Trust in the Tribal Zone? How to recognize independent Indians

• In Event: Peace in the Tribal Zone: Non – violent interethnic relations at Latin American Frontiers

Abstract

This contribution tries to fill the gap of documentation for peaceful interethnic relations at the Frontier by theoretical and methodological approaches, as well as empirical evidence. Starting from the sociological and philosophical concepts of trust and recognition, a comparative view on relationships between state- actors and independent indigenous groups is given for colonial and 19th century history of Latin America and the Philippines. Empirical examples include small scale as well as complex indigenous societies, ranging from foragers like the Seris in Sonora to the segmentary state of Sulu in the Southern Philippines. Finally, conclusions are drawn from observed peaceful relations to explain the inclusion of egalitarian groups into hierarchical societies.

Author

• Lasse Hölck, Freie Universität Berlin