GEC 3

The Contemporary World

Final Coverage
Prepared by:

Luanne C. Salise
Richard Garcia
Mikael Dominik Abad
Joreann Domingo
Todd Coddy Aguilario
Arianne Ucag
Lesson 3 – Globalization and the IPs

Introduction
Globalization is a hot topic in the world today, from political discourse to issues of medicine.
Definitely, many facets and ways of globalization can affect people around the world. In general,
globalization, refers to the increasing interaction of people around the world that involves greater
mobility of travelers, increased interdependence of national economies through the exchange of goods
and new markets, and influence and exchange of ideas across national and cultural boundaries.
Although some historians and archaeologists argue that globalization began as far back as 60,000
years ago and its rapid increase began in the 20th century and continues to accelerate,
Cultural globalization is broader field of globalization referring to the rapid exchange of ideas,
languages, values, traditions, and material culture across national and cultural boundaries, moving
towards a shared culture common to all people, that others called it mono-culture. Moreover, this also
affects the food people choose to eat, consumption patterns, family structures, religion, and customs.
Nevertheless, cultural globalization can have beneficial and harmful effects leading to significant conflict
over how to interpret globalization in general (https://study.com>academy>lesson).

INDIGENOUS CULTURES AND GLOBALIZATION

Globalization can be described as the increasing interplay of cultures as the world is brought

closer both physically (ease of travel, for example) and virtually (through development of the internet).

The impact of globalization on indigenous cultures can be viewed as both positive and negative with

varying consequence between the two extremes. While the growth of globalization has brought new

opportunities to indigenous people of the world, it has also impeded their ability to retain their cultural

practices and indigenous knowledge.

Indigenous culture, in many cases, has been supplanted by the overriding western view of the world

through increasing access to digital media, satellite communication, and increased interaction with

peoples of different cultures through tourism and trade. The exploitation of large parts of the world

previously untouched by western culture has resulted in indigenous groups being exploited for the

benefit of global entities. Globalization brings unavoidable change and "indigenous groups, perhaps

more than anyone, have realized there is no going back" (Marker, 2010).
 Hence, finally, Indigenous cultures are the highest risk of cultural loss through cultural

globalization because indigenous people often lack the power and influence required to protect their

ways and lands against the interests of more powerful outsiders.

GLOBALIZATION AND ITS IMPACT ON INDIGENOUS CULTURES

Globalization has many physical manifestations as evidenced by the constant movement of products,

goods and services that cross international borders every day. The Global South which sends its

commodities into a volatile market, and provides cheap labor for the world’s major corporations, has

long voiced its disappointment at the injustice of unequal trade relations and international regulatory

organizations. The invasive development in the South to service the growth-based economies in the

North has a negative correlation with a sustainable environment (Iqbal). Thus, they see firsthand

the social and environmental repercussions that a culture of consumption creates in the world.

MOST VULNERABLE

Yet the greatest social and environmental effects remain out of view of most of the world, in the heart

of our indigenous societies. According to Dr. Erica-Irene Daes, who was also the driving force behind

the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, ninety five percent (95%) of the

world's Indigenous peoples live in developing countries (Daes). In a guest lecture in Sydney, she

articulates the following:

“Indigenous peoples today stand at the crossroads of globalization. In many ways, indigenous peoples

challenge the fundamental assumptions of globalization. They do not accept the assumption that

humanity will benefit from the construction of a world culture of consumerism. Indigenous peoples are

acutely aware, from their own tragic experience over the past 500 years, that consumer societies grow

and prosper at the expense of other peoples and the environment” (Daes).

Globalization has certainly had an impact on the world’s indigenous communities and sustainable ways

of life, and the surrounding ecosystems in which they live (Iqbal).

