Grade 6 Geography Resource Book 2020

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Grade 6 Geography Resource 

Content curated by Ekya Learning Centre 
 
 
 
 
 

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Table of Contents 

Unit 1: Exploring Asia 
1a: Geography of Asia 
1b: Asian Economy, Demography and Environment 

Unit 2: Indigenous Diversity in India and the World 
Unit 3: Maps as Storytellers 
Unit 4: India’s Global Connections 

4a: India and South Asia  
4b: Chai, Spice and the Ocean  
4c: Howzzzzat!  
4d: Where’s Home? 
 

 

Content Summary  
 
In Unit 1, E​ xploring Asia​- students focus on the continent of Asia and investigate its physical characteristics, economy, demography and the 
environment. The resource provided here includes interactive links, research activities, reading material, graphs and maps which our educators would 
facilitate in class and parts can be explored by students on their own. 
 
In Unit 2, I​ ndigenous Diversity in India and the World​- students are introduced to Indigenous cultures in India and the world. They conduct 
research and investigate patterns in native cultures interactions with the environment and their relationship with it. This unit deepens their 
understanding of native cultures, their livelihoods and how they are portrayed.  
 
 
 

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In Unit 3, M​ aps as Storytellers,​we conclude the year by  introducing students to the 

idea of maps as storytellers and its influence as a geographer’s tool. Students are introduced to different kinds of map projections and through interactive 

activities in class, they are shown how maps distort certain information as well and how the maps we use impact the stories we say and the way we look at 

the world. 

 

In Unit 4, I​ ndia’s Global connections​- students reflect on India’s connections with the rest of the world. Students connect what they learn in history 

in the year and build on it. From oral history sources, photographs, architectural and cultural evidences, they find out how these connections have 

impacted a particular place and the people of that place and vice versa.  

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At Ekya/ CMR NPS, Social Studies is an exciting and continuous journey for our students. In Grade 6 Geography, our students transition from 

primarily focusing on physical geography of places to learning about the human geography of places and also learn to discuss and dwell on multiple 

perspectives. We believe social studies learning is incomplete with a single resource so we have curated this resource book using a combination of World 

Geography series books, published articles, oral history sources and digital resources. We would complement this with our in-class experience, field visits 

and fiction books.  

 

How this resource will be used and how to use this resource? 
● The content will be used in class to discuss concepts and will be used for research purposes 
● In order to equip students with analytical skills, we give students multiple opportunities through this resource book to evaluate and connect 

information from various sources  
● Case studies are intended to ignite in students a curiosity about their world 
● Our resource will be used extensively during class activities by our educators 
● Interactive links take students to additional videos and resources if the child is interested 
● This resource will also be used for ongoing assessment purposes 

 

How not to use this resource? 
● We do not expect students to use a rote learning technique to prepare for tests. 

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● We would clearly demarcate relevant portions which would  be applicable to our review 

and term end exam. The expectation here too, would be that students should be able to recall relevant facts and be able to apply concepts based 

on their understanding.  

 

What does this resource contain?  

● Facts from Encyclopedia Britannica 

● Chapters from World Geography Series books 

● Oral history recounts from different sources 

● Newspaper articles from The Diplomat, Hindustan Times  

● Additional research activities, reflection questions, summarizer boxes and references used 

 

Our Social Studies curriculum intends to expose students to multiple narratives from India and the world in order to empower students to contribute to 

real-world issues and empathize as global citizens. This resource book therefore, is an essential part of social studies learning in our environment.   

 

 

 

 

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UNIT 1: EXPLORING ASIA 

Unit 1a: Geography of Asia 

Asia is the largest of the world’s continents, covering approximately 30 percent of the Earth’s land area. It is also the world’s most populous continent, 
with roughly 60 percent of the total population.  

Asia makes up the eastern portion of the Eurasian supercontinent; Europe occupies the western portion. The border between the two continents is 
debated. However, most geographers define Asia’s western border as an indirect line that follows the Ural Mountains, the Caucasus Mountains, and the 
Caspian and Black Seas. Asia is bordered by the Arctic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. Asia’s physical geography, environment and resources, and human 
geography can be considered separately. 

Asia can be divided into five major physical regions: mountain systems; plateaus; plains, steppes, and deserts; freshwater environments; and saltwater 
environments.  

