Cultural Survival and Folk Heroes

Indigenous Cultures Worldwide

Five percent of the world's population belong to indigenous cultures. They have deep roots in their stories, languages, and the places they live. Most indigenous cultures are learning to change. These changes help them to live with bigger changes in the world, but some of them are too big, and indigenous peoples cannot adapt to them. They are moving away from the land of their ancestors to the poor areas of large cities. There are about 4000 languages alive, but they are disappearing, and indigenous peoples fight for them.

The Penan People of Malaysia

The Penan people of the forest, who live in Malaysia, are very connected to their nomadic traditions, and they are fighting to keep their culture alive. The government convinced the Penan to move to Long Iman because they wanted to sell the forest to logging companies, but they were too powerful. Long Iman is a sad place; they are living in poor conditions. The children watch television but don't understand the language, the river is dirty, there is mud everywhere, and they have a small amount of food. The last groups of Penan nomads are only about 300 people. This group lives in the Gunung Mulu National Park, and it is protected from logging companies. Their leader is Asik. They have plenty to eat, and sharing is important to their culture.

The Tarahumara of Mexico

The Tarahumara people live in the mountains of Mexico. Their population is about 70,000. They call themselves Raramuri, which means 'feet runners' or 'those who walk well'. They are strong runners and run frequently. They do not want to adapt to the modern world; they still dress, farm, and live like in the past. They teach their children to love their customs, languages, and way of life. They have survived 400 years since the Spanish came to Mexico. They live in Copper Canyon. Mining and logging companies are destroying these areas for trees, gold, and silver, and tourism companies are building hotels.

From the Baker Heater League

From the Baker Heater League: Porters shared their experiences among themselves, and it was known as the Baker Heater League. Retired porters' stories became legends like Casey Jones and John Henry. Casey's train crashed, and he saved many lives before he died. John Henry was a very strong man who died after competing with a steam drill. Daddy Joe also was a legend.