Deusdedit Ruhangariyo
Special to ICT
Around the world: Karen people self-register lands, Winnipeg’s Indigenous youth demand Indigenous-led healthcare and support, Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation in Australia secures equal say in Murujuga country decisions, and Māori excel at film and television awards ceremonies
MYANMAR: Karen people self-register lands
For most Indigenous Karen people in Myanmar, community land isn’t viewed as something to be owned; instead, it’s revered as a sacred entity, intricately tied to their faith. The Karen see themselves as the guardians, entrusted with the care of this divine creation, Mongabay reported on Feb. 26.
Karen communities in southern Kayin state, also known as Kawthoolei, have engaged in a land registration effort for over a decade. Without involving the central government, Karen leaders and activists map ancestral lands, register them in a database, and issue land title certificates to locals.
The registration policy was born from the aftermath of frequent violent attacks that resulted in casualties and displacement. P’doh Saw Lay Say, head of the Kawthoolei Agriculture Department, which is part of the Karen National Union, initiated the policy to fortify recognition of their lands and safeguard the ecosystems they’ve nurtured for generations.
Today, Karen people grapple with concerns about their land and its legal status amid ongoing conflicts.
In the midst of the prolonged armed conflict between the military wing of the Karen National Union and the government’s military regime and the recent civil unrest following the 2021 coup, the lands and forests of Kayin state serve not only as sources of sustenance and biodiversity but also as refuge from deadly aerial assaults. According to the National Unity Government, over 460 civilians, predominantly children, have perished in the regime’s repeated air strikes.
“With data and community-issued land certificates for the local landowners, this policy would further help communities establish their autonomy to better monitor, manage and protect the community lands that have been under constant threat,” said Lay Say, who is also a member of the Kawthoolei Central Land Committee, according to Mongabay. The land committee is responsible for recording customary communal lands and issuing certificates to the Karen community.
In 2012, the Karen Environmental and Social Action Network and Karen National Union introduced a land policy, delineating plots and forests. With Cadasta Foundation’s help from 2017, they used GIS to map community lands in seven districts. Karen leaders employ these tools for data consensus.
In the past 10 years, they marked 326 kaws (ancestral lands), totaling 842,820 hectares. This includes 107 reserved forests, 18 wildlife sanctuaries, 204 community forests, and four herbal medicine forests.
Karen people maintain a sacred bond with their lands, waters, and forests, viewing themselves as stewards rather than owners. By caring for the land, they ensure the security of their food, culture, and livelihoods.
“We don’t see our lands and forests as commodities, we still see ourselves as their custodians and are assigned to steward them. We have rules and regulations that ethically and legally bind us,” said Lay Say, according to Mongabay.
CANADA: Youth face healthcare barriers
A new report reveals Indigenous youth in Winnipeg face pervasive discrimination in the provincial healthcare system. The report’s authors advocate for increased Indigenous staff and reduced access barriers to address this issue, CBC News reported on Feb. 26.
The OurCare project – including a national survey completed in fall 2022 with over 9,000 respondents – aimed to assess primary care in Canada.
Led by the MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions, the final report was released in February. Additionally, a roundtable in November involved 26 Indigenous youth at the Aboriginal Health and Wellness Centre in Winnipeg, highlighting issues of discrimination in healthcare.
“They not only were worried about themselves, but they also were talking about how they have relatives that are in isolated rural or remote communities or in places where they don’t have the same access that we would in Winnipeg to primary care infrastructure,” he said in a Sunday interview, according to CBC News.
Leading the discussion, advocate Michael Redhead Champagne conveyed youth concerns about receiving lower quality healthcare for themselves and their families.
“They not only were worried about themselves, but they also were talking about how they have relatives that are in isolated rural or remote communities or in places where they don’t have the same access that we would in Winnipeg to primary care infrastructure,” he said in a Sunday interview, according to CBC News.
The national report, “Primary Care Needs OurCare,” advocates for reforms in Manitoba’s primary care system and is part of a broader initiative to involve Canadians in shaping its future. Additionally, a local report titled “Health services should care for us ‘Auntie Style’” was released by OurCare following the November roundtable in Winnipeg, engaging Indigenous youth.
The report underscored concerns voiced by youth regarding the province’s healthcare system, including “anti-Indigenous discrimination,” “deep mistrust,” and inadequate support and resources in First Nations communities.
During the discussion, Champagne found the concept of kinship particularly noteworthy.
“It means being treated in the healthcare system as if you’re being treated like a family member or a relative, with love and care and respect,” he said, according to CBC News.
“When we were trying to ask the young people to focus on what type of a primary care system they would like to see, inevitably, time and time again, the conversations broadened out to ‘I would like to see this for myself and this for my family.’ There was no differentiation.”
Youth and young parents expressed challenges in accessing family doctors and obtaining essential documents such as birth certificates and health cards for their children. The report suggests Indigenous-led spaces, walk-in clinics and medical practices could foster trust in the healthcare system. Additionally, youth advocated for increased recruitment of Indigenous staff and the incorporation of Indigenous viewpoints into healthcare provision.
