Indigenous awareness
The issue: Even today, Indigenous peoples can suffer at the hands of modern development, with the devaluation of culture and lack of communication rife in some parts of the world. In some regions, stories of lost land and homes to make way for more tourist infrastructure are common. Danau Toba in Sumatra, Indonesia is one such place where this has occurred, with the Indigenous Pomparan Ompu Ondol Butarbutar community threatened with eviction by authorities – some even had their farmland burnt – to make space for a planned five-star resort together with mall, amusement park and golf course to rival the popularity of Bali.
How to help: It's important we take more care than ever to respect and understand the experiences of Indigenous communities, even if this background makes us a little uncomfortable. Ultimately, the solution to such situations requires policy overhaul, however we do have the power to show those in power that we don't support such action against Indigenous communities. To do this, we can avoid establishments that have developed out of the suffering of any local community, including First Nations peoples. We can also spend our money in those communities when in situ, booking Indigenous-led tours, visiting First Nations-owned museums and galleries and buying from Indigenous artisans.