Twenty-first century indigenism

Abstract

The late 20th century has seen a renaissance in the fortunes of indigenous people and their visibility on the world’s political agendas. But the term ‘indigenous’ covers a multitude of contradictory meanings and these are deployed in a range of contexts. This article traces the historical trajectories that have brought diverse peoples together under the banner of ‘the indigenous’, introducing the concept of Indigenous One and Indigenous Two. The article then attempts to situate these peoples politically in the current conjuncture, drawing upon the twin discourses of rights and authenticity. The article concludes with a challenge to anthropologists to support the aspirations of indigenous peoples and explore with more depth and sensitivity their political use of the concept of ‘strategic essentialism’.