Indigenous culture today

For decades, indigenous communities have been fighting to preserve or restore their cultural identities. Now, a young generation of activists, politicians and artists is drawing on their parents' experiences and exploring their ancestors' narratives to seek a sustainable future. And they are loudly advocating for their rights. 

Stories like the Bolivian skate collective ImillaSkate or the revival of Maori culture in New Zealand suggest a fledgling “indigenous renaissance”. But in reality many indigenous communities struggle for survival. Conflicts over indigenous land are not merely a distant colonialist memory, but are ongoing – for example, when governments and companies seize territory for industry or wind farms. The Maasai activist Mali Ole Kaunga from Kenya emphasizes that the strength of the term “indigenous” lies in its collective power – when indigenous peoples unite across continents in order to demand their basic rights. 

April 2024