Culture and Conflict: Yanomami Conflict

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Table of Contents

Introduction
The conflict
The Yanomami genocide
Concept of land
The solution to the above conflicts and injustice
Works Cited

Introduction

It is estimated that in the 1980s, about 10,000 Yanomami were living in the Amazon basin. This made them the largest isolated group living in their traditional ways in the Amazon. The isolation status of the Yanomami came to an end in 1970 when the military government funded roads to be constructed to open the interiors. The highway was abandoned incomplete but this was the start of a major conflict (John 1998: 20).

The conflict

The construction of the highway resulted in opening the Yanomami to the outside world. This intrusion resulted into a large epidemic that killed about 20 percent of the Yanomami population. Roughly about 2000 people were killed by the new diseases brought by road workers, which they had no immunity against. These were diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, and small pox.

In 1980’s, the gold miners invaded the Amazon where they raided the local community. The gold miners were met with resistance by the Yanomami but they were well armed. It was in several cases where the Yanomami people invaded the miners killing them (David n.d.: 24).

In response to the miner’s invasion to the Yanomami the Brazilian government made some weak attempt to protect them. This saw only some small part of the Yanomami land demarcated, only about 30 percent of the original Yanomami land was demarcated in 1990.The other part, about 70 percent of their original territory was taken from the Yanomami and miners took control for gold exploitation.

In the 1990s a series of Yanomami were killed by the gold miners and the lumberman. These killing were triggered by the land disputes. By this time the Indian Missionary council had reported various attempted killing and illegal arrest of the Yanomami natives (Brian 1992: 40).

The friends of the Yanomami tried very hard for the creation and continuous protection of the Yanomami territory. The federal police were not strong enough to evict the miner’s. The government and authorities were in support for the miners and the army was unwilling to clean the mess. The number of Yanomami who died following the conflicts is not known. This is because it is difficult to travel to their land interiors and also because the Yanomami have the tradition of cremating their dead.

The discovery of gold in the Yanomami territory has caused serious threats to Yanomami survival. Gold mining in the Yanomami territory has not only destroyed environment but also many health complications to the Yanomami people. There is widespread mercury poisoning which is released in the process of gold mining. The gold miners have also posed threat to Yanomami Survival by physically attacking them during the land distributes.

Diseases are another serious threat from illegal intrusion in the Yanomami territories i.e. the foreign diseases introduced by intruders like malaria and respiratory diseases which caused death of about 30 percent of the Yanomami population.

The Yanomami genocide

The anthropology methodology used at different times has led to great human suffering and has left scars which are hard to heal. When we look at the life of the Yanomami it would have been best for them if the anthropologists were never born or this discipline was never established. This is due to the natural injustices they have suffered in the hands of the anthropologist. This evidence is portrayed in the manner the Yanomami people shown detest by shooting with arrows of the palm – fond effigy of Chagon after he departs from land (Robert et al 2005: 51).

Some anthropologist practice may seem harmless but they can result into great turmoil, the evidence of this can be seen in the manner in which Chagon who was a professor at the University of California established genealogies within the Yanomami in Venezuela. The Yanomami did not understand why a total stranger had interest in the names of their dead, unless it was to be used for witchcraft or black magic.

To name the dead among the Yanomami was a taboo and a source of war and divisions. Three months after the arrival of Chagon war broke within three different groups, who had coexisted in peace before. The source of the war was that each group wanted to claim Chagon’s steel goods. There was an intertribal accusation on witchcraft and black magic. All the Chagon’s activities led to bloody war among the Yanomami people.

The other great injustice made by Chagon was the measles vaccination which contained the dangerous virus Edmonston B virus. This vaccine caused a devastating measles epidemic which left thousands of the Yanomami dead. The aim of this vaccination was a clinical study among the isolated groups; it was to study the effects of natural selection among the isolated societies.

Chagon became famous from his study and wrote a book that was best selling in market “The Fierce People” but the crimes he committed went unpunished. The Yanomami people lost a lot out of Chagon’s visits; more than half of the population was killed. This is just one case where anthropologist has caused disorder and confusion when they intrude into isolated communities.

The measles vaccine was a crime against humanity and part of an experiment involving racial theories. The geneticist, James Neel, who was responsible for the measles vaccine has long denied these claims. The evil study using the measles vaccine fits well in to the enclose of anthropology (Nancy & Philippe 2004: 71).

Concept of land

The land issue has been a major problem in many areas in the world; it has caused bloodshed in many areas of the world when different groups fight over land ownership. The Yanomami traditional land was intruded by total strangers and they became segregated. This resulted to so much suffering to the Yanomami through emerging conflicts with the miners and the lumbermen.

This problem of land can also be seen in many parts of Africa where other people feels that the pastoralist communities are not utilizing the land well and that are economic liability to their countries. For example the British colony government in Eastern Africa had felt that the Gabra pastoralist way of life was destroying the environment. This is because the Gabra used to set grass on fire on the onset of the rains. The government resulted in banning the burning of grass where later on the ban resulted in devastating bush fires.

Various regimes in Brazil have considered the ownership of land among the Yanomami with little or no interest. This is portrayed in the manner in which they have treated the whole land issue. First they allow the miner and the lumbermen to invade the Yanomami traditional land. The government did not put any control measure to the mining companies such that the environmental destruction went unabated.

Looking at this case we realize that the government considered the income from mining more important than the livelihood of the Yanomami people. The government argued that in economic sense the Yanomami people were underutilizing the land and leaving the land to them was uneconomical and contributed nothing to the national income.

