The International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, observed annually on August 9th, honours the valuable knowledge systems of Indigenous communities, recognizing their expertise, wisdom, and traditional practices that have been developed and passed down through generations. The day highlights the significance of Indigenous Peoples’ rights to make culturally relevant and meaningful decisions about their own lives. The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) established this observance through resolution 49/214, choosing August 9th to commemorate the first meeting of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations in 1982. The International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples 2024 focuses on protecting the rights of isolated communities. Indigenous people need to protect the lands and territories that they inhabit, as they are the most effective stewards of the forests they call home. Their traditional knowledge and connection to the land make them uniquely qualified to preserve and defend their ancestral spaces, which are often rich in biodiversity and natural resources. Preserving their way of life is also essential for maintaining cultural and linguistic diversity.
Beyond its broader significance, August 9 is also personally meaningful for Chief Kalaan
Nibonrix Kaiman, leader of the Yamaye Guani (Jamaican Hummingbird) Taino Peoples, who also celebrates his birthday on this special day. As an advocate for recognizing Jamaican Tainos and Indigenous rights, Chief Kaiman finds August 9th doubly significant—both as a global acknowledgment of Indigenous rights and a personal milestone.
The African Caribbean Institute of Jamaica/Jamaica Memory Bank (ACIJ/JMB) as the focal point for intangible cultural heritage, on August 9, 2024, seized this opportunity to support and amplify Chief Kaiman’s message that the Jamaican Tainos are still very much alive, countering colonial narratives that have long been extinct. While attending the 16th Annual International Charles Town Maroon Conference and Festival on June 21, 2024, I met and interviewed Chief Kaiman, a young man, well versed and knowledgeable about his past, present, and future. Chief Kaiman, born Robert Pairman, spoke passionately about the Jamaican Tainos and the Maroons of Charles Town, Portland.
Of paramount importance to Chief Kaiman is for the Jamaican government to ratify the
United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). The UNDRIP is a comprehensive framework used to preserve and promote the inherent rights, cultural heritage, and traditional ways of life of Indigenous people across the world. In a Jamaica Gleaner article published Friday, April 12, 2024, titled “Tainos want Indigenous Status Legitimized”, Chief Kaiman outlined that:
He wants the Government to implement official legal recognition of the indigenous rights of Tainos and Maroons that align with the American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People.
For the Yamaye Taino community and the broader Caribbean Indigenous peoples, UNDRIP ratification is crucial to recognizing their self-determination, land rights, and cultural preservation. It acknowledges their historical struggles and ongoing resilience in the face of colonization, marginalization, and erasure.
By embracing UNDRIP, governments, and international organizations can support these
communities in the:
a) Preservation of ancestral lands, territories, and natural resources.
b) Promotion of their languages, cultural practices, and traditional knowledge.
c) Empowerment of self-governance and decision-making processes
d) Addressing historical injustices and ongoing discrimination.
The absence of the UNDRIP ratification has caused the Yamaye Taino People to be
apprehensive about revealing the locations of their ancestral relics and possessions. They are concerned that the government or other entities may claim these valuable cultural artifacts. Consequently, they have engaged the Jamaica National Heritage Trust intending to secure the Yamaye Tainos’ unrestricted access to ancestral burial sites, ceremonial grounds, and remains currently held by the Trust and other government agencies.
On this International Day, I urge governments, organizations, and individuals to join in
advocating for UNDRIP ratification and implementation for Jamaica’s Indigenous Peoples. Ratification would signal the country’s genuine empathy towards its Indigenous
communities, finally granting them the recognition and respect they have long deserved.
By: Georgette McGlashen-Miller, Research Fellow, ACIJ/JMB
Bibliography
“Jamaican Taino Chief Dispels Rumor of Extinction at Indigenous Peoples Day Event in
Massachusetts.” Jamaica Magazine. Jamaica.com. Accessed August 9, 2024. (Jamaican
Taino Chief Dispel Rumor of Extinction at Indigenous People’s Day Event in Massachusetts).
Francis, Kimone. 2024. “Tainos Want Indigenous Status Legitimised.” Jamaica Gleaner.
April 12, 2024. (https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/lead-stories/20240412/tainos-want-
indigenous-status-legitimized).
https://www.un.org/en/observances/indigenous-day
Jamaica – Minority Rights Group
Murphy, Xavier. 2021. “Meet Kasike the Taino Chief for the Jamaican Humming Bird Taino People”. Jamaica Magazine. Jamaica.com. Accessed August 8, 2024.
https://jamaicans.com/meet-kasike-the-taino-chief-for-the-jamaican-humming-bird-taino-people/
Yamaye Guani Taino Peoples