10 Things To Know About Indigenous Peoples

Indigenous peoples are the keepers of unique cultures, traditions, languages and knowledge. Here are ten things you might not know about how they live and what they value.

1. INDIGENOUS PEOPLES ARE EVERYWHERE

There are more than 476 million Indigenous people in the world, spread across 90 countries and representing 5,000 different cultures. They make up 6.2 percent of the global population and live in all geographic regions.

2. INDIGENOUS PEOPLES SPEAK THE MAJORITY OF THE WORLD’S LANGUAGES

Indigenous languages are extensive, complex systems of knowledge. They are central to the identity of Indigenous peoples, the preservation of their cultures, worldviews and visions, as well as expressions of self-determination.

At least 40 percent of the world’s 7,000 languages are at some level of endangerment. It’s estimated that one Indigenous language dies every two weeks. Last year, the United Nations started another important milestone, the Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022 – 2032).