Your Last Name Is the Key to Understanding Indigenous Peoples

Imagine someone mixing up your family with another family sharing your last name.

Your blood boils. "We're different," you think. "We have our own history and our own traditions." Remember that gut reaction. It will help you understand something bigger.

You know that feeling when someone gets your family's story wrong? Now multiply it by a thousand. That's what happens when people lump Indigenous Peoples together as "communities" or "local groups." Each Indigenous People is as distinct as your own family.

But we're not just talking about family traditions here. We're talking about nations. Each has its own governance, ways of life, and diplomatic relationships.

Consider this. Imagine someone saying, "Oh, those European families. French, Germans, Spanish. They're all basically the same community." Ridiculous, right? France isn't some "community." It's a powerhouse nation with its own president, parliament, and seat at the UN. Germany isn't a "local group." It's a sovereign state making its own treaties and trade deals.

Let me tell you about my Indigenous Peoples, the Alifuru of Maluku. We aren't just a "community." We are a People with our own governance system called Saniri, our territories across Maluku islands, and our way of life guided by our Adat.

This isn't just about rules or governance. It's about a complete system of existence that has sustained life, relationships, and resources in Maluku for generations. Our Saniri and our Adat aren't relics of the past. They're living, breathing systems that continue to guide how we govern ourselves and relate to our world.

Let me put it clearly. Just as you'd never confuse the Netherlands with Germany, you can't lump the Alifuru together with other Indigenous Peoples. Our Saniri system and our ways of life are as distinct as France's political system is from Japan's. This isn't about different cultures. It's about recognizing distinct Peoples with their own systems of governance and ways of being.

When you hear someone say "Indigenous and local communities," it's like hearing someone call the United Nations a "global community group." It misses the point about who we are as Peoples.

Let me break this down. Each Indigenous People stands distinct:

• We have our own systems of governance (like our Saniri)

• We have our own territories (across the Maluku islands)

• We have our own diplomatic traditions (including inter-island protocols)

• We have our own ways of life (guided by Adat and Sasi)

• We make our own decisions (through traditional consensus-building)

You know how you felt when I mentioned getting your family name wrong? Indigenous Peoples face this on a national scale. We Alifuru aren't some "indigenous community." We're not just another "European group" like France.

We are a People. That means everything.

Here's the truth. This isn't just about changing the words we use. It's about getting real about who Indigenous Peoples are in today's world. Our sovereignty isn't some cultural curiosity. It's as real and significant as your own name.

So next time you hear "Indigenous communities" or "local groups," pause.

Ask what they mean. Watch how this simple question transforms the conversation from vague generalizations to meaningful dialogue about distinct Peoples.

Precision matters. Use specific names. Acknowledge distinct systems.

Your attention to these details shows respect for the unique identity of each People.

That’s it for today. See you next Saturday.