When one thinks of language, the first thing they think of is its utility. Possessing the capacity for persons to communicate with each other, language plays a significant role in not only the way people think, but also the things they think about and the values they hold. With the world’s languages and biodiversity declining at extremely rapid rates and links being found between language loss and the loss of biological diversity, there have been renewed efforts to protect vulnerable languages. A lot of focus has particularly been placed on Indigenous languages given its importance in transmitting intergenerational cultural beliefs and practices and the knowledge embedded in it on the world’s ecosystems and landscapes.
With 2019 being declared the International Year of Indigenous Languages, there has been some good news here in Guyana as it relates to the promotion and documentation of Indigenous languages through creations of dictionaries, stories, the reclaiming of Indigenous community names etc. One cannot help but wonder though how surface level a lot of this really is given the continued subjugation of Indigenous persons as it relates to their economic and social development. Regardless, there has been a big educational push around Indigenous languages but how many of these languages will be taught in schools both in the hinterland and along the coast? Will Native children really be allowed the opportunity to read and learn in their own languages or is this a project to be abandoned in a year or so?
At a time in our history where we have to make fast decisions concerning the future of our planet, retention and promotion of Indigenous languages can have a significant impact on conservation efforts in communities across the country. Indigenous languages are repositories of knowledge on plants, animals, conservation methods, astronomy, weather patterns and other aspects of the environment. Commenting on the relationship between Indigenous languages and conservation, Akawaio Guyanese, Romario Hastings said that with knowledge of the environment being stored in Indigenous languages, its protection can help one to better understand and take care of the lands for the continuity of Indigenous livelihoods and cultures.
Through centuries of physical annihilation of Indigenous communities and governmental and social criminalization of Indigenous language usage, the vast amount of information we have already lost is crippling. With Guyana currently having many Indigenous languages; one being institutional, one being developed, two being vigorously alive, five being in trouble and seven dying, the country is steadily teetering on the edge of losing a wealth of information and conservation practices. While aspects of the language revitalization project must be commended, a lot of it has been focused more so on the cultural significance of the languages rather than their necessity in environmental preservation.
Indigenous peoples have served as nature’s protectors for centuries and in an age where our biodiversity is under constant threat, international environmentalists seek to “include” Indigenous persons in the conservation of their lands. What often happens in cases such as these is that Indigenous persons are pushed out of the decision-making processes and are expected to go along with it. Despite Indigenous peoples’ right to Free, Prior and Informed Consent which gives them the right to accept or reject any project in their communities, too often they are strong-armed into implementation of already designed frameworks.
This, of course, often leads them to become resentful to conservation strategies, believing that their way of life is being threatened. While doing research in several Indigenous communities in the South Rupununi last year, a common theme that came out of the mouths of several local residents is how despite their traditional methods birthing conservation, outside influences are now severely impacting the ways in which they live and interact with nature.
In safeguarding Indigenous languages and integrating them into the education system, we must also seek to ensure that native speakers are able to have consultations and policies implemented on conservation in their language. Given that Indigenous peoples usually rely on traditional systems of knowledge for conservation management and conservation policies rely on scientific knowledge for their strategies, a barrier to successful dialogue between them and policy conservationists is often created. Lokono descendant, Jean La Rose speaking on this conundrum said that Indigenous languages do not have words that speak to a lot of the new concepts related to conservation and green economies. Often in communicating ideas to elders, they would have to find creative ways in getting concepts across. Given many Indigenous communities along the Coast’s complete or partial reliance on the fishing industry, Laura George had pointed out that Indigenous people also need to have input and capacity training in the oil and gas sector.
The knowledge possessed in Indigenous languages and the holistic contributions of Indigenous people in decision making processes is necessary to increasing our response to the ecological crisis we are facing.
