Environment is also about politics and not just ecology. That’s how it is Political Ecological Perspective. It is important to connect with Social Justice Issues in ecological movements. There is a delicate balance between Politics and Ecology.
Alberto has been researching changes taking place amongst Malaysian aborigines for the past 35 years. Long time back he heard the sounds of chain saw in the forests of
His association with Indigenous People in
forest they would point to stone and trees and narrate particular incidents like the behavior of their invaders with links to the particular stone or a particular tree. Each place was named. What is it mean to take away forest? Places are important because of great social significance. The aborigine histories are intimately connected with stones and trees and corresponding memories. To do away with trees from the forest also means to do away with aborigine histories. Displacement is equal to erasing of history of lives of Indigenous People.
Aborigine People have deep relation with their spirits. Before taking any significant decision people in aboriginal societies would consult and seek permissions from the spirits of the locality. After taking permission they would act based on the interpretation of their dreams.
When wild pig is hunted by aborigines, just before his death the hunter goes and apologizes to the animal for hunting as they are forced to hunt in order to feed their families”.
The root cause of ecological problem is greed. Aborigine people do not have greed hence they do not create ecological problems. No individual has a right to own land. People collectively belong to land. Mainstream societies must learn from tribal people.
Tribal People’s stories needs to be recorded. Violent economy has its nemesis in ecology. Greed leads to exceeded consumption patterns. This creates situation of grievances amongst those exploited by system. The grievance then matures into armed revolts fuelling further violence.
We still do not know enough about alternatives. Instead of confronting the system there is a need to wrestle with the system as sometimes when the system is too strong it can crush its opponents. Aborigines of
Alberto is currently working on book on ‘non-killing’ tribes world wide and understand the transformation that led them into violence. Media focus is mostly on violence. In actual reality for every incident of violence in society that are over thousand incidents of non-violence. Yet media choose to report and highlight only violence. Amongst aborigine societies violence is ridiculed.
Economic growth and sustainability cannot go together.
Sebastian Rodrigues
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