ABSTRACT
There are approximately 370 million indigenous people in the world, belonging to 5,000 different groups, in 90 countries worldwide. Although indigenous peoples share in some common struggles associated with energy poverty, it is important to note the vast differences across communities. Indigenous peoples around the world are dealing with different state regimes and laws, from those that recognize and respect their status as self-governing entities to those that deny their separate existence altogether. Moreover, indigenous peoples differ widely with respect to their social organization, religions, and subsistence activities, and legal, political, and economic circumstances. Many indigenous people live in rural communities, while others may live in densely urbanized settings. Some have access to electricity and running water, and others do not. In the United States alone, there are 566 federally recognized Indian tribes, some of which hold great tracts of land, rich with oil, gas, timber, minerals, as well as water, fish, and other wildlife, while others have small land bases reliant on casino gambling and financial lending for economic development. Some American Indians live in reservation communities that are highly networked with wireless access to the Internet, while others live in traditional villages that still do not have running water or electricity, in part out of respect for customary life ways. In short, the topic of indigenous peoples and their experiences with energy canvasses a very wide group of people with different experiences.