Mountain Systems:​The Himalaya mountains extend for about 2,500 kilometers (1,550 miles), separating the Indian subcontinent from the rest of 
Asia. The Indian subcontinent, once connected to Africa, collided with the Eurasian continent about 50 million to 55 million years ago, forming the 
Himalayas. The Indian subcontinent is still crashing northward into Asia, and the Himalayas are growing about 5 centimeters (2 inches) every year. The 
Himalayas cover more than 612,000 square kilometers (236,000 square miles), passing through the northern states of India and making up most of the 
terrain of Nepal and Bhutan. The Himalayas are so vast that they are composed of three different mountain belts. The northernmost belt, known as the 
Great Himalayas, has the highest average elevation at 6,096 meters (20,000 feet). The belt contains nine of the highest peaks in the world, which all reach 
more than 7,925 meters (26,000 feet) tall. This belt includes the highest mountain summit in the world, Mount Everest, which stands at 8,850 meters 
(29,035 feet).  

The T​ ien Shan mountain​ system stretches for about 2,400 kilometers (1,500 miles), straddling the border between Kyrgyzstan and China. The name 
Tien Shan means “Celestial Mountains” in Chinese. The two highest peaks in the Tien Shan are Victory Peak, which stands at 7,439 meters (24,406 feet), 

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and Khan Tängiri Peak, which stands at 6,995 meters (22,949 feet). Tien Shan also has more than 10,100 square kilometers (3,900 square miles) of 
glaciers. The largest glacier is Engil'chek Glacier, which is about 60 kilometers (37 miles) long. 

The Ural Mountains run for approximately 2,500 kilometers (1,550 miles) in an indirect north-south line from Russia to Kazakhstan. The Ural 
Mountains are some of the world’s oldest, at 250 million to 300 million years old. Millions of years of erosion have lowered the mountains significantly, 
and today their average elevation is between 914 and 1,220 meters (3,000 to 4,000 feet). The highest peak is Mount Narodnaya at 1,895 meters (6,217 
feet). 

Plateaus  

Asia is home to many plateaus, areas of relatively level high ground. The Iranian plateau covers more than 3.6 million square kilometers (1.4 million 
square miles), encompassing most of Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. The plateau is not uniformly flat, but contains some high mountains and low river 
basins. The highest mountain peak is Damavand, at 5,610 meters (18,410 feet). The plateau also has two large deserts, the Dasht-e Kavir and Dasht-e Lut. 

The Deccan Plateau makes up most of the southern part of India. The plateau’s average elevation is about 600 meters (2,000 feet). It is bordered by three 
mountain ranges: the Satpura Range in the north, and the Eastern and Western Ghats on either side. The plateau and its main waterways—the Godavari 
and Krishna rivers—gently slope toward the Eastern Ghats and the Bay of Bengal.  

The Tibetan Plateau is usually considered the largest and highest area ever to exist in the history of Earth. Known as the “Rooftop of the World,” the 
plateau covers an area about half the size of the contiguous United States and averages more than 5,000 meters (16,400 feet) above sea level. The Tibetan 
Plateau is extremely important to the world’s water cycle because of its tremendous number of glaciers. These glaciers contain the largest volume of ice 
outside the poles. The ice and snow from these glaciers feed Asia’s largest rivers. Approximately 2 billion people depend on the rivers fed by the plateau’s 
glaciers.  

 

 

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Plains, Steppes, and Deserts 

The West Siberian Plain, located in central Russia, is considered one of the 
world’s largest areas of continuous flatland. It extends from north to south about 
2,400 kilometers (1,500 miles) and from west to east about 1,900 kilometers 
(1,200 miles). With more than 50 percent of its area at less than 100 meters (330 
feet) above sea level, the plain contains some of the world’s largest swamps and 
floodplains. 

Central Asia is dominated by a steppe landscape, a large area of flat, unforested 
grassland. Mongolia can be divided into different steppe zones: the mountain 
forest steppe, the arid steppe, and the desert steppe. These zones transition from 
the country’s mountainous region in the north to the Gobi Desert on the 
southern border with China.  

The Rub’ al Khali desert, considered the world’s largest sand sea, covers an area 
larger than France across Saudi Arabia, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and 
Yemen. It holds roughly half as much sand as Africa’s Sahara desert, even though 
it is 15 times smaller in size. The desert is known as the Empty Quarter because it is virtually inhospitable to humans except for Bedouin tribes that live 
on its edges. 

Freshwater 

Lake Baikal, located in southern Russia, is the deepest lake in the world, reaching a depth of 1,620 meters (5,315 feet). The lake contains 20 percent of the 
world’s unfrozen freshwater, making it the largest reservoir on Earth. It is also the world’s oldest lake, at 25 million years old.  

