MISSION

Our work strives to make a difference for future generations of indigenous peoples.

The Mission Statement

The ATAYAL Organization is committed to preserving indigenous cultures and empowering indigenous peoples by building bridges, or cooperation opportunities, that connect indigenous communities around the world.

The Need

Indigenous peoples are original inhabitants of a territory, and they include peoples such as the Native Americans, Pacific Islanders (Austronesians), Australian Aborigines, Southeast Asian Hill tribes, Amazonian tribes, the Ainu of Northern Japan, African tribes, and the Scandanavian Sami. Despite their differences in environment, their lifestyles and cultures share much in common, and teach a sustainable, responsible approach to adapting to their world. The lineage of their culture goes back to ancient traditions, but after centuries of colonialism and domination by historic empires, most of these peoples and cultures have been wiped out, and the surviving cultures have been marginalized. Many indigenous cultures and languages are in danger of disappearing forever, which means the world will lose the wisdom and knowledge of these peoples. The precarious situations of these people come from economic pressures, with governments and corporations plundering the natural resources from which they derive a sustainable living and displacing many peoples from their traditional homelands. Economic and political pressures make it difficult for indigenous peoples to sustain their traditional culture, language and lifestyles, and have a serious impact on cultural pride, especially with younger generations. If nothing is done, hundreds of cultures and languages can be lost forever in the next decade.

The Vision

Even though indigenous peoples have been pushed to the fringes of society in every country, depending on how you define indigenous peoples, there are approximately 350 million around the world. When that many indigenous people with common values and purpose can be united, the group can have a voice that can't be ignored. A united indigenous peoples can protect each other, learn from each other, and work together to build a future that sustains their cultures. Younger generations of indigenous peoples should be given the opportunity and choice to preserve and sustain the culture of their ancestors. The opportunities can come in the form of education, skills, and cultural and economic exchange. All of humanity can benefit greatly from the sustainable lifestyles from the peoples who have been the caretakers of the Earth. By empowering the younger generations, we can ensure the survival of these caretakers.

The Practices

The ATAYAL organization is commited to projects and actions that support this vision. This vision can only be realized when younger generations have more opportunities to sustain their traditional language and culture, and economic motivations are available to do so. The opportunities can be greater when the indigenous communities can unite for a common purpose. There are natural barriers to overcome, including geography, language differences and a lack of resources. The ATAYAL organization will choose projects and support actions that overcome these barriers. In doing so, we will develop bridges between indigenous communities and lay a foundation of trust between indigenous peoples upon which they can build a united future. We will look to technology and volunteers to bridge the distances between these often isolated communities, with their love and dedication to a better future for everyone.

The Inspiration