|
Aboriginal : most commonly used in Australia, where it is
slightly preferred to the term ‘Aborigine’, although both
are in common usage. Its synonyms are indigenous, native
and autochtonous. See the journal archives:
News, December 2005. Read under the title Qui
? and visit the photo gallery (photothèque).
Akha : a tribal people living in Thailand, Burma, Laos,
Vietnam and South China. They have a population of roughly 500 000.
Have a look in the photo gallery (photothèque).
ancestral : what has been passed on by distant ancestors.
It can be land, beliefs or knowledge.
animist : someone who thinks that in everything there is
a good or bad spirit. Shamans can communicate with spirits
to attract them or fight them off. For example the rain-spirit is
beneficial for harvests.
Asmat : a Papuan people. Visit the photo gallery
(photothèque) and see under the title
Qui ?
assimilated : to become assimilated is to become similar
to the majority, that is to say to people who have a different culture,
by abandoning one’s own way of life and customs.
autochtonous : someone who comes from a region, or from
a land where their ancestors have always lived.
Awa : an Indian people living in Amazonia, across Columbia,
Peru and Brazil. Their population is roughly 25 000, and they live
of fishing and farming corn, manioc and bananas. Visit the photo
gallery (photothèque) and see the journal archives
: two articles, September 2005
Ayoreo : a forest-dwelling people from Paraguay and from
Bolivia. Some Ayoreo are victims of forest logging by big cattle
ranching companies and have had to leave their land. Other groups
are still uncontacted. Visit the photo gallery (photothèque)
and read in the journal archives
the articles, September 2005 and the News, October 2008.
Aztecs : a people from Mexico, who developed a brilliant
civilisation before Spanish colonists arrived in the sixteenth
century. Their last sovereign Cuauhtemoc was assassinated by Cortes,
a spanish conquistador.
Bochiman : see Bushman (plural : Bushmen)
Bushmen : a people of hunter-gatherers from the south of
Africa. Some Bushmen live in the Kalahari desert, in Botswana, where
the government wants to mine for diamonds. They struggle to defend
the right to live on their land. Read in the journal archives,
March 2005 and the News, June and December 2005 and October 2008.
Visit the media centre (médiathèque)and the photo
gallery (photothèque) as well as the page qui
?
cacique : this Indian word from Latin America refers to
the community leader.
cannibal : someone who eats human flesh, generally not to
feed himself but to assimilate the qualities of the person being
eaten, be friend or foe. Nowadays this custom has become very rare.
Read about cannibalism in the journal archives
the article on the Guarani people, June 2005.
cassava : pancake made out of manioc flour, the staple food
for many forest-dwelling people in the Amazon. Have a look in the
journal archives, September
2006.
caste : a group of people who practice the same trade, and
marry among themselves, like merchants, blacksmiths or craftsmen.
The caste system is still very much in existence in India, and even
though it has been prohibited by law, it still exists in the countryside.
The untouchables are so scorned upon that they are not even considered
to be members of any caste of the society.
Chakma :
they are members of the Jumma people and live in Bangladesh.
Visit the photo gallery (: photothèque)
to claim : the act of asking for something that people think
they have the right to have.
clan : a united group made up of several families. A tribe
can be divided into several different clans.
colonist : in the past colonists, or colonials, were people
who came to invade another country in order to enlarge their own
territory, to settle down and to make the most out of the
natural resources. They chased away, killed or enslaved the tribal
peoples who were there before them. Today colonists are people who
settle in a territory, often because they have been chased from
their own land or because they are attracted by gold, rare wood,
oil, land to farm, etc.
compensation : to recognize an error, or a mistake that
has harmed somebody, by offering him an indemnity. Tribal
peoples should be compensated because their lands and their goods
have been stolen or ravaged.
contact : since they first met with colonists, practically
all tribal peoples have been in contact with the outside
world. There are about one hundred isolated or uncontacted
peoples in the world, like for example some Ayoreo. In reality
most of these peoples have decided to isolate themselves in order
to escape from colonial violence or a way of life that people
wanted to impose on them. To find out more read in the journal archives
: News, December 2005, and two articles, March and September 2005
.
convention : an agreement between several people. For example
UNESCO has established a convention in order to regulate
the art trade. Read the journal archives,
October 2007.
culture : the knowledge and way of life that belong to a
society ; its ways of making things, its religious ceremonies, its
way of organising village or family life, etc.
custom : a way of doing things that is passed on from generation
to generation, and that the society, family or village continues
to respect. For example, the Inuit customs insist that the
game from a hunt must be shared between all the families in the
group.
deforestation : the logging of forests. The deforestation
of big tropical forests in America, in Africa and in Asia is of
particular concern to forest-dwelling tribal peoples because
the forest provides them with what they need to eat, to cloth themselves,
to build their houses, to make tools, etc. Ecologists fight against
deforestation, just like Survival defends the peoples who inhabit
the forest.
