Reply To: Mon 14 Apr: The Perception of the Environment

Reply to Ellen Lindblom

Your reflection, Ellen, focuses on Ingold chapter about the indigenous people, in which author applies genealogical and relational models that are used in the analyses to get better concept of this minority group. However, I could not agree that Tim Ingold dismisses any of the models nor that he creates new model (as you called Ingolds model), but he use them together to supplement each other.
As he tries to define the concept of the indigenous people in the conclusions by using ancestry, generation, substance, memory and land as the framework, he indicates that these two models (genealogical and relational) are relevant in the different moment of discussion.

The other thing, in the reflection you get involve into the political discussion about indigenous people and their rights. Even more, you are suggesting possible variables of the policy making in the ideal democratic world. However, I do not think that this is Tim Ingold’s aspiration in the chapter. He is questioning the concept used in the political setting as well as he is trying to start discussion that could help better to understand indigenous people’s entity and their relationship with the nature.

The last part of your reflection is a bit confusing, at least for me and it is hard to make sense what are your intentions. As I understand the discussion you are offering is about the beneficial side of knowing your descent, which could help us better to comprehend our own behavior. I fully agree with you as individual and as historian, the appreciation of the past and the ancestry helps to define your entity and your place in world.