AlterNative

Published by: 

Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga

Volume: 

3

Issue: 

2

Frequency: 

Biannual

Publication Year: 

2007

Print ISSN: 

1177-1801

Online ISSN: 

1174-1740

Preface

As with the word indigenous, excellence carries with it a multiplicity of meanings. Just as indigenous peoples are diverse and dynamic so too is the concept of excellence. For thousands of years, indigenous peoples around the world have demonstrated variations of excellence in their daily lives and this in turn has contributed significantly to the growth and development of indigenous cultures. The very fact that indigenous peoples have thrived on this earth is evidence that excellence informs and directs the growth and expansion of indigenous peoples and cultures. Despite the impact of colonization, domination and marginalization to which indigenous peoples have been subjected, there is still strong evidence that excellence plays a crucial role in the communities that indigenous peoples have established throughout millennia.