The impact of globalization on indigenous cultures can be viewed as both positive and negative. The growth of globalization has brought new opportunities to people around the world but at the same time has impeded the ability of indigenous peoples to retain their cultural practices and indigenous knowledge. Globalization has brought the world closer together through both physically (ease of travel, for example) and virtually (through development of the internet) and in doing so, has brought indigenous cultures in closer contact with the rest of the world. This contact has not necessarily been for the benefit of indigenous peoples. 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.
Not everything has been negative, though. With the emerging connectivity provided by technology and technology-based services, there is now better and more extensive access to programs and services that may have been unavailable before due to isolation or low populace. There are examples where globalization has created employment in previously economically-challenged regions. The internet has opened up new possibilities for indigenous groups to preserve and share their cultural heritage as well as their traditional languages. In some cases, indigenous groups have found new venues to share culturally significant stories and practices with the non-indigenous world and with each other.
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|globalization • identity • indigenous communities • Internet use|