The vast majority of indigenous cultures are also the Mother Earth’s greatest stewards and defenders,

yet many are at risk of losing their livelihoods, health and security, due to governments and

corporations disrespecting their property rights and exploiting natural resources. This is especially

important in the Amazon. There live an estimated 1.7 million people belonging to some 375 indigenous

groups that live within roughly 3,344 indigenous territories (ITs) and approximately 522 protected
natural areas (PNAs). While the protected natural areas serve as biodiversity conservation, the

indigenous territories are intended to “safeguard the rights of indigenous peoples to their land and

livelihoods for social, cultural, and equity reasons” (Walker).

THE LUNGS OF THE EARTH

Moreover, what happens to these tribes in the Amazon, determines the fate for everyone and our

chances of easing climate change. The Amazon is considered to be the largest carbon sink, “the lungs

of the planet,” and climate scientists argue that its ability to store carbon is “central to any

comprehensive climate stabilization strategy” (Walker). Increasingly, scientists are also recognizing

the importance of indigenous people and local communities (IPLCs) as critical protectors

of the forests, and whose communities serve as “buffers” against large-scale carbon

emissions in the Amazonian region. “With deforestation increasing, IPLCs provide a global

environmental service that merits increased political protection and financial support” (Walker).

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF INTERNATIONAL LAW IN PROTECTING IP ’S?

When political and financial support falter, we can consider judicial support. But what is the role of

international law in protecting indigenous peoples or vulnerable populations? What institutions exist

with enough authority to serve states or corporations for “crimes against humanity”? The United

Nations often cannot get involved in issues that do not fall under federal jurisdictions, and increasingly

the human rights abuses are caused by stateless global corporations. Other times, the

corporations act within a state that looks the other way. For example, the Brazilian mining company

Vale S.A. paid a one-time fine of $45M to the Brazilian environmental agency, after a tailing dam

collapsed and killed an estimated 250 people and nearly destroyed the village of Brumadinho. Since

then, government pressure on Vale S.A. has receded under the watch of conservative President

Bolsonaro. When their own state failed, what international governing body can ensure that the workers’

families and residents of the now uninhabitable parts of the village are at all compensated for their

tragic losses?

While the WTO is concerned with the regulation of international trade (albeit with questionable bias in

favor of developing nations), there exists no international justice system with enough

authority to defend the world’s most vulnerable populations. Dr. Daes questions why the
definition of ‘crimes against humanity’ does not include “the physical destruction of the ecosystems on

which they depend for their livelihoods, or forced assimilation” in the International Criminal Court

Statute (Daes). Indeed it is similar to the ancient Sanskrit philosophy that when one takes more

than she needs, or imposes upon another, it is the same as stealing.

THE GREAT COST OF DOING NOTHING

In closing, it is undeniable that globalization has negatively affected the livelihoods of developing

nations and particularly the vulnerable indigenous populations. These inequalities will persist without a

strengthening of the enforcement of international norms like the UN Global Compact, which identifies

corporations in violation of human rights, labor rights, the environment, and business ethics. The world

needs thoughtful leadership and careful execution of the enforcement of international norms in order

to not reinforce existing inequalities and overlay more punitive measures on developing countries than

already exist. However, the most controversial companies are also the world’s most powerful nations

so the challenge is great.

The alternative of upholding the status quo, means that not only do we risk more injustice that may

lead to increased loss of biodiversity on earth, but more importantly we risk losing cultural

diversity and the valuable ancestral knowledge of our indigenous peoples. The Iqbal

International Institute for Research & Dialogue (IRD) describes the danger to all of us if we do nothing

to protect our indigenous populations from the threat of globalization:

“This environmental threat owing to overdevelopment is to all creatures on the surface of

this earth including the humans. Just like there are endangered species, there were

endangered languages, cultures and ways of life that risked extinction because of the

imposition or voluntary subscription to the modern ways of life” (Iqbal).

