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Teenagers and Youths Ethnocentric view towards the Indigenous people of Bangladesh 1

Teenagers and Youths Ethnocentric


view towards the Indigenous people
of Bangladesh

Teenagers and Youths Ethnocentric view towards the Indigenous people of Bangladesh 2

Teenagers and Youths Ethnocentric view towards the Indigenous people of Bangladesh

Introduction
Indigenous people, no matter where they inhabit or used to inhabit, have always. The
situation of the indigenous people in the world is not encouraging. In our country, the existence
of the indigenous people is nothing but fighting each and every single day for their land and way
of life. It all started since the construction of Kaptai Dam to get hydroelectric power. The flood
created by this huge 11,000 km2 water body has washed away living places of countless
indigenous people in Chittagong Hill Tracts and forced many to immigrate to India. Still today,
the locals in those areas have not got any compensation for this loss (Varsi, 2008).
Recently, the issue of indigenous people has come into light with the incumbent
governments effort to amend constitution. If the amendments are passed, the constitution would
formally deny the existence of any indigenous people in this country. No doubt it is going to be a
further step to obstruct the hopes of the indigenous people living in this country.
It is not only the government but also the individuals of the country who are not much
concerned about indigenous rights. Many a time the teenagers and the youths living in city areas
of Bangladesh hold discriminatory ideas about the indigenous people.
While preparing my questionnaire, I tried to keep it in my mind. I am going to
conduct a survey on the idea the young hold about indigenous culture and for doing so I will try
to look into the respondents thoughts from different viewpoints. As culture is a pretty complex

Teenagers and Youths Ethnocentric view towards the Indigenous people of Bangladesh 3

thing and greatly dependant on numerous factors, my questionnaire will no doubt fail to some
extent to judge the indigenous culture from a holistic point of view. However, through my
questions I will try to have idea about the knowledge the young have about indigenous culture
and the way they interpret different cultural components. After that I will try to come up with a
conclusive idea that my questionnaire will enable me to do.
In addition, the research I am going to do is mainly going to be based on primary
sources. For doing so I have prepared a questionnaire to get respondents idea on some key
issues. It is always a hard task to measure and get a good understanding about what idea people
really hold on a subject. Reaching to the respondents and making them understand the issues a
questionnaire deals with is even harder when we deal with a relatively unfamiliar issue. The
issue of my research is the youths perception about the indigenous people and from my
experience I feel that it is really going to be a hard task for me as a big portion of the young
people still remains in complete darkness about the issue of indigenous peoples right, minority
oppression and ethnic discrimination.
It is needless to say that in almost all of the cases young generations lack of
knowledge is the major reason why they misinterpret the indigenous culture. Although the young
nowadays are adopting some indigenous ingredients (especially outfits and ornaments) in their
lifestyle, I believe it is purely something pushed by the fashion houses of the country to create
new trends in fashion. So, this popularization of indigenous culture cannot be deemed as a love
for indigenous culture.
When we think of getting peoples idea on a subject or issue it is always better to
judge the idea from different perspectives. While preparing my questionnaire, I tried to keep it in

Teenagers and Youths Ethnocentric view towards the Indigenous people of Bangladesh 4

my mind. I am going to conduct a survey on the idea the young hold about indigenous culture
and for doing so I will try to look into the respondents thoughts from different viewpoints. As
culture is a pretty complex thing and greatly dependant on numerous factors, my questionnaire
will no doubt fail to some extent to judge the indigenous culture from a holistic point of view.
However, through my questions I will try to have idea about the knowledge the young have
about indigenous culture and the way they interpret different cultural components. After that I
will try to come up with a conclusive idea that my questionnaire will enable me to do.

