Indigenous Politics and “Local Heritage” in the 1990s: Shifting Concepts of Land Use, Land Tenure, and Self

The development of Indigenous political organizations in the Ecuadorian Amazon is illustrative of the state of affairs throughout the region. The moral economy that had governed inter-ethnic relations until recently has given way to a political economy in which Indigenous groups have come to understand the importance of defining the issues surrounding their relations with government agencies. This has led to Indigenous initiatives in land management and territorial demarcation, but also to an increasing focus on political activity rather than practical solutions that has made it difficult for these projects to progress beyond planning and training. Nevertheless, it is too early to predict the outcome of these developments, as they are ongoing.