“Perhaps even in situations where they may even be able to … have conversations about their care in an Indigenous language, or even refer to spiritual practices that positively impact their mental health without judgment or stigma,” said Champagne, according to CBC News.
The report advocates for mandatory Indigenous studies courses for healthcare workers and the integration of trauma-informed practices into the system.
AUSTRALIA: Murujuga secure say in land decisions
The Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation has pioneered a novel agreement-making approach in Australia. On Thursday, it signed a Statement of Intent alongside federal, state, local governments and major industry, the National Indigenous Times reported on March 1.
The signing of the Statement of Intent marks a significant step forward, indicating the willingness of various stakeholders including the federal environment minister, premier of Western Australia, state ministers, and CEOs of prominent industry players like Rio Tinto and Woodside to establish a Heads of Agreement. This agreement aims to elevate the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation to an equal standing in future decision-making concerning land use on Murujuga country.
This initiative will supersede existing Commonwealth Conservation Agreements and establish a comprehensive framework guiding engagement between all parties and the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation regarding matters pertaining to Murujuga country. By showcasing cooperation between the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation and industry, it strengthens the corporation’s bid for World Heritage Listing of the Murujuga Cultural Landscape.
The Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation views the signing of the Statement of Intent as a significant milestone in its ongoing strategic agreement-making efforts, supported by both Commonwealth and Western Australia governments since 2023.
Corporation Chairperson Peter Hicks expressed pride in this momentous occasion, highlighting its historical significance in recognizing the Traditional Owners and Custodians of Murujuga as decision-makers, after millennia of enduring connection to the land without formal legal acknowledgment.
“The signing of the Statement of Intent is a step towards forming a Heads of Agreement that will ensure (the Murujuga Aboriginal Corporation), as the representative body for Murujuga Traditional Owners and Custodians, and the cultural authority for the Murujuga Cultural Landscape, is on an equal footing in future decision-making – instead of us needing to push to be recognized each time,” he said, according to the National Indigenous Times.
“As far as we know, this is the first time in Australia that government and industry have agreed to work towards a Heads of Agreement such as this. It’s therefore an important moment for First Nations peoples around the country.”
Western Australia Premier Roger Cook emphasized, “Only by working with Traditional Owners can we ensure that culture is protected and can co-exist with industry in the area.”
NEW ZEALAND: Māori win film awards
At the recent Women in Film and Television awards, broadcaster Mihingarangi Forbes was among three Māori recipients, Te Ao Maori News reported on March 1.
She was honored with the Te Māngai Pāho Te Reo Māori Champion Award, recognizing significant contributions to the promotion and understanding of Te Reo Māori and its customs.
“I feel very honored, and I feel a little bit like I don’t deserve it,” she said, according to Te Ao Maori News.
“In this political environment, it’s very important to acknowledge, accept, and lift our reo, to kōrero Māori, every day in all places because we have come too far to stop now. We have come too far to let a government tell us that they are not going to let us champion our reo.”
Forbes began learning te reo Māori at 19, recognized for shedding light on vital issues and amplifying marginalized voices, enriching cultural dialogue. The Women in Film and Television Awards, established in 2004, honor women in film, television, and digital media.
Chelsea Winstanley (Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi Te Rangi) received the Imagezone Entrepreneurship Award, celebrating outstanding business accomplishments and contributions to the New Zealand film and television industry’s future vitality.
Renowned for her work on acclaimed films like “What We Do in the Shadows” and “Jojo Rabbit,” Winstanley has been instrumental in spotlighting New Zealand’s cinematic talent worldwide.
She delivered a poignant message during her acceptance speech at St. Mathews-In-the-City Church.
“That’s what we do as women. We are constantly trying to reinvent ourselves because we need to be seen in every place so that the young women that are coming up behind us can see that they too can occupy these spaces.”
My final thoughts
My thoughts are in Winnipeg, Canada, where the revelation of pervasive discrimination against Indigenous youth in Winnipeg’s provincial healthcare system is not just alarming but deeply distressing. Discrimination in healthcare is a reprehensible violation of human rights and an affront to the fundamental principles of equality and dignity.
The challenges faced by Indigenous youth in accessing equitable healthcare are multifaceted and systemic. They often encounter prejudice, stereotyping and cultural insensitivity from healthcare providers, leading to mistrust and reluctance to seek medical help. This discrimination exacerbates existing health disparities and contributes to poorer health outcomes among Indigenous communities.
The systemic failures within the healthcare system must be condemned unequivocally. Such discrimination not only violates ethical standards but also contravenes legal obligations to provide healthcare services in a fair and unbiased manner. It perpetuates historical injustices and systemic racism that Indigenous peoples have endured for generations.
Addressing pervasive discrimination against Indigenous youth in Winnipeg’s provincial healthcare system requires a multifaceted approach. This includes comprehensive cultural competency training for healthcare providers, community engagement to develop culturally appropriate services, policy reforms to prohibit discrimination and ensure accountability, increased funding for Indigenous-specific healthcare programs, support for Truth and Reconciliation efforts, and empowerment of Indigenous youth in healthcare decision-making processes.
These measures are essential to dismantle systemic barriers, promote equity and uphold the principles of justice and human rights within the healthcare system.
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