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

4 Resurgence No. 50 September/October 008 Typical ‘Oca’ houses in Matogrosso State, Brazil

PHOTOGRAPH: SUE CUNNINGHAM PHOTOGRAPHIC

UNDERCURRENTS REGULARS

62 IS THE WORLD BECOMING FLAT AGAIN? NAYANTARA SAHGAL Diversity of thoughts, speech, literature and the arts is under attack.

66 TONGUES IN TREES RICHARD MABEY Diversity is like language: it is alive and constantly changing.

68 OF MOULDS AND MEN GARY PAUL NABHAN Biodiversity is not just “out there”, it is here, on our plates.

70 SURROUNDED BY SOLUTIONS TEWOLDE BERHAN GEBRE EGZIABHER The answers to our ecological crises lie in the bounty of Nature.

2 WELCOME SATISH KUMAR

76 PIONEERS: VANYA ORR JAMES GRAHAM

78 SHORT STORY GREGORY NORMINTON

79 THE LONG VIEW

HARRY EYRES

80 DEEP SPIRIT

THOMAS MOORE

82 RECIPES DAPHNE LAMBERT

84 LETTERS TO THE EDITORS

97 MEMBERS’ PAGE

REVIEWS

88 IN MY OWN WORDS Conservation Refugees MARK DOWIE

90 IN MY OWN WORDS What on Earth Happened? CHRISTOPHER LLOYD

92 FROM IMMIGRANT TO CITIZEN MARCO VISSCHER reviews The Accidental American

93 GREEN IS THE NEW ‘RED, WHITE AND BLUE’ PETER AINSWORTH reviews A Contract with the Earth

ADVERTISING

92 CLASSIFIED ADVERTS 95 DISPLAY ADVERTS

FOR CONTACT INFORMATION FOR RESURGENCE OFFICES AND AGENTS, PLEASE SEE PAGE 82.

Back cover: Peul woman, with characteristic mouth tattoo carrying water, Djennéé, Mali

PHOTOGRAPH: ARIADNE VANZANDBERGEN/photographersdirect.com

Resurgence No. 50 September/October 008 5