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The Yangtze is the longest river in Asia and the third longest in the world (behind the Amazon of South America and the Nile of Africa). Reaching 6,300 
kilometers (3,915 miles) in length, the Yangtze moves east from the glaciers of the Tibetan Plateau to the river’s mouth on the East China Sea. The 
Yangtze is considered the lifeblood of China. It drains one-fifth of the country’s land area, is home to one-third of its population, and contributes greatly 
to China’s economy.  

The Tigris and Euphrates Rivers begin in the highlands of eastern Turkey and flow through Syria and Iraq, joining in the city of Qurna, Iraq, before 
emptying into the Persian Gulf. The land between the two rivers, known as Mesopotamia, was the center of the earliest civilizations, including Sumer 
and the Akkadian Empire. Today, the Tigris-Euphrates river system is under threat from increased agricultural and industrial use. These pressures have 
caused desertification and increased salts in the soil, severely damaging local watershed habitats. 

Saltwater 

The Persian Gulf has an area of more than 234,000 square kilometers (90,000 square miles). It borders Iran, Oman, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, 
Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Iraq. The gulf is subject to high rates of evaporation, making it shallow and extremely salty. The seabed beneath the Persian 
Gulf contains an estimated 50 percent of the world’s oil reserves. The countries that border the gulf have engaged in a number of disputes over this rich 
resource. 

The Sea of Okhotsk covers 1.5 million square kilometers (611,000 square miles) between the Russian mainland and the Kamchatka Peninsula. The sea is 
largely frozen between October and March. Large ice floes make winter navigation almost impossible. 

The Bay of Bengal is the largest bay in the world, covering almost 2.2 million square kilometers (839,000 square miles) and bordering Bangladesh, India, 
Sri Lanka, and Burma (Myanmar). Many large rivers, including the Ganges and Brahmaputra, empty into the bay. The briny wetlands formed by the 
Ganges-Brahmaputra on the Bay of Bengal is the largest delta in the world. 

 

 

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Terrestrial Flora and Fauna 

Botanists nickname China the “Mother of Gardens.” It has more flowering plant species than North and South America combined. Because China has 
such diverse landscapes, from the arid Gobi Desert to the tropical rain forests of Yunnan Province, many flowers can adapt to climates all over the world. 
From roses to peonies, many familiar flowers most likely originated in northern China. China is the likely origin of such fruit trees as peaches and 
oranges. China is also home to the dawn redwood, the only redwood tree found outside North America. 

Asia’s diverse physical and cultural landscape has dictated the way animals have been domesticated. In the Himalayas, communities use yaks as beasts of 
burden. Yaks are large animals related to cattle, but with a thick fiber coat and the ability to survive in the oxygen-poor high altitude of the mountains. 
Yaks are not only used for transportation and for pulling plows, but their coats are sources of warm, hardy fiber. Yak milk is used for butter and cheese. 

In the Mongolian steppe, the two-humped Bactrian camel is the traditional beast of burden. Bactrian camels are critically endangered in the wild. The 
camel’s humps store nutrient-rich fat, which the animal can use in times of drought, heat, or frost. Its size and ability to adapt to hardship make it an ideal 
pack animal. Bactrians can actually outrun horses over long distances. These camels were the traditional animals used in caravans on the Silk Road, the 
legendary trade route linking eastern Asia with India and the Middle East. 

Aquatic Flora and Fauna 

The freshwater and marine habitats of Asia offer incredible biodiversity. 

Lake Baikal’s age and isolation make it a unique biological site. Aquatic life has been able to evolve for millions of years relatively undisturbed, producing 
a rich variety of flora and fauna. The lake is known as the “Galápagos of Russia” because of its importance to the study of evolutionary science. It has 
1,340 species of animals and 570 species of plants.  

Hundreds of Lake Baikal’s species are endemic, meaning they are found nowhere else on Earth. The Baikal seal, for instance, is one of the few freshwater 
seal species in the world. The Baikal seal feeds primarily on the Baikal oil fish and the omul. Both fishes are similar to salmon, and provide fisheries for the 
communities on the lake. 

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The Bay of Bengal, on the Indian Ocean, is one of the world’s largest tropical marine ecosystems. The bay is home to dozens of marine mammals, 
including the bottlenose dolphin, spinner dolphin, spotted dolphin, and Bryde’s whale. The bay also supports healthy tuna, jack, and marlin fisheries. 
Some of the bay’s most diverse array of organisms exist along its coasts and wetlands. Many wildlife reserves in and around the bay aim to protect its 
biological diversity.  
The Sundarbans is a wetland area that forms at the delta of the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers. The Sundarbans is a huge mangrove forest. Mangroves 
are hardy trees that are able to withstand the powerful, salty tides of the Bay of Bengal as well as the freshwater flows from the Ganges and Brahmaputra. 
In addition to mangroves, the Sundarbans is forested by palm trees and swamp grasses.  
The swampy jungle of the Sundarbans supports a rich animal community. Hundreds of species of fish, shrimp, crabs, and snails live in the exposed root 
system of the mangrove trees. The Sundarbans supports more than 200 species of aquatic and wading birds. These small animals are part of a food web 
that includes wild boar, macaque monkeys, monitor lizards, and a healthy population of Bengal tigers. 
 
