In 1994, the United Nations designated August 9 as an International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. In recognition of that day, we’re looking at how Indigenous Peoples have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Indigenous Peoples are culturally distinct societies and communities. The physical and spiritual well-being, identities, cultures, and livelihoods of these peoples are tied to the land – the physical space they occupy, the natural resources they use, the crops they grow, and the water they use.
They are among some of the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic because Indigenous Peoples often suffer from food insecurity and lack access to national health systems and basic services.
There are approximately 476 million Indigenous Peoples in over 90 countries around the world. They account for a little over 6% of the global population in these countries and makeup about 15 percent of the extreme poor worldwide. The average life expectancy of Indigenous Peoples is up to 20 years lower than the life expectancy of non-indigenous people worldwide.
In many countries, Indigenous Peoples, who move to large cities in search of work, live in poverty, working for low pay. They fill many unskilled labor positions that have been deemed essential services during this pandemic. They often lack access to healthcare, testing facilities, and hospitals. Typically, they do not have access to information from public health departments in their Indigenous language about preventing the spread of COVID-19 or symptoms of the virus.
Indigenous Peoples in extremely remote isolated areas are at high risk to the novel coronavirus. Historically, pathogens have been one of the most powerful factors in decimating Indigenous Peoples. Many indigenous communities traditionally lockdown and isolate to protect themselves from diseases. While these practices need to be respected, they present difficulties for the medical community.
Because Indigenous Peoples own, occupy, or use a quarter of the world’s surface area, it is challenging to provide adequate care to every community. To help combat the COVID-19 pandemic, medical aid societies must work in coordination with the traditional authorities of Indigenous Peoples to provide accurate information on disease prevention, distribute protective gear and hygiene supplies. Equally challenging will be finding ways to support livelihoods and recovery that are appropriate to Indigenous People’s needs and cultures.
In the United States, Native Americans (American Indians), Native Alaskans, Native Hawaiians (especially those living in California), and Pacific Islanders have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19. Several factors may contribute to these numbers.
Many Indigenous Peoples with COVID-19 have been misclassified as Latinx or Hispanic because of their surnames or their appearance in many states. Many state health departments simply classify Native Alaskans as “other” on statistical reports. Native Alaskans have a lower risk of contracting COVID-19, but they are more likely to die from it. Accurate reporting of cases within these groups of Indigenous Peoples is vital to helping access the needs of these individuals and their communities.
Infection rates were lower on American Indian reservations with 100% English fluency. These communities had better access to life-saving information about preventing the virus. This means we must do a better job of providing literature for Native American communities in their Indigenous languages.
Failure by our government to implement and complete infrastructure projects on Indian reservations has resulted in many communities lacking complete indoor plumbing. Complete indoor plumbing includes a flushable toilet, hot and cold running water, and a tub or shower. This makes proper handwashing, basic hygiene, and proper housecleaning/sanitizing measures more difficult. This factor was even more important than the size of the household, income, or age of its members (Incomplete plumbing has also factored into higher rates of COVID-19 in many African American, Latinx, and immigrant communities in the United States).
Native Americans are also three times more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes – a medical condition that contributes to a higher risk of death from COVID-19. Inadequate access to COVID-19 testing and a lack of access/transportation to medical care and hospitals are also contributing factors.
The survival of Indigenous Peoples is important to the survival of us all because these Peoples safeguard 80 percent of the world’s remaining biodiversity.
Sources for this article include:
https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/indigenouspeoples
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/how-covid-19-is-impacting-indigenous-peoples-in-the-u-s
Worldwide Map of Indigenous Peoples courtesy of:
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/app/uploads/2014/11/A-global-map-of-indigenous-peoples.pdf