Reimagining the World

Lessons from the Indigenous Peoples in the era of COVID-19

In July, an Indigenous nurse from the Special Secretariat for Indigenous Health (Sesai) of the Arapuim and Tapuia ethnic groups measures the temperature of Arapuim tribe chief Domingos before performing a rapid COVID-19 test on him on the banks of the lower Tapajos River in the municipality of Santarem in western Para, Brazil. The country began conducting a trial in August to protect Indigenous peoples from COVID-19. / Tarso Sarraf, AFP

Reflecting on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic for Indigenous Peoples, in particular, teaches us lessons on how to take better care of our planet and our lives.

Unquestionably, the pandemic has unveiled a number of social and economic problems that have been latent for many years. These problems reveal the neglect and disruptive behavior of modern day societies in regard to nature, justice, human rights, and sustainability for the future.

As USAID’s Senior Advisor for Indigenous Peoples, I have seen how Indigenous Peoples have been hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic — from the Amazon region to the Congo basin and in many other geographic areas of the world that Indigenous Peoples call home.

Luis-Felipe Duchicela is USAID’s Senior Advisor for Indigenous Peoples’ Issues. Left, with the Arhuaco people of Colombia in October 2019; center, in Paraguay earlier this year visiting the USAID-funded FECOPROD project for community development of Indigenous Peoples; right, at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in New York City in April 2019. / Vy Lam, USAID; Nathalia Romero, FECOPROD, Paraguay; Tsaitami Duchicela

The rates of illness and death from COVID-19 are disproportionately higher among Indigenous communities relative to the broader population of their countries. This is attributed to Indigenous Peoples living in mostly remote forest areas, where governments have not been able to provide adequate services, particularly clean water, sewage, sanitary, and health services. Additionally, in many Indigenous communities, people traditionally live with several families under the same roof and in close contact with each other.

Initially, many thought that the remoteness of the Indigenous communities would shield them from a high rate of infection from the coronavirus. But this proved to be wrong. Indigenous territories face many intrusions — both legal and illegal — that include mining, logging, agricultural encroachment, land grabbing by companies and non-Indigenous colonizers, and large infrastructure projects.

A meeting with CONAMAQ, an Indigenous Peoples organization in La Paz, Bolivia. / Eliseo Abelo, U.S. Embassy La Paz

On the other hand, Indigenous Peoples are proving that their traditional and modern governance structures and their strong links of ingrained solidarity and reciprocity are powerful ways to address the disease. We have seen examples in many places where USAID-supported Indigenous Peoples’ organizations at the highest level, such as COICA for the Amazon region, REPALEAC for the Congo Basin, and IPACC in Africa, have stepped up to the plate in order to obtain resources and provide emergency support at the community level. Their basic organizational, communications, and logistical capacities have proven very effective to manage the movement of people, materials, supplies, and equipment — while also protecting their communities.

However, their governance structures also have a lot of weaknesses and areas of need, and usually lack sufficient technical and financial resources to be most effective.

Colombian Tikuna indigenous people pose wearing face masks amid concerns of the COVID-19 coronavirus, in Leticia, department of Amazonas, Colombia. Mostly indigenous, unpopulated and poor, Colombia’s Amazon suffers silently, deep in the jungle, from the pandemic. Its proximity to Brazil, the largest source of the virus in Latin America, opened a corridor of infection that further undermined its precarious health system. / Tatiana de Nevo, AFP

Lessons Learned from the Pandemic

One key lesson from the response of Indigenous Peoples to the pandemic is that their governance structure and their organizational capacity are extremely important for their well-being under any circumstance. The emergency has clearly shown that it is most effective to empower Indigenous Peoples to channel resources to their own communities and use their own communication and logistical infrastructure.

Another important lesson from this pandemic is that the destruction of natural habitats is fundamentally triggering the emergence of highly infectious viruses through zoonosis. Globalization and the population density of growing urban centers has also allowed for extraordinary replication that we have never seen before.

Scientific climate activity in Chiang Rai, Thailand. / Josephine Green, IUCN

What is evident from this dynamic is how Indigenous Peoples have mastered sustainability and thrived in these ecosystems for millennia in the midst of natural habitats — and not been affected by the emergence of deadly virulent diseases.

To reimagine the world in the post COVID-19 era, we need to understand, learn from, and empower Indigenous Peoples. Their governance and organizational capacity, and how they harmoniously live with the natural environment hold powerful instructions for us all.

Paje Suzete Kumaruara of the Kunaruara tribe picks herbs to be used in a natural medicine at her village beside the Tapajos River of the Santarem municipality in western Para state, Brazil. The tribe live in a very remote area. No one in their village had contracted COVID-19, and they believe their natural medicinal remedies will protect them. / Tarso Sarraf, AFP

Indigenous Peoples As Partners in Development

This spring, USAID launched the first-ever Policy on Promoting the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which is a historic milestone, and will ensure the well-being of Indigenous Peoples is part of an inclusive development agenda. It will promote the rights of Indigenous Peoples, while providing guidance to proactively enable them to seek self-determined development. Enhancing our partnerships with Indigenous Peoples may prove to be a revolutionary move.

From globalization to aggressive economic threats to a lack of political recognition, Indigenous People are in peril. They face extreme poverty, are the victims of violence against environmental and rights defenders, and their rate of migration seeking better job opportunities is one of the highest in the world. Their native languages are disappearing as are other vital cultural heritage manifestations.

Emberá-Wounaan Indigenous women of Panama. / Courtesy of Luis-Felipe Duchicela

Today, Indigenous Peoples from around the world are ready to engage and USAID Missions are ready to take on this challenge and opportunity. And there should be no major obstacle other than our will, creativity, and energy to make it work.

About the Author

Luis-Felipe Duchicela is the USAID Senior Advisor for Indigenous Peoples’ Issues.