References:  
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/asia/ 
Encyclopedia Brittanica 

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Section 5

Global Connections

QUESTIONS TO GUIDE INQUIRY Global Connections-”How does having a valuable natural resource impacted
1. How are we, as members of a global the people of the region?”

society, interconnected? You've never known life without a Playstation (1994), Wifi (1999), or even the
2. Does where you live affect your viewpoint iPhone (2007). Can you imagine what people did prior to these inventions? In a
short amount of time much can change the way people live. Other parts of the
on the areas where others live? world such as the Middle East have radically changed as well. Take Dubai for
3. How does culture impact a person’s example, by clicking on the Interactive 4.7 link you'll see what fifteen short years
did to that city. What brought about such rapid and dramatic change to this jewel
perspective?
of the Middle East?

Interactive 4.7 Dubai - Dubai is one of a collection of seven states that make up the United Arab
Then and Now Emirates. Not that long ago this was a small town where nomads raised cattle in
the nearby desert oasis. Today it is a growing city with all the modern amenities.
What could cause such a dramatic change in this small Middle Eastern state?

Learn a little more about Dubai at The Middle East sits on the largest oil reserve in the world. It is estimated that the
this website. countries of the Middle East control approximately half of the entire oil reserves in
the world. Along with the abundance of oil, large natural gas reserves give the

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abandon shifting cultivation by the government because it is harmful to the forest, and some Gond sections had already voluntarily changed over to plow 
cultivation and even to terrace cultivation. They prospered economically and acquired a high social standing. 

Sociopolitical Organization 

Since the Gonds are spread over a wide area, there are many local subsections that have no Social contact with each other. The more Sanskritized these 
sections are, the higher is the social rank they claim. But the highest rank is given to the descendants of the Gond rajas and their retainers, the Raj-Gonds 
and Katholias. Among these two sections we find the greatest number of Gonds with substantial landholdings. Other Gond sections outside of 
Gondavana are the Kisans, in the south of Bihar and in the neighboring districts of Orissa. The Gonds reached even the hills along the southern bank of 
the Ganges. There they are known as Majwars or Majhis (headmen). Akin to the Gonds are a number of other tribes, such as the Bhattras, Koyas, Konda 
Kapus, Konda Deras, and Halbas. The Khonds of Orissa, another important tribe, also may originally have been Gonds. 

Political Organization 

The entire Gond tribe was never a political unit. Tribal solidarity does not extend beyond the confines of a subsection. The basic political unit is the 
Gond village community. It is a democratic organization in which the headman and other officials are chosen by the villagers. Each village has its council, 
with officials like the headman, the priest, the village watchman, and four or five elders. More important affairs are discussed and decided upon by all the 
men of the community. A village has also its servant castes, such as the Ahir (cowherds), Agaria (blacksmiths), Dhulia (drummers), and Pardhan (bards 
and singers). At the towns of Garha-Mandla, Kharla, Deogarh, and Chanda, the leading headmen managed to rise to the rank of rulers (​rajas​ ) and to 
establish dynasties that lasted for centuries. But the very fact that these rajas surrounded themselves with Hindu officials and eagerly adopted Hindu or 
Mogul methods of administration proves that royalty was alien to tribal democracy. In the present political situation the Gonds are, despite their 
numbers, politically powerless, which is partly because of this Tribal disunity but also because of their comparative lack of education and drive, and their 
great poverty. Those few Gonds who are members of the legislative assemblies or even the national parliament (Lok Sabha) are either alienated from their 
tribal culture or easily manipulated by other politicians. 

Conflict and Social Control: In settling disputes the court of first instance is the village council (p​ anch​ ), which is presided over by the headman. Usually 
it strives to restore harmony between the litigants rather than to implement customary law. 

Religion and Expressive Culture 

The religion of the Gonds does not differ much from that of the numerous other tribes in central India. Like them, the Gonds believe in a high god 
whom they call either by his Hindu name, "Bhagwan," or by his tribal name, "Bara Deo," the "Great God." But he is an otiose deity and is rarely 
worshiped, though his name is often invoked. He is a personal god—eternal, just, merciful, maker of the fertile earth and of man—though the universe is 

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conceived as coexisting with him. In the Gond belief system, besides 
this high god there also exist a great number of male and female 
deities and spirits that personify various natural features. Every hill, 
river, lake, tree, and rock is inhabited by a spirit. The earth, water, and 
air are ruled by deities that must be venerated and appeased with 
sacrifices and offerings.  

