for infrastructural development in Indigenous communities, we must reject condescending attitudes that presume to know what is best for them. Instead, we should seek to empower Caribbean Indigenous communities to embrace modernization in ways that enhance the well-being of their people without erasing their cultural identities. Ultimately, infrastructural development must co-exist with and honour Indigenous tradition, customs and practices thereby ensuring that “progress” does not come at the cost of their cultural integrity.
Amanda Janell DeAmor Quest is a Jamaican Attorney-at-Law. Comments can be sent to [email protected].
