CONTENTS No.250 September/October 2008

THE CONTEXT

6 DECLARATION OF DIGNITY JERRY MANDER The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

10 CULTURAL VITALITY LUISA MAFFI The concept of biocultural diversity.

KEYNOTES

20 STATIONS OF LIFE HUGH BRODY There is a profound connection between loss of cultural diversity and extremes of inequality.

12 RESTORING RESILIENCE GARY J. MARTIN Maintaining diversity is an act of supreme collective intelligence.

16 SACRED CREATION LAURA RIVAL Reflecting on the pioneering work of Darrell Posey.

26 FAITHKEEPER BARRY LOPEZ An interview with the wisdom-carrier, Oren Lyons.

at the heart of earth, art and spirit

September/October 2008 No. 250 £4.95 US$9.75

INDIGENOUS INTELLIGENCEDiverse solutions for the 21st Century

25O Celebrating

issues

Surma man – Ethiopia

PHOTOGRAPH: ANGELA FISHER & CAROLE BECKWITH/ africanceremonies.com

BIOCULTURAL DIVERSITY

FRONTLINE

34 A WORD OF DIFFERENCE MAURICE CARDER There is much in common between biological and linguistic diversity.

36 DEFENDERS OF DIVERSITY ASHISH KOTHARI AND NEEMA PATHAK Many of the world’s most biodiverse areas remain so thanks to the sustaining lifestyles of Indigenous peoples.

38 GUIDES AND GATHERERS KEN WILSON A beautiful example of co-evolution between humans and birds.

40 FATE OF THE FORESTS GHILLEAN PRANCE Where there are Indigenous peoples, there are healthy, verdant forests.

42 SITES OF SIGNIFICANCE MARTIN PALMER Preservation of the Earth is a way of discovering meaning in our lives.

44 BEAUTY AND THE BEAST JANIS B. ALCORN Conservation agencies must love the communities in the land they want to protect, as much as they love the land itself.

46 LESSONS OF THE BIRCH NANCY J. TURNER Vital skills in resilience and adaptation are held within Indigenous communities worldwide.

50 THE LAW OF THE MOTHER JUAN MAYR MALDONADO The time has come to value other cultures and respect the sanctity of life.

52 EXIT EXPLOITATION DANIEL BELLOW Exploring ways and means of sustaining diversity in a rapidly changing world.

54 A CUP OF DIVERSITY 56 CULTURAL CAPITAL 57 HORSE POWER 57 SEED STEWARDS 58 ABORIGINAL EMPOWERMENT 59 FOOD TRADITIONS

ILLUSTRATORS AxEL SCHEFFLER illustrates children’s books. JAY LUTTMAN-JOHNSON is a lino-cut printmaker.

Reed houses, Shobaish Marshes, Iraq, 1982 PHOTOGRAPH: ROBERT HARDING PICTURE LIBRARY LTD/ALAMY

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