Ceremonies: The Gonds celebrate many feasts connected mainly 
with the agricultural seasons and with life-cycle events (birth, 
marriage, sickness, and death). On all festive occasions sacrifices and 
offerings are performed either by the official village priest, by the 
soothsayers and magicians, or by the head of the family that is 
celebrating an event. All these sacrifices are accompanied by 
appropriate ceremonies of symbolic significance. The offerings and 
sacrifices can be either animal or vegetable; it depends on the type of 
deity being addressed.  

Arts 

Like most tribals, the Gonds are accomplished artisans and can 
manufacture almost all the implements they require for their work on 
the farm and in the forest, all furniture in house and kitchen, and all 
of their ornaments and decorations. They are artistically gifted: they 
paint their house walls with artistic designs, and they carve memorial 
pillars in wood and stone for their dead. They have invented various 
original dances and are passionate dancers. Gond art is a form of 
painting from folk and tribal art that is practiced by one of the largest 
tribes in India – the Gond – who are predominantly from Madhya 
Pradesh, but also can be found in pockets of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha. The work of Gond artists is rooted in their folk 
tales and culture, and thus story-telling is a strong element of every painting. They are good musicians on the drum, the flute, and other instruments. 
They are good singers, though the melodies of their songs sometimes sound monotonous and may not be of their own invention. They are inventive in 

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composing new songs, folktales, legends, and myths and in retelling them dramatically. They have composed a great epic celebrating the origins and 
exploits of a Culture hero named Lingo.  

The history of the Gond people dates nearly 1400 years. Paintings as well as other art forms have always been quite popular with tribal people in India, 
especially the Gond tribe. The Gond people have a belief that viewing a good image begets good luck and they decorate their walls and the floor of their 
houses with traditional tattoos and motifs. Among the Gond, it is the most prominent among the Pardhan Gonds who are renowned for their artistic 
skills, be it painting or music. Gond paintings have also been used by the Gond people as a way to record their history. According to the Gond belief 
system, all things are inhabited by a spirit and, consequently, are sacred. Gond paintings are a reflection of man’s close connection with his natural 
surroundings. While a majority of Gond paintings do take inspiration from nature, it isn’t the only source of ideas. They also turn to the myths and 
legends of India or showcase images from the daily lives and dreams in their art. 

Medicine: The Gonds are fully aware that certain diseases have a natural cause, and they know many jungle medicines to cure such diseases. But when 
these remedies remain ineffective, they resort to magical devices. 

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SECTION B: INVESTIGATING NATIVE CULTURES -Their relationship with the environment and immense traditional and local 
ecological knowledge within their communities 

This following resource illustrates three ways in which indigenous people in different parts of the world use their knowledge to live sustainably. Each way 
is illustrated by one or more case studies from different parts of the world. 

 
A SPIRITUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LAND 
For indigenous people, the land is the source of life – a gift from the creator that nourishes, supports and teaches. Although indigenous peoples vary 
widely in their customs, culture, and impact on the land, all consider the Earth like a parent and revere it accordingly. ‘Mother Earth’ is the centre of the 
universe, the core of their culture, the origin of their identity as a people. She connects them with their past (as the home of ancestors), with the present 
(as provider of their material needs), and with the future (as the legacy they hold in trust for their children and grandchildren). In this way, 
indigenousness carries with it a sense of belonging to a place. 
 
At the heart of this deep bond is a perception, an awareness, that all of life – mountains, rivers, skies, animals, plants, insects, rocks, people – are 
inseparably interconnected. Material and spiritual worlds are woven together in one complex web, all living things imbued with a sacred meaning. This 

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living sense of connectedness that grounds indigenous peoples in the soil has all but disappeared among city dwellers – the cause of much modern 
alienation and despair. 
 
The idea that the land can be owned, that it can belong to someone even when left unused, uncared for, or uninhabited, is foreign to indigenous peoples. 
In the so-called developed world, land is in the hands of private individuals, corporate investors, or the state and can be sold at the will of the owner. For 
indigenous peoples land is held collectively for the community (though competition between communities, and with outsiders, for rights of use, has 
sometimes led to conflict). According to indigenous law, humankind can never be more than a trustee of the land, with a collective responsibility to 
preserve it. 
 