Dogon : a people living in west Africa. Read in the journal
archives the article,
March 2008 : "Des hommes et des bêtes".
Dongria Kondh :a people living in east India. Read in the
journal archives the
News, June 2008, and visit this people under the title Qui
?
elders : the expression "elders" refers to the
eldest members of a community, those who have knowledge of things
from the past, and are wiser than the younger generations. Have
a look at the article in the journal archives
"Tournage sur la banquise", September 2005.
eldorado : : a Spanish word that means "land of gold".
The term Eldorado is now used to signify a magnificent land
where there are riches to be found.
Embera : a people living in Panama and Columbia. Visit the
photo gallery (photothèque)
Enxet : a people living in west Paraguay. Visit the photo
gallery (photothèque)
Eskimo : someone "who eats raw flesh".
A derogatory term used to refer to the Inuit.
ethnic group : a group of people who share a common culture,
a common language, live on the same land and have the same customs.
Evenk : a nomadic people living in the taïga in Siberia.
Visit page Qui ? and the journal archives,
January 2007: A l'école avec les rennes. Have a look
at the page écoles
fetish : a statue, a mask or a sacred object. For example
during wedding ceremonies, the Dogon from Mali give offerings
to the fetish, spraying it with beer, eggs, oil or blood, whilst
calling the spirits and ancestors in order to enter into
communication with them.
FUNAI : Brazil's Indian affairs department. Read in the
journal archives the
files, June and September 2005 and the News, December 2005 and June
2008.
genocide : : the destruction of a population to the point
of making it disappear completely. Racism, religious hatred, greed
for more land and hunger for power are some causes of genocide.
For example, the Indians were victims of genocide when the Europeans
first conquered America.
Guarani : a people living in south America. Read in the
journal archives the
News, March 2005 and the article, June 2005. Visit the photo gallery
(photothèque).
heritage : material goods, but also cultural inheritance
handed down by the ancestors. An heritage can be made up
of objects, land, houses and works of art but also beliefs, customs,
knowledge and know-how.
Himba : a people living in Namibia and Angola. Visit the
photo gallery (: photothèque)
homeland : see territory
Hopi : a Native American nation living in the south-west
of the United States of America. Read under the title Qui
?
human rights : the declaration of human rights lists all
the rights men and women have in this world. There also exists a
declaration of children’s rights and, since september 2007,
a declaration of the rights of indigenous peoples. See violation
of rights
immigration : when people from a different country settle
down in a new country.
indemnity : a sum of money, or something else that is given
to someone to compensate him for damage suffered.
independence movement (member of an) : someone who
wants its country or region to become independent, with its own
government, flag and capital. Read in the journal archives
the article about New Caledonia, May 2008.
indigenous : this is perhaps the term most often used by
specialists and academics, although it is not in such common usage
amongst the general public. See autochtonous or tribal
people.
initiation : set of rites, or tests designed to allow
young people to enter into the adult world. Tribal peoples
often initiate young boys and girls, during a ceremony (or a rite
of passage) where they must show how brave they are and go through
ordeals that are sometimes painful, like those that involve fire
or red ants. All those who are initiated together belong to the
same age set and will help each other out throughout their lives.
Have a look at Qui ? : Maasai.
Innu : a people living in the north of Canada. Visit the
photo gallery (photothèque) and the page Qui
?
Inuit : a people from the Arctic regions, who were once
called Eskimos. They live in Canada, Siberia (Russia) and
Greenland. Have a look at the articles in the journal archives,
December 2005 and June 2006, and read the pages "Inuit"
in English or in French under the title Qui ?
isolated or "uncontacted" : see contact.
Read in the journal archives
the article, September 2005 and the News, June 2008.
Jarawa : a people living in the Andaman Islands. Read in
the journal archives
the News of Survival, September 2005 and the article, March 2005.
Visit the photo gallery (photothèque)
Jivaro : a people living in Latin America. Have a look under
the title Qui ? and in the journal archives
: "Musée vivant", les tsantas.
Kanak : a people living in New Caledonia. Read page Qui
? and in the journal archives
: "musée vivant", September 2005 and the article,
May 2008.
Kassena : a people living in Burkina Faso and Ghana. Read
in the journal archives
the article "Des hommes et des bêtes" and
the page "musée vivant", April 2008.
Kayapo : a people living in the north of Amazonia. Read
in the journal archives
the file, June 2005.
Khanty : a people living in Siberia in the taïga.
