Lessons from the Margin

Humanity is confronted with several inter-related crises: ecological, social or humanitarian and growing violence, both direct and structural. Much evidence indicates that solutions implemented to resolve them, from development and modernisation to neoliberalism and sustainable development, have not just failed but paradoxically have exacerbated these crises. Inspired by the life-ways and practices of Indigenous peoples, especially the Orang Asli (Aborigines) in Malaysia, this paper outlines a peace ecology that combines peacebuilding with ecological regenerative strategies. The key contention is that subscribing to an Indigenous peace ecology will foster effective solutions to triple crises, entailing a paradigmatic shift from an anthropocentric to an eco-centric perception of nature, from hyper-individualism to a community-focus responsibility, from a competitive outlook to everything to one that is focused on empathy, cooperation, sharing and altruism, and from a growth-fetish to a needs-based regenerative lifestyle.