The predominant Western world view is that nature must be studied, dissected, and mastered and progress measured by the ability to extract secrets and 
wealth from the Earth. Indigenous people do not consider the land as merely an economic resource. Their ancestral lands are literally the source of life, 
and their distinct ways of life are developed and defined in relationship to the environment around them. Indigenous people are people of the land. This 
difference has often led to misunderstandings. Many have assumed that indigenous people have no sense of territory because they do not necessarily 
physically demarcate their lands. However, indigenous people know the extent of their lands, and they know how the land, water, and other resources 
need to be shared. They understand only too well that to harm the land is to destroy ourselves, since we are part of the same organism. 

 
Case Study 1: T​ he Penan and Kedayan of Brunei 
 
The Penan of rural Brunei have great regard for the forest. This is manifested in their perceptions of their forest environment, especially their prevailing 
‘Molong’ concept of natural resource conservation. ‘Molong’ gives the Penan a sense of caring and stewardship over their forest resources. This involves 
responsible and moderate use of forests, so that they will continue to be sustaining for future generations. Greed has no place among the Penans. In 
practice, this means that when they harvest a clump of sago or rattan, they use only the mature stems, and leave the young shoots for harvesting in a few 
years time. 
 
Penans also greatly respect and protect the ​diptercorp​ trees which produce the seeds that the wild boar eat. They do not pollute the rivers because they also 
know that wild boars eat the plants that grow by the river banks. They also let the boar get their share of the sago trees and protect the acorn-producing 
trees which the boars also love. The Penans have a great fear of tree-fellers who cut the trees indiscriminately in their jungle because they are afraid that 
the disturbance will decrease their food supply. The forest seems to be everything to the Penans. They feel an affinity with it and are thankful for its 
supply of staple foods, building materials, medicines and raw materials for their handicraft. The forest is their world and they live in harmony with it and 
so guard it tenaciously. 

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Until the last few decades, the Kedayans, another rural people of Brunei, have survived by carefully utilising forest, land and wildlife for their livelihood. 
Through their day-to-day activities of agriculture and hunting, they utilised and extracted forest resources to produce food and manufacture materials for 
their consumption and tools for their survival activities, respectively.  
 
They have been practising this way of life through many generations, using a complex and highly adaptive system, such as cultivation of hill and swamp 
rice. To cultivate their staple food, rice, they used different agricultural techniques, both shifting and permanent, depending on the different types of 
padi (such as, tugal, paya, hambur, tanam) they were growing. 
 
Well into the 20th century, the Kedayans were traditionally shifting agriculturists, felling, burning and planting hill padi in successive hillsides in 
succeeding years. An example of areas subjected to this method of rice cultivation is the very rural parts of Temburong, such as Kampong Piasaw-Piasaw. 
Today, a large part of Temburong is still covered with forest – evidence that the Kedayans have not over-exploited or misused their forest environments. 
In short, it has been their harmonising and systematic methods of using their environments (particularly land and forests) that have enabled them to 
practise similar economic activities through many generations to produce food and manufacture materials, not only for themselves but also to sell the 
surplus to non-agricultural people in the country. 
 
NATURAL REMEDIES AND MEDICINES 
In many parts of the world, indigenous societies classify soils, climate, plant and animal species and recognise their special characteristics. Indigenous 
people have words for plants and insects that have not yet been identified by the world’s botanists and entomologists. The Hanunoo people of the 
Philippines, for example, distinguish 1600 plant species in their forest, 400 more than scientists working in the same area. Of the estimated 250,000 to 
500,000 plant species in the world, more than 85% are in environments that are the traditional homes of indigenous people. Nearly 75% of 121 
plant-derived prescription drugs used worldwide were discovered following leads from indigenous medicine. Globally, indigenous peoples use 3000 
different species of plant to control fertility alone. The Kallaywayas, wandering healers of Bolivia, make use of 600 medicinal herbs; traditional healers in 
Southeast Asia may employ as many as 6500 plants for drugs. Almost all trees and many plants have a place in medicinal lore. Some scientists now believe 
that indigenous knowledge may help them to discover important new cures for diseases such as AIDS and cancer. Many developed countries realise the 
potential for indigenous medicine. It is locally available, culturally acceptable, and cheaper than imported drugs. 

Case Study 2: Medicinal Plants in India - ​Indigenous people work on body and mind together to help cure illness. Medicinal plants are used to treat 
the spiritual origins of disease as well as the physical symptoms. The vast knowledge of such plants is now beginning to be acknowledged by the rest of 
the world. So is the role played by indigenous people as custodians of the world’s genetic heritage. 