Visit the photo gallery (photothèque)
Kodiag : a people living in the far north of America. Read
in the journal archives
"musée vivant", December 2005
Konso : a people living in Ethiopia. Visit the photo gallery
(photothèque)
Kuna : a people living in Panama. Read in the journal archives,
June 2006 : "musée vivant".
land : see territory
livelihood : the resources that allow a person to support
himself : to eat, cloth, shelter and travel.
Maasaï : a people living in Kenya and Tanzania. Visit
the photo gallery (photothèque) and see the page
Qui ?
Makuleke : a people living in South Africa and Mozambica.
Read in the journal archives
the article, September 2006 :"Vivre dans un parc naturel".
Makuxi : a people living in Brazil and Guyana. Visit the
photo gallery (photothèque)
Maori : a people living in south Pacific Ocean islands.
Read in the journal archives
the page "musée vivant", September 2005 and the
file, December 2005. Have a look at the page Qui
?
Mapuche : a people living in Chile and Argentina. Read in
the journal archives
the article, June 2005, the page écoles
and the page Qui
?
Melanesian : an inhabitant of Melanesia, which groups together
New Guinea as well as the Soloman islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia
and Fiji.
Mentawaï : a people living on the Mentawaï islands
in Indonesia. Visit the page Qui
?
Miao : a people living in the south of China and north of
Vietnam. Read in the journal archives
: "musée vivant", July 2007
minority : a group of people living within a state and yet
has a distinctive culture, way of life, religion or political stance
that is different to that of the majority.
miscegenation : mixing between people of different races.
A person of mixed race, has parents from different ethnic groups.
Culturally, jazz music is the product of different races mixing
together when black slaves were deported from Africa to the United
States of America.
Moni : a Melanesian people living in Papouasia (ex-Irian
Jaya). Visit the photo gallery (photothèque) and see the
page Qui ?
Mursi : a people living in Ethiopia. Visit the photo gallery
(photothèque)
myth : a traditional story usually concerning the beginnings
of man and nature. Since as long as anyone can remember myths have
been passed down from generation to generation, by elders to the
younger members of a society.
native : a person born in a specified place. A Native
American is an Indian from North America.
native speaker : a person who speaks the native tongue.
When a language no longer has any native speakers, it becomes dead,
or lost language, like ancient Greek. Some (or many ?) indigenous
languages are spoken only by old people and become lost languages.
Read the journal archives,
December 2005.
Navajo : an Indian people living in the south west of the
United States of America. Read in the journal archives
: "musée vivant", March 2007.
non-government organization : NGOs are often organizations
that defend people who are in danger because of the war, poverty,
racism, an epidemic, a catastrophe or a dictatorship. Survival is
an NGO that helps tribal peoples who are in danger.
Nukak : a people living in Columbia. Read in the journal
archives the News, June
2006 and the article, September 2006.
Ogiek, or Okiek : a people living in Kenya. Visit
the photo gallery (photothèque)
omen : an observation based on natural signs, like the flight
of birds or animal tracks, that is used to tell the future.
Onge : a people living in the Andaman Islands, south of
India. Read in the journal archives
the file and the News, March 2005 .
Papuans : the Papuan peoples live in Papuasia. Have a look
at Asmat and Yali, in English or in French, at the
page Qui ?, the archives,
March 2005 and visit the photo gallery (photothèque).
Pemon : a people living in Venezuela. Read in the journal
archives the article,
June 2006.
Penan : a people living in the rainforests on the island
of Borneo. Read in the journal archives
the News, June 2005. Visit the page Qui ?
people : a group living in a society on a shared territory
with common language and customs. This website lets us get
to know some tribal peoples. The name of a people is written
with a capital letter, like a surname.
pharmacognosy : the branch of pharmacology that deals with
drugs in their crude or natural state and with medicinal herbs or
other plants. Tribal peoples often have a rich understanding
of medicinal plants, and this is part of their cultural heritage.
Pidgin : a simplified language created from English. For
example in Papua New-Guinea yumi means we, (from you + me
= we.)
Pygmy : a people living in the center of Africa. Visit Esimba
in Nous
le monde and the photo gallery (photothèque)
Quechua : a people living in Equador, Peru and Bolivia.
Visit the page écoles
ravage (to) : to despoil, and do ruinous damage to somebody's
goods. Tribal people's land is often ravaged.
reservation : a territory attributed to a tribal
people so that they can live there. However the reservation isn't
necessarily on their original land. The first reservations were
established in the United States of America.
resolution : decision made on an issue that needed to find
a solution. The UN (United Nations) can vote on resolutions.
