Deusdedit Ruhangariyo
Special to ICT
Around the world: Forced evictions undermine Maasai spirituality and sacred spaces in Tanzania, an Inuit organization helps celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day in Ottawa, and a $1.5 million initiative aims to enhance Indigenous businesses in Queensland
TANZANIA: Maasai people faced forced evictions
The Tanzanian government issued new eviction notices in March affecting Maasai communities, with one notice in the Simanjiro district for the expansion of Tarangire National Park and another to eight villages for the expansion of Kilimanjaro International Airport, Mongabay reported on June 22.
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So far, about 20,000 people from eight villages have been evicted and as many as a million people could be impacted if the government’s eviction plans continue for 2024, according to the Pastoralists Indigenous Non-Governmental Organization’s Forum, known as PINGO’s Forum.
The evictions will disrupt the Maasai people’s spiritual connection to their ancestral lands and rip them away from their sacred sites, which include pieces of land, rivers, water sources, oreteti trees, mountains, and places designated by their ancestors for specific rituals and ceremonies, according to PINGO’s Forum.
The eviction notices follow a series of evictions against the Maasai in Tanzania in the past decades, starting in 1959 and continuing in 2009, 2013, and 2017 to expand parks and promote protected areas, luxury tourism, and safaris that boost the country’s economy.
Simel, an oloiboni in his 90s who also holds authority and respect, is worried about this year’s eviction plans.
“Land is everything to a Maasai,” Simel told Mongabay. “It is our identity, wealth, and culture that defines our spirituality and existence as people. “But it is under threat as our people are evicted from their ancestral lands in Tanzania.”
While previous evictions have impacted six Maasai sacred sites spread across Tanzania, the 2024 eviction plan around Kilimanjaro International Airport will impact three: Elangata Oongishu, Oloip le Ngigwana, and Endonyo Olmorwak in the Hai district of the Kilimanjaro region. These are holy sites for performing male rites of passage.
For 60-year-old Nayauesupat Olesipai, a Maasai herder from the Ngorongoro district, Maasai life revolves around rituals that help them commemorate their ancestors while coping with climate hazards. During severe droughts, the Maasai set fire to olive leaves so that the rising smoke rising will call for rain. They also call for rain by offering prayers to Enkai under the sacred oreteti and palm trees.
“The older generation led a free and happy life before eviction,” Olesipai told Mongabay. “We gathered in communal lands for rituals, but many of our community members have now been evicted from Ngorongoro.”
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism also plans to establish 15 new game reserves and expand existing protected areas in Maasai ancestral lands in these districts and others.
CANADA: Celebrating National Indigenous Peoples Day
Annie Pootoogook Park in Ottawa quickly filled on National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21, showcasing Inuit culture and traditions in an urban setting, APTN News reported on June 21.
The gathering honored celebrated Inuit artist Annie Pootoogook and served as a platform for cultural exchange and community building.
The events, part of a nationwide celebration of National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21, were organized by Tungasuvvigat Inuit, an Inuit-specific urban service provider that offers childcare and a food bank, and helps Inuit maintain a sense of belonging far from home.
“We decided to have our own event because we wanted to represent Inuit for National Indigenous Peoples Day,” said Eleanor Partridge, manager of communications for Tungasuvvigat Inuit, an Inuit-specific urban service provider in Ottawa.
“We have a large Inuit population in Ottawa, and we wanted to have a celebration for them, including everyone else, of course,” Partridge said.
The event blended traditional and modern aspects of Inuit life, featuring crafts made from caribou antler and showcasing cultural practices such as throat singing and Inuit games. Attendees also enjoyed “country foods” such as caribou, muktuk, and arctic char.
“I’m most looking forward to the food today; can you smell that? ” asked Inuit artist and vendor Joey Nakoolak, according to APTN News.
The park, formerly Sandy Hill Park, was renamed in 2021 to honor Pootoogook, who captured contemporary Inuit life with her graphic artworks.
“We wanted to have it in this location because of the significance of Annie Pootoogook, who was an Inuit artist, but it’s also close to where most Inuit live in Ottawa,” said Partridge, according to APTN News.
Nakoolak emphasized the distinctiveness of each Inuit community’s culture, tools, and practices, celebrating the diversity within the collective Inuit identity.