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A botanical survey of India revealed that tribal peoples of the north-east use plant drugs to cure fevers, bronchitis, blood and skin diseases, eye infections, 
lung and spleen ulcers, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Knowledge of their use is passed on by the ‘vaiyas’, Indian herbal medicine doctors. In a single 
area of 277km² (107miles²) 210 types of medicinal plants have been found. The Kameng and Lohit peoples in Arunachal Pradesh crush a bulk of 
Fritillaria cirrhosa to a paste to relieve muscle pains. Research has now confirmed the presence of a chemical similar to cocaine in a related Fritillaria plant 
that brings relief to muscular pain. 

Growing evidence of plant-based contraception is available among many tribal peoples. Worldwide, over 3000 plants are employed for contraceptive use. 
In the Karjat tribal area of Maharashtra, near the west coast of India, a native herb taken twice a year is said to be effective. The Karjat study concludes 
that traditional health practices can provide up to half of local primary health needs. Enlightened health-care workers are beginning to re-introduce 
traditional plant remedies where allopathic drugs have become common-place. Properly studied and recorded, this traditional knowledge could 
revolutionise the world of medicine. 

Source: Burger, J. (1990) T​ he Gaia Atlas of First Peoples: A Future for the Indigenous World​, Penguin Books, Ringwood, pp. 32, 38. 
 
SUSTAINABLE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT 
The industrial world is facing an ecological crisis. Yet few industrial economists would admit they could learn from indigenous people. Their economies 
are often called ‘primitive’, their technology dismissed as ‘Stone Age’, and most governments assume they can benefit only from salaried employment. Yet 
these traditional ways of life have proved highly durable. Hunting and fishing have allowed the Inuit to survive in the Arctic; nomadic pastoralism 
provides a livelihood for people in the arid Sahelian region of Africa; shifting cultivation has sustained hundreds of distinct cultures in the fragile 
ecosystem in the Amazon and the forests of South-east Asia. Non-indigenous people have not been able to survive in these extreme conditions without 
destroying the balance of the ecosystem. 
 
The key to this success is sustainability. Indigenous people today use the resources available without depleting them. They use their intimate knowledge 
of plants, soils, animals, climate, and seasons, not to exploit nature but to co-exist alongside it. This involves careful management, control of population, 
the use of small quantities but a wide diversity of plants and animals, small surpluses, and minimum wastage. Plants provide food, medicines, pesticides, 
poisons, building materials; animals provide meat, clothes, string, implements, oil. 
 
Indigenous knowledge of nature has ensured the survival of many people in fragile habitats. But it is a knowledge centered not on exploitation but on the 
harmony of the natural world. All flora and fauna have a place in an ordered universe made up of humankind, nature, and spirits. Indigenous cultures 
also help to protect the natural world from destruction through religion and rituals. Animals are commonly held in respect and their numbers 
maintained, often through careful management. Those following the buddhist religion in India, for example, have survived many droughts because they 

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will not kill an animal or a tree. They breed cattle selectively, monitor the feeding of their camels, and live on milk, yogurt and a few cultivated crops. 
Many people have developed a detailed understanding of animal behaviour. Those living in tropical forests, for example, recognise that where two 
different ecological zones meet, the hunting is more productive. Many even grow crops or trees to attract certain animals and increase their numbers. 

Case Study 3: The Karen of Thailand 

Shifting cultivation (sometimes called ‘slash and burn’) is a sustainable economic system that need not harm the environment. It is the most commonly 
practised system among indigenous people of Asia and lowland Latin America, and provides them with a high degree of economic independence and 
cultural integrity. Given sufficient land and low population density, it is a highly successful way of using the forest. The Karen of Thailand practise this 
system. The economy of the Karen people is based almost exclusively on subsistence dry rice production. An area is cleared of trees, undergrowth is 
burned, rice planted and later harvested. Each year a new site is chosen and the cycle takes seven years to return to the site first cleared. The system 
permits regeneration of the forest and thin tropical soils, and does not expose the steep slopes to heavy rains, which would eventually wash away the soil 
in a fixed-field system. Money has virtually no place in a Karen community. If a village has enough food it is prosperous. When villagers say “we have 
enough rice”, it means not simply that they will survive, but that they have everything they need. If, however, shifting cultivation is unable to provide for 
the entire needs of a village, the people grow chilli or bamboo shoots, or they may collect and sell honey or other forest produce. Nearly all the income 
raised is used to buy rice. 

Source: Burger, J. (1990) T​ he Gaia Atlas of First Peoples: A Future for the Indigenous World​, Penguin Books, Ringwood, pp. 40, 44. 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
 
SECTION C: UN DECLARATION ON THE RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES 
 
Described by the president of the UN General Assembly as “a major step forward”, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples 
was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly during its 62nd session at UN Headquarters in New York City on 13 September 2007. 
 