The land wrangles between the Yanomami and the government has continued for along period. The Yanomami feels that their traditional land should revert to them because it is their birth right. The government and the economist feel that leaving the gold in the Yanomami unexploited will be pulling the country backward economically. These are the two arguments that leave the land issue, among the Yanomami people, hanging.

The solution to the above conflicts and injustice

Land

The government of Brazil should address the land issue in the Amazon so that the historical injustice can be corrected. A commission should be formed to assess the land that originally belonged to the Yanomami people so that this land can be demarcated and returned to the original owners.

The Yanomami people should be compensated for the land that has been degraded by miners and efforts made to reclaim the land. A good land policy should be formulated that concerns the community land ownership and this will prevent any further encroachment to the Yanomami land. This policy should also include the land use policy so that it can give the Yanomami people their land right (Stephanie 2005: Pa. 6).

The traditional land rights should be enforced and the miners, loggers, and ranchers who occupy the traditional Yanomami land evicted. These will enable the Yanomami people to use their land freely without the fear and intimidations from these intruders (John 1997: 20).

Mining

Mining has become a major source of conflict for along time between the Yanomami and the miners. The mining companies have destroyed environment through cutting of trees and pollution of water. The tree felling activity has caused changes in the Amazon climatic conditions. Government should evict the illegal mining companies in the Amazon.

They can also device a way in which the two communities can coexist in the Amazon and be beneficial to the economy. This can be achieved by coming up with a program where mining can take place in an environmental friendly way. This can be possible if the gold mining companies can come up with ways of purifying the industrial water before dumping it back to the rivers. This will reduce mercury poisoning which is a great threat to the Yanomami health (koffi 1996: 40).

The miners should also be compelled by the government to come up with a reforestation program. This program will enable reclamation of land through planting of indigenous trees.

Education

Education gives population power to fight and defend their rights. Education will enable the Yanomami to cope with the current challenges facing them. It will also help them to interact well with other people in the civilized world, this is necessary because it will no longer possible for them to live in isolation forever after the invasion.

Education is a key solution this is portrayed in how it was used to change the native Africans during and after colonization. Education has empowered native to take up the leadership of their territories and handle the problems affecting them better. Education will also help the Yanomami people to be able to conserve the environment and engage in more productive economic activities (Stephanie 2005: Para. 11).

The government and all stakeholders involved should come up with a good education system among the Yanomami. Education facilities should be provided within the villages of the community to enable many Yanomami people access education.

Education will play a major role in creating change among the Yanomami people. It will enable then to be able to cope with the current challenges affecting them. They will be able to deal with the health problems affecting them. They will also be able to get international recognition and their plight can be well addressed.

Health amenities and infrastructure

The Yanomami people lack good road network connecting them to the other parts of the country. This makes it difficult for them to link with the other parts of the country. This also makes the supply of essential items like drugs difficult. Like any other citizen the Yanomami people should be provided with a good road network. This will help open their land to more productive activities. This will also encourage interaction between the Yanomami and the other people in the country (John 1998: 15).

The government and the international community should provide the Yanomami people with medical facilities. This will reduce the mortality rate within the Yanomami and make them more productive. They should also be provided with hospitals and the medical personnel’s. This will improve the living standards of the Yanomami and enable them have a healthy life style.

Security and protection

Looking at the history of the Yanomami we realize that they have underwent a lot of natural injustices which need to be tackled for the community to have a bright future. Their life, culture, and privacy should be protected.

Looking at the case of the scientist and the anthropologist who visited the Yanomami in the 1970’s and 1980’s we realize that they brought untold suffering to the Yanomami people. Such studies should be restricted and any study among the Yanomami vetted by the relevant authorities. This will help avoid the repeat of these dangerous studies (Stephanie 2005: para.7).

The government and the international communities should set a truth and reconciliation commission to look at the natural injustices committed against the Yanomami people. This commission will be able to look at those inhuman acts that were committed by the various government regimes and give the recommendation on the way forward. The Yanomami people should also be compensated for some forms of injustices that were committed against them.

The Yanomami should also be given government protection from the miners who are still intruding in their land. The government should set good protective measures that will make sure the Yanomami people are secure from further physical harm from the minors.

Political recognition

The government should give the Yanomami people political recognition by according them equal constitutional right like the rest of the citizens, this will empower the Yanomami people to have a voice in the national arena. Through political recognition the Yanomami people will be involved in decision making processes, a thing that will make them influence decisions affecting them (Stephanie 2005: Para. 9). The political recognition conduit should be through affirmative action such that they can have a representative in parliament who will be expressing their grievances.

Works Cited

Brian, F. A salvage Encounter, New Mexico: school of American research press, 1992

David, M. Ethnic groups. 2009. Web.

John, F. Peters. Life among the Yanomami, New York: Broadview Press, 1998

John, H. Bodley. Cultural anthropology: tribes, states, and the global system, Mayfield: Mayfield Pub. Co p. 91, 1997

Koffi, A. Management of contaminated sites problems, Florida: CRC press, 1996

Linda, R. Brazil’s Indians and the onslaught of civilization: the Yanomami and the Kayapó. Washington: Washington University press, 2004

Nancy, S. and Philippe, B. Violence in war and peace. Malden: Blackwell publishers, 2004

Robert, B. et al., Yanomami, London: university of California, 2005

Stephanie, B. Conflict and Human Rights in the Amazon. 2005. Web.

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