() Perspectives of an environmental worker with indigenous cultures in Central America.
Datin, M1, 1 Washington State Dept of Ecology, Manchester, WA, USA
ABSTRACT- The success of any environmental application that is reliant on the cooperation of ′the locals′ depends on one′s ability to communicate an understanding of the aims, function, and expected endpoints of the project. This is true whether you′re dealing with the inner city, Midwest farmers, or a suburban neighborhood. But working and gaining cooperation within an indigenous culture in a developing country is often more complex than that encountered in more developed locales. Success is not assured, partial success is possible, and failure is ultimately probable, unless one has the ability to understand, and to work in conjunction with, and with respect for the tenets of that culture. Because that ability is, unfortunately, not an inherent one, it has to be developed. Building trust is key to any success, but it′s likely to come at a snail′s pace and only with a lot of effort. In this presentation the author will use her experience in grass roots environmental work among indigenous peoples in Central America to illustrate an approach and mindset useful for developing successful projects in indigenous settings. The critical shift for the environmental specialist is from a technical applications and results orientation, to a focus on the reality of what it takes to implement change and have it accepted locally.
Key words: developing countries, indigenous cultures