Indigenous People
Indigenous peoples, or Natives, are ethnic groups who are native to a land or region,
especially before the arrival and intrusion of a foreign and possibly dominating culture. They are
a group of people whose members share a cultural identity that has been shaped by their
geographical region. A variety of names are used in various countries to identify such groups of
people, but they generally are regarded as the "original inhabitants" of a territory or region. Their
right to self-determination may be materially affected by the later-arriving ethnic groups.
The adjective indigenous has the common meaning of "from" or "of the original
origin". Therefore, in a purely adjectival sense any given people, ethnic group or community
may be described as being indigenous in reference to some particular region or location
(Wikipedia).

Teenagers and Youths Ethnocentric view towards the Indigenous people of Bangladesh 5

Suppressed Indigenous Communities from Time to Time


The story of indigenous people all over the world is a history of violence and
brutality by the outsiders. How many people have lost their lives, properties, children and all
hope for living are countless to be counted. Moreover, the misleading and manipulated history
written by the conquistadors to North and South America, the colonialists of Australia has always
veiled the heinous crime. Sadly, the process of exploiting indigenous societies is not finished yet.
Through various invisible forces the suppression is still in practice almost all parts of the world.
The killing of Native Americans started when Christopher Columbus first made the
Europeans familiar with the land of America in 1492 (Trabich, 1997). At one point the massacre
by the Europeans on the Native Americans became so rampant that the indigenous people started
committing suicide and even started killing their children in order to prevent the children from
facing their ill future. Native Americans faced involuntary sterilization of approximately seventy
thousand Native-American women between 1930 and the mid-1970s. Destroying a group's
ability to reproduce is an obvious and crude method of ensuring the inability of the group's
survival. (Chalk and Jonassohn, 1990, p. 203).
In 1969 many Africans became indentured servants, similar in legal position to many
poor Englishmen who traded several years labor in exchange for passage to America.
(Richmond, 2000).
One of the darkest chapters of Australian history was the forced removal of
Aboriginal children from their families (Central Australian Stolen Generations). In almost all

Teenagers and Youths Ethnocentric view towards the Indigenous people of Bangladesh 6

parts of the world indigenous communities faced alteration of lifestyle and deprivation from
rights. The practice still prevails in many parts of the world till today (McColley, 1988).
Situation of Bangladeshi Indigenous Peoples

Like other parts of the world, indigenous peoples in Bangladesh are the most
disadvantaged, neglected and vulnerable people in the country. The Bangladesh government does
not have any formal policy for the development of indigenous populations. Indigenous peoples
have often faced eviction from their homelands in the name of development projects and
conservation such as dams, eco-parks, protected areas, reserve forest and even the establishment
of military bases on their ancestral and community land. Their land has been taken without their
consent. Their culture is treated as inferior in the country.
Over the years the indigenous peoples experienced a strong sense of social, political
and economic exclusion, lack of recognition, fear and insecurity, loss of cultural identity, and
social oppression. Mainstream development efforts have either ignored their concerns and/or had
a negative impact on them. Often issues and actions that affect them are not discussed with these
communities or organizations representing them. Thus they are subjected to stark socioeconomic deprivation. Mass relocation of non-indigenous people in the traditional adivasi/ethnic
minority areas has also caused land-grabbing, leading to livelihood displacement among the
indigenous peoples.
Grabbing the lands of indigenous peoples and minorities is the State policy in
Bangladesh. The government itself grabs the lands and also remains mute witness to land
grabbing by the mainstream Bengali populations who use different methods, including forging
documents and forcibly ousting indigenous peoples from their lands.

Teenagers and Youths Ethnocentric view towards the Indigenous people of Bangladesh 7

It is widely accepted that indigenous women are most vulnerable section of the
indigenous society. Indigenous women are traditionally considered as occupying a lower socioeconomic and political standing than their men, and they are encountering various forms of
human rights violation. Indigenous womens status is low in terms of the rights to inheritance,
legal and political rights, decision-making powers and other spheres. Indigenous women, except
Garo and Khasi women of matrilineal communities, have no rights to inheritance to property.

Questionnaire Analysis
During my survey I interviewed 25 female and 25 male. Most of them were between
the ages of 19-24. From the survey I got the idea about their overall view towards the indigenous
communities of Bangladesh.
Question 1: How many indigenous communities are there in Bangladesh?