(https://leadthechange.bard.edu/blog/globalization-and-its-impact-on-indigenous-cultures)

GLIMPSES ON THE IRAYNUN (Alicia Magos)

In the Province of Antique there were a lot of Indigenous People that are still existing like, the

Iraynun, an Indigenous Group of Antique that lived in Barangays Busog and Kuliat, as well as in other

mountainous barangays like Cansilayan, Lublub, and San Agustin which are interior barangays of

Valderrama near the borders of Lambunao and Calinog, also an interior towns of Iloilo. Other lives in

the interior barangays of Laua-an and Bugasong like their mountain kin in Calinog, Iloilo and Tapaz,
Capiz. These groups of people have their own epic and ambahan tradition and have used to have the

“binukot” or Kept-maiden tradition.

The Iraynun means of livelihood for which they are known for today, is rattan weaving (e.g.

clothes trunk and utility baskets). Traditionally, the Iraynuns and their kadugo (blood kin) in the

mountainside of Calinog, Iloilo; Tapaz, Capiz; and Liabacao, Aklan lived on pangayam or hunting wild

animals, kaingin or shifting agriculture, trapping fishes and gathering shells in the river. They have

dances like dapay-dapay which imitates the movement of a bird, likewise had an ambahan, a folk

chant to welcome blood and ritual relative, and the sugidanon (epic) referred to as hinalawod.

Iraynuns are generous and cordial. Gift-giving has been practiced by folk people in the

mountains of Kuliat and Busog with kinsmen from the barangays of Marandig and Caratagan in Calinog

(Iloilo). They get close with one another through higara, an act of gift giving regarded as a form of

ritual brother and eventually their children are paired ending in hungaw, a traditional wedding. A

traditional way of performing marriage rite where the couple get advice from their parents while the

elders drink pangasi (rice wine). Also, a Bukidnon from Tapaz or Calinog may go to the other side of

the mountains of Valderrama and Bugasong in quest for cows to be purchased at a low price. Such

familiarity of trading often leads to harig-on (from the root word “rig-un”, to make strong as in an

agreement). Before the 1960’s, on the harig-on was performed as a traditional wedding but this

traditional form of marriage has been gradually supplanted or modified starting the late 1960s with the

lowland wedding performed before a judge or a priest. This shift of practice, was due to the need of

getting marriage documents for work or birth certificates for the schooling of the children which indeed,

the young Iraynun are getting assimilated to town ways but the remnants of a few old people who

hold on to Iraynun indigenous ways are still prevalent. Nevertheless, the revival of their distinct culture

and arts is inevitable due to the changes brought about by modernization, or in general, affected by

“globalization.”

Finally, the National Commission on Culture and Arts (NCCA), a government agency assisted for

the formation of a School for Living Tradition (SLT), wherein the elders teach or pass on to the younger

generation the indigenous skills or talents such as dance, story-telling, weaving repartees and

ambahan are taught in preserving their indigenous culture which is a paranubliun or legacy they

wanted to leave behind. (Alicia Magos. Antique Manggad kag Paranubliun. Antique Provincial Historical

Council, 2009).
CONCLUSION

Globalization certainly has had an impact on indigenous cultures around

the world. In some cases, it has compromised their traditional lifestyles

and cultures. In others, it has afforded them a venue to express their

culture or promote their interests to a wider audience with the capability

to institute change. Ultimately, it will be difficult for indigenous cultures

to exist in a vacuum without being affected by globalization.

Indigenous cultures will need to adapt and evolve to incorporate these new influences into their

individual realities. Those indigenous groups that will be able to successfully survive globalization's

influence will ultimately take ownership of their cultural evolution.

Suggested Readings:

Threats and Challenges of Globalization to the Lumad People of Mindanao By: Alim M. Bandara
Supreme Chief – Timuay Justice and Governance

https://businessmirror.com.ph/2018/11/19/globalization-eroding-phl-indigenous-peoples-watch-over-
the-environment/

‘PARADIGM WARS’† REVISITED: New Eyes On Indigenous Peoples’ Resistance To Globalization

Robert Alan Hershey https://escholarship.org/uc/item/29c093sx