INDIANISMO: THE RESURGENCE OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES IN HONDURAS

Indigenous people represent 7% of the total population in Honduras. For many years human rights abuses have taken place in the area of education, technology, culture, health, and the environment. Recently indigenous have organized themselves formally to combat these abuses. The indigenous people in Honduras want rights and their movement is gaining strength. Several indigenous leaders have come to the forefront representing the 500,000 indigenous people because they are tired of the broken promises made by politicians. Through protests hunger strikes and other peaceful means indigenous people have made their agenda known. Recently the government has passed 9,000 hectares of land over in the western part of the country. But this is merely one step to repay the centuries old debt owed to the indigenous people. They are becoming strong activists in their community and the new indigenous movement in Honduras is working its way to some sort of justice.

ACTIVISM ISSUES:

EDITORIAL CONCLUSIONS

Before the invasion of Christopher Columbus and the conquistadores there were 130 million people living in the Americas. By 1567 seventy million indigenous people had been slaughtered by Europeans and all the diseases they brought with them. From the minute Columbus stepped foot in the Americas the indigenous peoples were the victims of violent repression and human rights abuses. These acts have been occurring for over 500 years. Since 1492 the natives have been in a constant fight for the rights that were stolen from them.

Although the main goal of the governments has been to assimilate these peoples, they have maintained their claim to their tradition, culture, land and sovereignty. As an answer to this, the governments have used symbolic gestures, neglect and outright violent political repression. When policies which would benefit and protect indigenous peoples are adopted, they are largely ignored by the government and society as a whole. The governments are unlikely to produce substantive change because any legitimization of their rights would threaten the maintenance of the current system.

As a result, indigenous people all over the Americas are living on the margins of society and continue to be excluded from decision making processes dealing with issues which directly effect them. When the Europeans arrived many indigenous nations were forced to flee their ancestral lands which were a crucial element for their continued survival of their culture and tradition. Those who were able to stay on their lands live in a constant state of fear that they will be taken away. Their land is what gives them their identity and the roots that bind generations of indigenous people. For centuries they have struggled to maintain their lands in a communal manner, but are constantly met with opposition from the individualistic power structure. Not only have they met opposition in trying to preserve their land, but in any attempt to protect their traditional culture, language, and human rights.

Due to this marginalization and the lack of action from the government, indigenous peoples have begun a resurgence of political activism in order to call attention to their problems and to gain external support. This Indianismo has enabled indigenous people to mobilize collectively on the basis of their historic sovereign right to everything that has been taken from them. Technological advances have allowed them to gather international support for their cause and has assisted them in organizing with other indigenous groups on a transnational level. They are fighting against a racial hierarchy that began in the Americas when Columbus first arrived. However, today they are gaining momentum and are forcing society to face the institutionalized stratification and the injustices that have resulted over the past 500 years.

 

 

Please send questions or comments about this page to:

Chrissy Rose crose00@sequent1.providence.edu
Kathy Michienzi michik99@sequent1.providence.edu
Jenn Lucas jclucas@sequent1.providence.edu
 
This website was a project for Political Science 416, "Race and Politics in the Americas" at Providence College, Spring '98
Prof. Tony Affigne