“We are all from northern communities, but there are differences in daily living,” he said. “Many of the tools we use and the creatures we hunt are the same but slightly different. They all have their own meanings and unique qualities as communities.”
AUSTRALIA: Helping Indigenous businesses in Queensland
A new $1.5 million program has been launched to boost innovation and entrepreneurial opportunities for Indigenous people in Queensland, Australia, National Indigenous Times reported on June 19.
First Australians Capital will deliver the First Australians Capital Business Acceleration Program, which is funded over two years by the Queensland Government’s Advance Queensland Deadly Innovation Strategy, which underscores the government’s commitment to enhancing economic independence for Indigenous businesses and innovators, according to the National Indigenous Times.
Brian Wyborn, a Torres Strait Islander and Papua New Guinea man, who is First Australians Capital’s co-managing partner, expressed enthusiasm about partnering with the Queensland government in the initiative.
“This program will help us provide resources and opportunities, bridging the economic gap and allowing Indigenous communities to thrive as well as contribute to the state’s economy,” Wyborn told the National Indigenous Times. “Among other things, the program will enable First Nations’ people to leverage their unique cultural knowledge and perspectives, fostering creative solutions and sustainable practices that benefit all Queenslanders.”
To date, the initiative has supported more than 800 Indigenous entrepreneurs through 94 investments, leveraging $80 million in capital and creating 372 jobs. The First Australians Capital Business Acceleration Program will adopt a staged approach to assist Indigenous businesses and innovators, providing a framework and guidance for success.
Support under the program includes enterprise loans and grants up to $100,000 from a $1 million fund available for seed investments.
Minister for Science and Innovation Leanne Linard emphasized the government’s dedication to fostering economic independence, self-determination, cultural preservation, and social equity for Indigenous Queenslanders, particularly in innovation and entrepreneurship.
“Reviews undertaken as part of these programs have shown the need for a capital pathway for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander innovative businesses to provide access to support, funding and support commercial viability and growth,” Linard told National Indigenous Times.
“The First Australians Capital Business Acceleration Program will provide this,” she said, “as well as helping address historical injustices and creating a more inclusive and diverse economic landscape, which remains essential for Queensland’s ongoing development.”
The First Australians Capital Business Acceleration Program is set to launch in August 2024.
My final thoughts
My final thoughts are in Tanzania, where the Tanzanian government’s decision to evict the Maasai from their ancestral lands is a profound injustice that threatens the very fabric of Maasai culture and spirituality.
These lands, communally managed and guided by elders like Simel, are not merely plots of earth but are intrinsic to the Maasai’s identity, traditions, and spiritual practices. By forcibly removing the Maasai from these sacred spaces, the government is not only violating their human rights but also eroding a rich cultural heritage that has been passed down through generations.
The Tanzanian government’s actions, driven by a desire to expand tourism, luxury safaris, and protected areas, are short-sighted and disregard the deep connection the Maasai have to their land.
Condemning these actions is not enough; a path forward must be proposed. The government should immediately cease all eviction activities and engage in meaningful dialogue with Maasai leaders and communities. This includes rescinding the eviction notices and halting any further plans to displace the Maasai.
Furthermore, the Tanzanian government must recognize and respect the ancestral land rights of the Maasai people. Legal frameworks should be established to protect these lands from future encroachments and to ensure that the Maasai have full agency over their territories. There should be dedicated efforts to preserve and promote Maasai culture and spirituality, including safeguarding sacred sites and supporting cultural ceremonies and practices. The government, in collaboration with international organizations, should invest in initiatives that document and celebrate Maasai heritage.
Instead of displacing the Maasai for tourism, the government should explore sustainable tourism models that involve and benefit the Maasai communities. Ecotourism initiatives that respect the Maasai way of life and provide economic opportunities can create a win-win scenario for both conservation and cultural preservation.
For those who have already been displaced, fair compensation and restitution are crucial. This involves not only financial compensation but also the provision of alternative lands and resources to rebuild their lives and communities.
The Tanzanian government’s current approach undermines the Maasai’s rights and their cultural heritage. By adopting a more respectful and inclusive strategy, the government can protect the Maasai’s ancestral lands and ensure the sustainability of their cultural and spiritual practices for generations to come.
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