Rainforest Degradation and Indigenous Health Seth Ross NR 107 November 13, 2008

Rainforests: a Very General Overview Temperate vs. Tropical -South & Central America -Africa -Australia -Asia

-160—400 inches rain/year -Amazon Basin: 5% world’s fresh water -2% of Earth’s Surface -50% living species in biosphere Regulate global supplies of fresh water, oxygen, carbon dioxide, weather …for how long?

Tropical Deforestation: Feeding a Hungry Western World -agriculture -cattle ranching -mining -natural resource extraction An area the size of a football field is cleared every second.

Environmental Degradation -soil erosion -soil contamination -water contamination -loss of plant and animal diversity What does this mean for the health of indigenous people?

Indigenous Peoples -2003: 48.4 million living in Latin America and Caribbean -89% located in Mexico Guatemala Ecuador Peru Bolivia

Brief Health History of Latin American Indigenous People Pre-Colonial Era (before 15thcentury) -gatherer hunters -isolated groups -52.9-150 million -20% world population Post-Colonial Era: (15th century to present) -Diseases smallpox, measles, flu -population drops to 11 million in 100 years -1.6% world population -forced to poverty

Effects of Rainforest Degradation on Indigenous Health Primary vs. Secondary Effects Primary Effects: Environmental consequences that hinder the security of one’s immediate basic needs. Secondary Effects: Consequences of Primary Effects.

Primary Effects -water contamination -loss of food -agri.contamination -loss of game and wild edibles -loss of traditional medicine -loss of raw materials

Secondary Effects -acculturation -poverty -diseases of poverty -marginalization

Future of Indigenous Health: a Case Study of the Shipibo-Conibo -Peruvian Amazon Amerindians—Ucayali River -100-120 villages:100-1000 inhabitants each -about 25,000 total population -inhabit ecologically and economically fertile floodplains=high value for western agro-industry

Shipibo-Conibo Cultural View of Health: “Disruption of the reciprocity between human beings and nature leads to illness. Disease is a sign that the harmonious relations between themselves and the natural system have been disturbed”- Foller 2006

A Medicinal Synergy -Shipibo-Conibo face common Indigenous health issues -limited access to western medicine -WHO& PAHO vaccine campaigns but little preventative care: -promotor de salud -tecnico sanitario -possible annual doctor visit -non-professional (spiritual) health- care most common treatment Ametra-Ucayali-local health system -western+traditional integration -controlled Cholera outbreak in 1990’s -western rehydration methods -traditional diet, medicines, spirit Such integrations provide immediate aid yet any healthcare system will truly sustain a group when standards exist for environmental and cultural preservation

Conclusions: Indigenous Value and Right to Human Life -benefit to western medicine genuine ecological knowledge Living relics of our own species deserve respect

Works Cited Colfer, D. Sheil,D. Kaimowitz and M. Kishi. Forests and human health in the tropics: some important connections. Food and Agricultural Organization. http://www.fao.org/docrep/009/a0789e02.htm Foller, Maj-Lis.Future Health of Indigenous Peoples A human ecology view and the case of the Amazonian Shipibo-Conibo. 1995 Futures Vol. 27 pp. 1005-1023 Elsevier Science Ltd. Montenegro, Raul A, Stephens, Carolyn. Indigenous health in Latin America and the Carribean. 2006 Lancet Vol. 367 pp. 1859-69. www.thelancet.com http://www.savetherainforest.org/savetherainforest_012.htm http://www.nature.org/rainforests/explore/facts.html