25
20
15
10
5
0
40-45

20-25

30-35

Figure 1: Number of Indigenous Communities in Bangladesh


Figure 1 illustrates 50 respondents answer to the first question about their idea of
number of indigenous communities in our country. The horizontal axis represents the options

Teenagers and Youths Ethnocentric view towards the Indigenous people of Bangladesh 8

they were given and the vertical axis graphs the respondents respective answers to the options.
The chart shows that 24 respondents think that there are 20-25 indigenous communities in our
country where 17 respondents think that there are 30-35 indigenous communities in our country.
Only 9 respondents know that there are 40-45 indigenous communities living in our country. So,
it is clear that very few of the young people know about all the indigenous communities of
Bangladesh.
Question 2: How do you view the indigenous people of Bangladesh?

25
20
15
10
5
0
Like us

Peace-loving

Terrorists

Figure 2: View towards the indigenous people of Bangladesh


Figure 2 depicts 50 respondents answer to the second question about their view on
the indigenous people. The horizontal axis represents the options they were given and the vertical
axis graphs the respondents respective answers to the options. The chart shows that 24
respondents believe that the indigenous people are like us where only 8 respondents believe they
are particularly peace-loving. 18 respondents believe that indigenous people are terrorists. From
the responses it is clear that still a big portion of youngsters think negative of them.

Teenagers and Youths Ethnocentric view towards the Indigenous people of Bangladesh 9

Question 3: What is your idea about what indigenous people think about Bangladesh?

25
20
15
10
5
0

Figure 3: Idea about what indigenous people think about Bangladesh


Figure 3 shows 50 respondents answer to the third question about their idea of what
indigenous people think about Bangladesh. The horizontal axis represents the options they were
given. The vertical axis shows the respective answers to the options. The graph shows that 22
respondents think that indigenous people do not belong here where 16 respondents believe
indigenous people belong here. Apart from that, 12 respondents think that indigenous people
want a different country.

Teenagers and Youths Ethnocentric view towards the Indigenous people of Bangladesh 10

Question 4: Indigenous people are-

20
15
10
5
0
Civilized

Little civilized

Not civilized

Figure 4: How indigenous people are


T Figure 4 portrays 50 respondents answer to the fourth question about their idea of
what indigenous people are. The horizontal axis represents the options they were given. The
vertical axis shows the respective answers to the options. The bar chart shows that 20
respondents think that indigenous people are little civilized where 15 respondents believe
indigenous people are not civilized. The rest 12 respondents think that indigenous people are
civilized.

Question 5: Do u think they are being discriminated?

Teenagers and Youths Ethnocentric view towards the Indigenous people of Bangladesh 11

30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Yes

No

No Idea

Figure 5: Discrimination of Indigenous Communities


Figure 5 illustrates 50 respondents answer to the fifth question about whether
indigenous people are discriminated in our country. The horizontal axis represents the options
they were given and the vertical axis graphs the respondents respective answers to the options.
The bar chart shows that 30 respondents have no idea whether they are being discriminated or
not where 14 respondents believe that the indigenous people are not being discriminated. Only 6
respondents hold the belief that indigenous people are being discriminated in our country. Most
of young people are not concerned whether the indigenous people of our country are being
discriminated.

Question 6: Where do the majority of indigenous people live in our country?

Teenagers and Youths Ethnocentric view towards the Indigenous people of Bangladesh 12

30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Chittagong hill tracts Sylhet

Rajshahi

Figure 6: Habitats of Indigenous People


Figure 6 represents 50 respondents answer to the sixth question about the habitat of
majority indigenous people in the country. The horizontal axis represents the options they were
given and the vertical axis graphs the respondents respective answers to the options. The bar
chart shows that 28 respondents said that most of the indigenous people live in Chittagong hill
tracts area where only 6 respondents think that majority of indigenous people live in Rajshahi
division. 16 respondents think that majority of the indigenous people live in Sylhet division.

