Chapter 13: COVID-19, Colonialism, and Indigenous People

Already marginalized, indigenous peoples faced unique challenges from COVID-19. Access to healthcare was already limited, and indigenous peoples suffer higher rates of other diseases that made them more vulnerable to the pandemic. Some very isolated groups that have historically had little interaction with outsiders have poorly developed immunity to infectious diseases. Yet outsiders are increasingly entering these areas, such as in Brazil, where illegal logging and mining threatens not just the land but dramatically increased the risk for indigenous peoples. Some experts warned that “ethnocide” is likely (Marx, 2020). Poor sanitation, limited provisions of other necessary items like soap, disinfectant, and even clean water, inadequately staffed medical facilities, combined with existing poverty, large multigenerational families living together, unemployment, and reduced chances to retain work at home exacerbated the problems for indigenous peoples around the globe. This is all on top of tremendous discrimination, all of which are legacies of colonialism. Testing for COVID-19 was not widespread in areas where indigenous peoples live, nor was educational material about infectious diseases or protective materials like masks and gloves. Food insecurity, an existing problem, has worsened for indigenous peoples during the pandemic (United Nations, 2020). Indigenous women suffer higher domestic and sexual violence rates, both of which have been shown to increase during this type of crisis. The coronavirus is no exception, with rates of abuse and assault increasing yet reductions in services as shelters and other organizations had to enact social distancing requirements and people were less inclined to donate to these services. Access to help services was already sparse and jurisdictional issues on native lands has always meant police responses are slow if not existent. This has not improved during the pandemic.