Territorial management in indigenous matrifocal societies Case studies on the Khasi, Wayuu, Shipibo-Conibo and Moso peoples Territorial management in indigenous matrifocal societies Case studies on the Khasi, Wayuu, Shipibo-Conibo and Moso peoples Published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs Rome, 2020 Required citation: FAO. 2020. Territorial management in indigenous matrifocal societies – Case studies on the Khasi, Wayuu, Shipibo-Conibo and Moso peoples. Rome, FAO and IWGIA. https://doi.org/10.4060/ca6887en The designations employed and the presentation of material in this information product do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) or International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA) concerning the legal or development status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The mention of specific companies or products of manufacturers, whether or not these have been patented, does not imply that these have been endorsed or recommended by FAO or IWGIA in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. The views expressed in this information product are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of FAO or IWGIA. ISBN 978-92-5-132043-3 © FAO, 2020 Some rights reserved. 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FAO information products are available on the FAO website (www.fao.org/publications) and can be purchased through [email protected]. Requests for commercial use should be submitted via: www.fao. org/contact-us/licence-request. Queries regarding rights and licensing should be submitted to: [email protected]. Cover photographs: 1) Moso Woman, © FAO/ Mary Jane de la Cruz 2) Shipibo-Conibo Woman, © CIFOR on VisualHunt 3) Wayuu woman, © FAO Colombia 4) Khasi woman, © André J. Fanthome/ TIP-NESFAS Contents FOREWORD .......................................................V EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .......................................VII AKNOWLEDGEMENTS .......................................... X 1 Khasi 3 Moso GLOSSARY ......................................................... 3 GLOSSARY .....................................................101 INTRODUCTION ................................................... 6 INTRODUCTION ...............................................102 TERRITORY .......................................................12 TERRITORY .....................................................103 SOCIAL AND POLITICAL STRUCTURE .....................20 SOCIAL AND POLITICAL STRUCTURE ...................108 NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT ...................33 NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT .................116 CHALLENGES OF TODAY .....................................54 CHALLENGES OF TODAY ...................................119 CONCLUSIONS .................................................58 CONCLUSIONS ...............................................132 2 Wayuu 4 Shipibo-Conibo GLOSSARY .......................................................67 GLOSSARY .....................................................139 INTRODUCTION .................................................68 INTRODUCTION ...............................................140 TERRITORY .......................................................70 TERRITORY .....................................................141 SOCIAL AND POLITICAL STRUCTURE .....................73 SOCIAL AND POLITICAL STRUCTURE ...................145 NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT ...................81 NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT .................157 CHALLENGES OF TODAY .....................................84 CHALLENGES OF TODAY ...................................162 CONCLUSIONS .................................................94 CONCLUSIONS ...............................................172 III Foreword As reiterated by FAO in different occasions, intrinsic relationship with their social and indigenous peoples are crucial allies in the fight governance structure. against hunger, not only because they represent approximately 476 million people living in more Regrettably, each year indigenous peoples than 90 countries, but also because for centuries, are increasingly facing challenges in they have been and continue to be custodians of accessing these resources. Climate change, more than 80% of the world’s biodiversity and the implementation of megaprojects without ancestral knowledge, thereby preserving natural their consent, the lack of recognition and resources for future generations. respect for their human and collective rights as well as violence and death threats Since 2010, FAO has a dedicated Policy on are increasing in frequency. These factors Indigenous and Tribal Peoples guiding the significantly affect indigenous peoples’ access Organization’s work with the world’s indigenous and use of the land and ancestral territories peoples. The Organization also accounts with in which they have lived for hundreds and a plan to implement this policy that was jointly even thousands of years. developed with a Global Caucus of Indigenous Leaders. The plan is based on six pillars: 1) Over time it has been demonstrated that the Indigenous Food Systems; 2) Free, Prior and eradication of hunger and poverty depends Informed Consent; 3) Advocacy and Capacity largely on the way in which people and Building; 4) Coordination, 5) Voluntary Guidelines communities access land, fisheries, forests and on the Governance of Tenure; and other resources. This means that as long as 6) Food Security Indicators. In addition, it there will be peoples, groups and communities focuses on two priority work areas: Indigenous with no access to resources to guarantee their Women and Indigenous Youth. livelihoods, we will not achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, and in particular the Zero In 2017, following a request from the Global Hunger goal. Indigenous Youth Caucus and given the arising global challenges, a seventh pillar was included In this regard, FAO joined forces with the in FAO’s work plan with indigenous peoples: International Work Group on Indigenous Traditional knowledge and climate change. Affairs (IWGIA) in order to contribute to the search for more sustainable development Land, territories and natural resources do models contributing to the reduction of these not only represent productive resources for gaps in accessing land and natural resources. indigenous peoples: these are the basis of their livelihoods, of their social and cultural IWGIA is an international organization with an organization, and even the roots of their extensive experience in documenting the state identity. Management of their resources, of indigenous peoples. Since its foundation, therefore, is mainly collective and has an over 50 years ago, it has worked closely with V indigenous peoples and their organizations practices for natural resource management to support the right to self-determination and and to increase the visibility of the many self-development. contributions that indigenous women bring for the development of their communities through Then, why is it necessary to talk about productive, administrative, reproductive and indigenous matrifocal societies? IWGIA sustainable resource management activities. and FAO recognized the importance of Such activities have a greater impact when adding elements to the global debate on the indigenous women have mechanisms that management of natural resources and land from guarantee their access to land and natural a traditional perspective, an aspect often not