Question 7: Do you know about Baishabi?

Teenagers and Youths Ethnocentric view towards the Indigenous people of Bangladesh 13

35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Yes

No

Figure 7: Familiarity with the Baishabi festival


Figure 7 portrays 50 respondents answer to the seventh question about their
familiarity with the festival Baishabi. The horizontal axis represents the options they were
given and the vertical axis graphs the respondents respective answers to the options. The bar
chart shows that 34 respondents do not know about Baishabi festival. Only 16 respondents are
familiar with the festival. Majority of youths are not familiar indigenous peoples cultures. Even
those who are little familiar, they do not have clear concept about the programs.

Question 8: Do you ever feel a bit anxious when you think about visiting indigenous
communities?

Teenagers and Youths Ethnocentric view towards the Indigenous people of Bangladesh 14

35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Yes

No

Figure 8: Anxiousness toward indigenous communities


Figure 8 illustrates 50 respondents answer to the eighth question about their
anxiousness in while visiting indigenous communities. The horizontal axis represents the options
they were given and the vertical axis graphs the respondents respective answers to the options.
31 respondents do not feel anxious when they think of visiting indigenous communities. That
means they have no problem in visiting the places of indigenous people and they are free to
socialize with the communities. On the other hand, 19 respondents experience a little bit
anxiousness when they imagine visiting indigenous people. These negative responses explain
that many young people hold incorrect beliefs about indigenous people.

Question 9: Are you comfortable with making friendship with an indigenous person?

Teenagers and Youths Ethnocentric view towards the Indigenous people of Bangladesh 15

30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Yes

No

Figure 9: Making an indigenous person acquaintance


Figure 9 represents 50 respondents answer to the ninth question about whether they
are comfortable in making friendship with indigenous people. The horizontal axis represents the
options they were given and the vertical axis graphs the respondents respective answers to the
options. The bar chart shows that 28 respondents are not easy in making them acquaintances
where 22 respondents are comfortable with making friendship with them. Those who are not
comfortable with making indigenous people friends, reflect that many young people view
indigenous people differently.

Question 10: Do you know about the 11000 km2 flood created by Kaptai Dam that devastated
the habitats of the majority of indigenous communities?

Teenagers and Youths Ethnocentric view towards the Indigenous people of Bangladesh 16

50
40
30
20
10
0
Yes

No

Figure 10: Knowledge on Kaptai Dam Flood


Figure 10 reflects 50 respondents answer to the tenth question about whether they
know about the 11000 km2 flood created by Kaptai Dam which demolished the habitats of the
majority of indigenous people. The horizontal axis represents the options they were given and the
vertical axis graphs the respondents respective answers to the options. The bar chart
demonstrates that 43 respondents have no idea about the Kaptai Dam flood. Only 7 respondents
know about the devastating flood created by the Kaptai Dam. It is clear that most of young
people have no idea about the miseries indigenous people are experiencing in their lives.

Question 11: Do you think the Bengali word Upojati is offensive?

Teenagers and Youths Ethnocentric view towards the Indigenous people of Bangladesh 17

50
40
30
20
10
0
Yes

No

Figure 11: Is Upojati an offensive term?


Figure 11 gives idea about 50 respondents answer to the eleventh question about
whether indigenous people are discriminated in our country. The horizontal axis represents the
options they were given and the vertical axis graphs the respondents respective answers to the
options. The chart reflects that 46 respondents believe that the word Upojati is not offensive.
Whereas, only 4 respondents believe that the Bengali word Upojati is offensive. So most of
young people are not aware of or concerned whether the indigenous people of our country are
being discriminated.

Findings from the Survey

From all the responses I have got from the respondent unveil a definite truth and it can
only be termed as an ethnocentric view about the indigenous peoples who inhabit in our country.
There can be various reasons behind this ethnocentric view and I would rather prefer to deal with
the findings along with some likely reasons behind these.

