Introduction

In recent decades, there has been an ongoing debate (cf. White & Martin 2002; Molnar et al. 2004) about indigenous peoples' responsibilities as stewards of natural resources (i.e. that they hold locally based knowledge, which enables them to sustainably use their natural resources, and the cultural practices to enact this knowledge into tractable actions). However, indigenous peoples are also blamed for wildlife and natural-resource exploitation (i.e. that they deplete local resources without regard for sustainability). These debates, while originating as academic discourse, have conservation-policy implications. If people concur that indigenous peoples are responsible stewards of natural resources by using local knowledge, they should be given special consideration for maintaining their traditions, even in areas that are inaccessible to other groups. If otherwise, they should be held accountable to the laws by which everyone must abide. Today, indigenous rights and local knowledge are used as political and conservation platforms whereby conservation groups and local communities lobby for land and natural-resource use rights by indigenous peoples. Other groups in opposition to this view have argued that indigenous peoples regularly violate conservation laws, and lead to the depletion of resources.

We feel that neither view is completely true, and these arguments have been oversimplified; indigenous peoples' uses of natural resources covers the entire spectrum, from full exploitation without recourse to stewardship based on cultural knowledge and integrity. Viewing indigenous peoples as inherently wise in natural-resource management or conservation is problematic.