ABSTRACT
There is a paradox in speaking of “global indigenous peoples,” in that the term “global” signifies transnational flows, whereas “indigenous” signifies an attachment to a particular place. Nonetheless, in the age of globalization, relatively small groups of indigenous peoples, otherwise marginalized from the global political economy, and also marginalized within the state where they live, have found global alliances to be useful in strengthening their struggles for recognition and for human rights. This case study examines how indigeneity is defined today, as well as some of the particular challenges facing indigenous peoples in maintaining and reclaiming their cultural practices in the face of intellectual property regimes. Intellectual property rights are designed to protect the rights of those who discover or create new knowledge. When scientists or corporations “discover” the healing properties of plants that indigenous peoples have been using for centuries, suddenly those plants belong to corporations and the indigenous people have no more right to them than anyone else. The first part of the chapter will examine North American examples of the problems inherent in defining indigenous identities, and the discussion will then turn to Latin America for examples of clashes between indigenous lifeways and corporate capitalism.