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A majority of respondents (18 out of 50) believe indigenous people are terrorists. It
undoubtedly sounds a misconception or at least misinterpretation as no such occurrences
happened to say so. It is true once the indigenous group in CHT took part in armed
protests but it was a fight for earning their rights and lands but nothing to be called as
terrorism. The good thing is that almost 50% respondents (24 in number) believe
Indigenous people are human beings like us.
Another misconception many people hold about the indigenous people was also evident
in my survey. Except for 16 respondents, all other believe the tribal people of our country
do not think they belong to this country. In this age of satellite channels, many fail to
separate facts from fantasy. Maybe this is the reason why without being holding such an
unfriendly attitude, indigenous people are blamed for people who hate the country.
Sometimes people also mingle some other examples from other parts of the world and
view indigenous people all over the world from a same ground.
The major discriminatory view I have found from the respondents indigenous
communities is the thinking that they are less civilized than us and though the indigenous
people face a lot of discriminations, majority of the respondents poses no idea about it at
all. The reason is pretty clear, the young in our country lack proper knowledge about
what is going on in the country and they also judge the notion of civilization from an
ethnocentric point of view. When we talk about civilization nowadays, we only associate
the tools and products that make up our daily living. Otherwise, the respondents would
surely know that indigenous people are more civilized in many cases than us.
Many respondents portrayed their poor knowledge about the indigenous communities and
some are even fearful about visiting the indigenous lands because of the lack of security.

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We need to ask where these tendencies are pushing us forward. If such thing goes on
practiced, we can only hope to make an ever increasing gap in between us and the
indigenous people.
Finally, when many people lack proper knowledge and understanding, it becomes hard
for them to see the reality. The responses from my survey showed teenagers and
youngsters in our city areas have eyes obscured by misinformation, misinterpretation and
even misguidance when they look at indigenous culture and communities,

Conclusion
I believe it is time for all of us not only for youths to judge things from different
points of views. If we like to see us as civilized beings, we must learn to judge things from
impartial grounds. When we talk about discrimination, culture or the fate of indigenous people,
we fail to see things from the points of indigenous people. For this reason, it should be our first
priority to change our view to see the reality. If we fail to understand the reality, no doubt
government will get the opportunity to practice so many discriminatory practices and there
would always be gainers out of these. Everything else being the same, we need to see all people
as same irrespective of their race, color or ethnicity. Otherwise, the notion We are civilized
would be the biggest lie.
References
Wikipedia. (n.d.). Retrieved July 29, 2011, from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indigenous_peoples#cite_note-worldbank410-2
Magne Ove Varsi (November, 2008). BANGLADESH: Indigenous People Still Face

Teenagers and Youths Ethnocentric view towards the Indigenous people of Bangladesh 20

Discrimination and Eviction from Their Land


The Daily Star (August 8, 2011). Form nat'l commission to ensure indigenous people's rights doi:
http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=40665
Trabich, Leah. (June, 1997). Native American Genocide Still Haunts United States. An End
to Intolerance, (5).
Richmond, V. A. (February, 2000). A Brief History of Jamestown. The Association for the
Preservation of Virginia Antiquities,
doi: http://www.preservationvirginia.org/rediscovery/page.php?page_id=6
McColley, Robert. (1988.) Dictionary of Afro-American Slavery, (Edited by Randall M. Miller
and John David Smith), Greenwood Press, pp 28.
Behrendt, Stephen D., Richardson, David, and David, Eltis, (1999). W. E. B. Du Bois Institute
for African and African-American Research, Harvard University. Based on "records for
27,233 voyages that set out to obtain slaves for the Americas". Stephen Behrendt (1999).
"Transatlantic Slave Trade". Africana: The Encyclopedia of the African and African
American Experience. New York: Basic Civitas Books.
Central Austrailian Stolen Generations & Families Aboriginal Corporation, Who are the Stolen
Generations, doi: http://centralstolengens.org.au/

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