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Tuesday 8 sepTember 2020

International Indigenous Women Day Celebration Episode LXX -70

ORANJESTAD — “Being an Indigenous woman means living under a soci-
ety and ‘civilization’ that benefits from your voice lessons, invisibility, dis-
appearance, non-existence, and erasure,” said Rebecca Moore, an I’nu
woman. International Indigenous Women’s Day is held each year on 5th
September. Although women fight for their rights and the rights of their peo-
ple, not enough recognition is given to the efforts of women.

Being born an indigenous girl can still be a life sentence of poverty, exclu- Artistic representation
sion and discrimination in many regions today, largely rooted in the historical of Caquetian princess
marginalization of indigenous communities and aggravated by overlapping private collection
circumstances such as race, ethnicity, disability and location. Analysis of avail-
able survey data shows that indigenous women and adolescent girls are sig-
nificantly less likely to benefit from health services and have worse maternal
health outcomes in many countries. Indigenous or Amerindian women are
twice as likely to die as a result of pregnancy and childbirth compared to non-
indigenous women.
But parallel to these current and unfortunate situation Indigenous women play
important roles in their communities and beyond. In the case of Aruba, Indig-
enous women were the Eve of the modern or contemporary Aruban autoch-
thone population, facing the challenge of educating her mestizo offspring’s in
to heirs of islands ethnic genome and the Aruban culture.
Indigenous women traditionally played a central role within the tribal and later
in Cristian family, however carrying their aboriginal government and spiritual
ceremonies within them believes. Men and women enjoyed considerable per-
sonal autonomy and both performed functions vital to the survival of aborigi-
nal communities. The men were responsible for providing food, clothing, shel-
ter and security. Commerce with the mainland, seasonal farming, fishing and
ranching wild horses, were the main activities back then. Women, daughters
of corn were responsible for the domestic sphere and were viewed as both
life-givers and the caretakers of life and heritage. As a result, women were
responsible for the early socialization of children.

Indigenous women are the backbone of many American communities. Our
mothers, sisters, aunts, cousins and grandmothers play major roles in the pres-
ervation of food security and culture heritage of this beloved rock. They also : ”What grandmother left behind” Locual machi a laga” private
have a fundamental role as guardians of indigenous ancestral knowledge, collection
having been traditionally care takers of natural resources and managers of
seeds and medicinal plants. In actual times they often take the lead in the
defense of indigenous lands and territories and advocating for the islands in-
digenous peoples’ collective rights worldwide. In Aruba we have a group that
advocates for the care and protection of nature led by a woman. Sister Taca
Mahaca, a native Aruban jurist urges by very valid arguments the need to pro-
tect nature and autochthone cultural heritage. Her group organizes aware-
ness manifestations and protests on the island wide. Using media awareness
campaigns trough her group called PAW; Proud Aruban Warriors.

“We aim to protect our ancestral grounds and nature for our future genera-
tions”— Taca Mahaca q

To get to know more about Aruba and its origins, its animals, culture etc.,
we highly recommend you to book your participation. Living our cultural
encounter session is mind opening and entertaining. Mail us at etniana-
tiva03@gmail.com. Our facilities and activities take place close to your
accommodation.