Read the journal archives, October 2007.
return (to) : to give back something that has previously
been ravaged. Tribal peoples often ask for their art work
to be returned because it is a part of their heritage. Read the
journal archives, October 2007
rights violation : not respecting a person or group’s
rights. See human rights.
rites, rituals : actions, gestures, or speech that are repeated
at certain occasions, like the return of spring, birth, the passing
of age, death, or harvest. These happen during ceremonies that can
be more or less secret, magic or religious.
Saami : a people living in north Scandinavia. Read in the
journal archives the
article, March 2005 and visit the page Qui ?
sedentary (to be made) : describes a group that was traditionally
nomadic and yet has been constrained to settle in a set place. Many
tribal peoples are being forcefully made more and more sedentary
and want to go back to there old nomadic way of life.
semi-nomadic : only nomadic during part of the year. Semi-nomadic
peoples go hunting or travel with their herds during the months
when the vegetation grows back. During the rest of the year, they
are sedentary and farm or make tools, clothes, weapons, etc. For
example the Saami, the Jarawa and the Bushmen
are semi-nomadic people.
Sentinele : People living in the Andaman Islands. Read in
the journal archives
the file, March 2005.
settler : see colonist
shaman : the person in charge of communicating with the
spirits, be them good or bad, for example in order to cure an illness,
to prepare for a good hunt, or to protect a village.
Shompen : a people living in the Andaman Islands. Read in
the journal archives
the file, March 2005.
slave trade : trade and transport of black slaves from Africa
towards other continents, especially America, from ancient times
until nineteenth century.
society : a group of people, be it big or small, that have
organized themselves in order to live together.
spokesman/ spokeswoman : a person who represents a group
of people and speaks on their behalf about their ideas, the situation
they are in, their demands and hopes.
symbol : representation of an idea, a thing, or an animal.
For example for us the colour black symbolizes death, whilst in
India white symbolizes death. Jaguars are a power symbol for some
Amazonian Indians.
taboo : a prohibition, that is often religious. A taboo
can be an action, a word, an object or particular food. Sometimes
if a taboo isn’t respected, the person who broke it can be
punished. The person then has to take part in special rites,
and make offerings and sacrifices in order to calm the unhappy spirits
down.
taïga : a huge region in Siberia, covered with forests,
where it gets very cold in the winter. Nomadic peoples live in the
taïga, like the Evenk. Visit the pages Qui
?and écoles
Tchouktche : a people living in the far east Siberia. See
Anton in Nous
le monde
territory : the land where a group of people live. Above
all tribal peoples want to be left to live on their own land,
where they have always lived and where their ancestors are
buried. It's their homeland.
totem : a representation of an animal, or sometimes of a
plant that a group considers to be the ancestor or protector
of their clan. For example some Indians use totems that are
big posts of wood with animals sculpted into them, like eagles,
seals, whales etc.
tundra : the Saami word used to designate the extensive
plain in the arctic region where breeders let their reindeer pasture
during the summer. The vegetation grows low and is made up of moss,
lichen, shrubs and grass. The ground is frozen all year round and
covered with snow during winter. Read the article (March 2005) about
the Saami children in the archives.
tradition : the elements of a culture that have been
passed on from generation to generation for as long as anyone can
remember.
tribal people : see autochtonous, indigenous
tribe : this word is often wrongly used to designate a people
or an ethnic group. What it really means is a group of people who
have a particular social organization, with a common language and
culture.
Tuareg : the nomadic peoples of the Sahara. They live in
Mauritania, Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso. Read more in English or
in French at the page Qui ?
UNESCO : the United Nations organization that deals with
education, science, and culture. It is and international
institution in charge of protecting world heritage : sites of natural
beauty (for example a forest), buildings (for example a castle)
and also knowledge that constitutes an immaterial heritage. The
knowledge and traditions that belong to tribal people
is part of this immaterial heritage, for example the knowledge of
medicinal plants, a language, music and dance. Read in the journal
archives the file, December
2005
UN : United Nations. The United Nations brings together
all the countries in the world to try and stop wars and conflicts.
The United Nations can send armed peacekeeping forces into combat,
to try and stop enemy forces fighting each other. The United Nations
tries to get everybody to respect the universal declaration of human
rights. Have a look at the journal archives,
June 2005.
violation of rights : not respecting a person or group’s
rights. See human rights
Wayana : a people living in French Guyana. Visit the page qui
? and in the archives
the article, June 2006
Yali : a people living in the center of Papouasia (ex-Irian
Jaya). Visit the photo gallery (photothèque) and read the
page Qui ?
Yanomami : a people living in Brazil. Visit Guiomar in Nous
le monde, read in the journal archives
the article, March 2005 and visit the photo gallery (photothèque)
Yao : a people living in the north of Thaïland. Visit
the photo gallery (photothèque)
Zoulou : a people living in the south of Africa. Read in
the journal archives
the article speaking of the Zoulou king.
|
