Heritage and Identity of Indigenous Peoples: A Comparative Study of American Indians and Bedouins of Jordan

摘要

Humankind is represented by an ever changing number of people groupings which are distinguishable as unique from one another by physical traits, ancestry, and genetics. We acknowledged our differences by the use of terms denoting race, ethnicity, skin color, geography, and innumerable other factors. The variances between and among cultures and civilizations easily identifies our many differences but also adds value to the human race as a whole. We also have much in common. Intrinsic to our common human-ness are the questions we each ask of ourselves: Who am I? Why am I here? What is my role in society? What makes me unique among all people? The issue of identity has received more concentrated study in the past thirty years than ever before. We know that heritage and memory are directly related to the creation of identity and that these contested processes are influenced by the rapid rate of modern globalization and its homogenizing effects. Changes are most acute among Indigenous Peoples who are introduced to the transforming processes of globalization and the marginalization of their cultures by more dominant civilizations. This study analyzes the meaning and relationships of heritage, memory, and identity and the effects of a globalizing world on two disparate peoples. It details a thorough analysis of the history of American Indians, particularly the Osage and Quapaw tribes, and compares their experiences with Bedouins of southern Jordan, represented by the Huwaytat and Beni Sakher tribes. The results of this research show that marginalized cultural groups, despite the hegemonic influences of the more dominant culture, can control the preservation of their cultural heritage and individual and group identities. Key to successful self-determination and identity creation is an environment of aggressive heritage preservation supported by effective political and social action within the parameters of the dominant culture.;Part I of the study analyzes the meaning and use of the important terms: heritage, memory and identity. This section provides the tools necessary to understand how tribal societies sustain themselves with cohesive, yet flexible social systems in the face of overwhelming change. This section also evaluates the processes of globalization and the impact change has on indigenous peoples. Finally, Part I introduces the concepts of cultural change and identity modification in the face of modernization through heritage preservation, specifically the process of Cultural Resource Management.;Part II analyzes the selected American Indian and Bedouin histories. Each culture, in its time, has been subjugated by more powerful civilizations or cultures intent on establishing a new nation-state of which they are a part. Theirs is a history of change and adaptability. However, the study reveals that given the proper socio-political environment, a minority culture can not only survive but prosper. The following study shows that while the Osage and Quapaw tribes of American Indians are experiencing what might be called a cultural revitalization, the Bedouin tribes of southern Jordan are experiencing dissipation of their cultural heritage and tribal identities as they are integrated into a modernizing nation-state.