Next Tuesday, August 9, under the slogan: “The role of indigenous women in the preservation and transmission of traditional knowledge”, the World Indigenous Day will be celebrated.
This celebration, which began in 1993, is for the United Nations General Assembly the date that marks the day of the first meeting, in 1982, of the United Nations Working Group on Indigenous Populations of the Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human rights.
Seven Panamanian Indigenous Groups
In our country there are seven indigenous peoples, these are the Ngäbe, the Buglee, the Guna, the Embera, the Wounaan, the Bri bri, and the Naso Tjërdi. According to the 2010 census, they accounted 417,559 inhabitants, 12% of the total population of Panama.
In Panama, the diversity of the original peoples around the world is commemorated, where their identities and cultural expressions are recognized, but their struggles, resistance and resilience to survive the global context are also made visible.
Culture that Endures Over Time
During this day, leaders, representatives and local indigenous populations seek for their languages and sociocultural expressions endure over time despite the pressures of international markets, the commodification of their culture and the over exploitation of natural resources in their ancestral territories.
Invitation to See Our Present and Future
The International Day for Indigenous Peoples is a way of personifying the importance of our own history, but above all it is a call to turn to see our present and future. The relevance of commemorating this day lies in recognizing that it is not only our governments and companies that have a responsibility to indigenous peoples, but also us as citizens.
