Development and
Cooperation

Digital monthly 9/2025

The world needs to learn from Indigenous wisdom

Indigenous voices

“The world is ours together”

The Maasai have lived in harmony with nature for centuries, but now they see their way of life under threat. Alais Ole-Morindat explains that his indigenous identity teaches him to preserve the gift of nature and pass it on to future generations.

Indigenous voices

“We want to be part of progress, without giving up who we are”

What does it mean to be Sami today? Sami advocate Jan Olli explains why Indigenous identity must not be reduced to reindeer herding or traditional lifestyles, but instead rooted in language, history and belonging. He talked to Leon Kirschgens.

Indigenous rights

Even in Bolivia, indigenous life is under threat from many sides

Bolivia is seen as a pioneer when it comes to Indigenous rights. Though it’s the peoples of the Bolivian Andes that are particularly well known, they account for only part of the country’s Indigenous population. Others feel neglected – and fear for their

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Indigenous voices

“If all that is lost, then I am lost”

Sonami Baski, a student from West Bengal, says that her indigenous community and its culture define her entire being – and despite challenges, she takes pride in belonging to it. She spoke with Ipil Baski.

Artist of the month

Yacunã Tuxá

The artist Yacunã Tuxá addresses the struggles, resistance and political organising of Indigenous women in Brazil.

Colombia

Defending territory with tradition and technology in Colombia

The Inga in Colombia’s Andes-Amazon region defend their ancestral lands against climate damage, the exploitation of natural resources and violence – and they are now even drawing on open-source technologies to help them achieve their goals.

Indigenous voices

“It’s remarkable how we retain our cultural identity while changing”

What does it mean to be a Turkana today? Rael Nkoi Lomoti is the founder of Turkana’s first girls’ football team and an advocate for education, gender equality and climate justice in her community. She spoke with Katharina Wilhelm Otieno.

Our view

Humanity needs Indigenous role models

Indigenous ways of life have withstood difficult conditions and outside pressure for centuries. The global community must do more to protect them – and learn from them in light of looming social and ecological crises.

Land rights and environmental protection

Where is Julia Chuñil?

The Mapuche environmental activist disappeared under mysterious circumstances in November 2024; since then, the investigation has hardly progressed. The case shows how dangerous Indigenous activism is in Chile. Resistance to the forestry industry has repe

Indigenous medicine

Why Indigenous knowledge must be preserved

The Maasai know how to treat malaria with bark. Like many other Indigenous groups, they have immense medical knowledge. However, like the entire Maasai way of life, this knowledge is gradually being lost due to forced resettlement for the sake of profit.

Reparations

Justice after genocide

Only in 2015 did the German government acknowledge that the war against Indigenous communities in the former colony of South West Africa culminated in genocide. To date, the descendants of the victims have not received adequate compensation.