Indigenous Communities

 Imagine walking for thousands of kilometres, held at gunpoint, as the scorching heat radiating from the sun melts your face off, morphing you into an amalgamation of sticky beads of salt and grime. Imagine having to brave rugged terrains, mighty waters and vast swamps, whilst your muscles ache as if a thousand arrows are piercing your skin; leaving you feeling lifeless and strung onto a fragile thread liable to snapping at any second. Imagine embarking upon an exhausting journey, with a parched throat and a rumbling stomach, unable to see the destination your journey leads to, only witnessing a brief glimpse of a hazy future, clouded by uncertainty. Imagine being coerced to endure hell, solely to arrive at a place you will never be able to truly call home. Imagine living life restrained, a sense of icy disconnect always enveloping you and your blurred surroundings. 

This jarring description may appear a terrifying nightmare for us, but for the indigenous people of the Eastern Woodlands in America, it was reality. 

The year was 1930, the signatory was Andrew Jackson, the outcome was the horrifying Indian Removal Act and the event was called the Trail of Tears. This act compelled Native Americans from the Eastern Woodlands to abandon their ancestral homelands, and relocate to foreign areas, without their consent. This radical decision impacted the lives of the indigenous people greatly as it resulted in approximately 100,000 individuals being displaced and 15,000 people dying in the process of moving across terrains. Yet, despite the magnitude of the decision and its humongous impact, the decision was made without consulting the representatives of the indigenous people, neglecting their voice. Even prior to the Trail of Tears, the local people of the Eastern Woodlands were taken advantage of and treated unjustly. For instance, their territories were supposed to be protected, as an exclusive sanctuary for them. Yet, large groups of Euro-American settlers soon entered the area, greedily eyeing its rich resources. These acts of trespass on the promised land were largely ignored by the US government.

Moreover, the government instead chose to focus on the gold rush, which blinded them from pressing humanitarian causes. The gold rush occurred in 1829, in Georgia, which was part of Cherokee land. At maximum efficiency, the mines of Georgia produced an estimate of 300 ounces of gold each day. Thus, the US government was determined to gain access to the lucrative resources present in abundance in the areas inhabited by tribes such as Cherokee, as well as others like Creek and Seminole. The statesman prioritised their interests over upholding basic human rights of the Native Americans. Instead of protecting the rights of the indigenous individuals, they chose to focus on the gold rush and the benefits they would reap consequently, despite the exploitation and mistreatment it entailed.

 The Trail of Tears represents a significant violation of human rights and a blatant abuse of power to oppress those without a platform to voice their perspectives. It led to the loss of cultural heritage as the indigenous people were pried from their roots and were exposed to newer traditions and heritages. It disrupted their communities and changed their societal frameworks, the demographic being altered as a result of mass migration. This traumatic experience continues to have lasting effects on the descendants of those who endured the harrowing Trail of Tears. The past filled with injustice has not been wiped clean, rather it is re-manifesting itself in a myriad of aspects, even today, hundreds of years later. 
Presently, according to The World Bank, there are over 476 million indigenous people living in 90 countries across the world, accounting for 6.2% of the global population. However, they are nearly three times as likely as the rest of the population to be living in extreme poverty. This can be attributed to the historical ostracization and prejudices against these communities existing even in modern times, their claws raking through our society. Native individuals are profusely denied rights to control their own development, based on their own values and needs.
The need of the hour is to respect and tolerate the distinguishing features between the various groups populating earth, it is crucial to allow inter-communal representation in order to move towards true development, as development can not be attained without equity. Let us strive to conceive a society wherein every tribe, every gender, every race and every person- no matter their label, has a place and is not stripped of their humanity. After all, we are all made up of the same stardust, it is only us humans who believe in the invisible lines drawn across communities. To other organisms, we all appear the same- as one united front, and it is fundamental for us to view the world with this lens as well.

The profound lack of political representation leads them to be left out of key political discussions on topics which colossally affect their daily lives. They also lack access to social services, and are not given equal opportunities in order to adapt to the changing geo-political conditions. It’s been years since our society has been plagued with divides between communities solely based on diversity. Diversity is meant to be celebrated, as each culture and its own uniqueness shapes our world into the wondrous coalescence of differing sections that it is. Without diversity, our planet is just a spherical mass of land inhabited by indiscernible blobs. Each community, no matter how scattered or close knit, adds to the thriving liveliness of our world. No matter how much we differ, our differences should not be the cause of walls surrounding us. It is high time that we humans break the barriers hindering harmonious coexistence.