By Muthu Pandi

There are an estimated 476 million Indigenous Peoples in the world living across 90 countries. They make up less than 6 per cent of the world's population but account for at least 15 percent of the poorest. They speak an overwhelming majority of the world’s estimated 7,000 languages and represent 5,000 different cultures. Indigenous peoples are inheritors and practitioners of unique cultures and ways of relating to people and the environment. They have retained social, cultural, economic, and political characteristics that are distinct from those of the dominant societies in which they live. Despite their cultural differences, Indigenous peoples from around the world share common problems related to the protection of their rights as distinct peoples. Indigenous peoples have sought recognition of their identities, their way of life, and their right to traditional lands, territories, and natural resources for years. Yet, throughout history, their rights have been violated. Indigenous peoples today are arguably among the most disadvantaged and vulnerable groups of people in the world. The international community now recognizes that special measures are required to protect their rights and maintain their distinct cultures and way of life.

To raise awareness of the needs of these population groups, every 9 August commemorates the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, chosen in recognition of the first meeting of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations held in Geneva in 1982.

Why celebrating Indigenous Day

One this day, Indigenous communities, organizations, and government come together to:

• Promote cultural heritage, showcase traditional music, dance, art and crafts.
• Raise awareness organize events, rallies, and campaign to highlight indigenous issues.
• Demand action call for recognition, protection, and implementation of indigenous rights

This year’s edition focuses on the theme “Indigenous Youth as Agents of Change for Self-Determination.” By spotlighting the role of Indigenous youth, the event highlights their pivotal capacity to drive transformative actions and assert their right to self-determination within their communities and beyond.

As a result of teaching their evolution and inventions to future generations as well as preserving traditional knowledge over time, the human being is superior to other living organisms. Compared to the other organisms, human beings are growing very fast since they are not able to share their knowledge and have to fight for survival from the get-go.  In backward living, for example, man invented fire with stones and accidentally lit it at home, ate the food after his domestic animals became burnt, and then used fire to make meat. Similarly, he invented the wheel by which he could move from one place to another, and he passed on many rare inventions to his descendants. Since mankind lives today as a very superior being, it is imperative that traditional knowledge be preserved and shared over time in a traditional way, only then can we save the world.

Muthu Pandi is a Freelance Anthropologist from Andaman and Nicobar Islands. He can be contacted over This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.