The Declaration is the result of nearly 25 years of contentious negotiations over the rights of native people to protect their lands and resources, and to 
maintain their unique cultures and traditions. Countries voted overwhelmingly in favour of the Declaration, with 143 in favour and only 4 against (11 
countries abstained from the vote). The non-binding Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples sets out the individual and collective rights of the 
world’s 370 million native peoples, calls for the maintenance and strengthening of their cultural identities, and emphasises their right to pursue 
development in keeping with their own needs and aspirations. Countries voting against the Declaration (Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United 

41

States) said they could not support it because of concerns over provisions on self-determination, land and resources rights and, among others, language 
giving indigenous peoples a right of veto over national legislation and State management of resources. 

 
Indigenous people are strikingly diverse in their culture, religion, and social and economic organisation. Yet today, as in the past, they are prey to 
stereotyping by the outside world. By some they are idealised as the embodiment of spiritual values; by others they are denigrated as an obstacle to 
economic progress. However, they are neither: they are people who cherish their own distinct cultures, are the victims of past and present-day 
colonialism, and are determined to survive. Some live according to their traditions; some receive welfare; others work in factories, offices or the 
professions. As well as their diversity, there are some shared values and experiences among indigenous cultures. Where they have maintained a close living 
relationship to the land, there exists a co-operative attitude of give and take, a respect for the Earth and the life it supports, and a perception that 
humanity is but one of many species. 

 
 

Reflections activity on Stereotype to be done 
in class by viewing the Black Panther Movie 

 
References 
Elwin, Verrier (1943). Maria M​ urder and Suicide.​ London: O​ xford University​ Press. 2nd ed. 1950. 
Elwin, Verrier (1944). T​ he Muria and Their Ghotul.​ London: O​ xford University​ Press. 
Fuchs, Stephen (1960). The G​ ond and Bhumia of Eastern Mandla.​ Bombay: Asia Publishing House. 2nd ed. 1968. Bombay: New Literature Publishing 
Co. 
Fürer-Haimendorf, Christoph von (1948). ​The Aboriginal Tribes of Hyderabad.​ Vol. 3,​ The Raj Gonds of Adilabad.​ London: Macmillan. 
Fürer-Haimendorf, Christoph von, and Elizabeth von Fürer-Haimendorf (1979).​ The Gonds of A​ ndhra Pradesh:​ Tradition and Change in an Indian 
Tribe.​ N​ ew Delhi:​ Vikas Publishing House. 
Grigson, William (1938). The H​ ill Marias of Bastar.​ London: Oxford University Press. 
Russell, R. V., and Hira Lal (1916). "Gond." In ​The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India.​ Vol. 3, 38-143. London: Oxford University Press. 
Reprint. 1969. Oosterhout: Anthropological Publications. 
Singh, Indrajit (1944). T​ he Gondwana and the Gond.​ Lucknow: University Publishers. 
 
Russia: h​ ttps://www.culturalsurvival.org/news/who-are-indigenous-peoples-russia 
Mongolia: h​ ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_ME77BeKGE 

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Maapuche: h​ ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xSsrWe3d2k 
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/travel/visit-the-400-year-old-tribes-of-halakki-vokkaligas-and-sidhis-in-uttara-kannada/articleshow/4
6771930.cms 
https://www.ducksters.com/history/native_american_navajo.php 
https://www.outlookindia.com/traveller/mp/inspire-me/culture/every-picture-tells-story/ 
https://www.businessinsider.in/These-gripping-photos-show-what-life-is-like-for-21-indigenous-communities-around-the-world/articleshow/48588195
.cms 
https://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/short-film-showcase/00000162-bdb1-d72d-a9fa-bff1b7460000 

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MI OPEN BOOK PROJECT World

Geography

Brian Dufort, Sally Erickson, Matt Hamilton,
David Soderquist, Steve Zigray

44

World
Geography

45

The text of this book is licensed under a Creative Commons
NonCommercial-ShareAlike (CC-BY-NC-SA) license as part of
Michigan’s participation in the national #GoOpen movement.

This is version 1.4.4 of this resource, released in August 2018.
Information on the latest version and updates are available on the
project homepage: http://textbooks.wmisd.org/dashboard.html

Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike CC BY-NC-SA ii

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The Michigan Open Book About the Authors - 6th Grade World Geography
Project
Brian Dufort

Project Manager: Dave Johnson,
Wexford-Missaukee Intermediate School Shepherd Public Schools

District Odyssey MS/HS
Brian is originally from Midland, MI and is a graduate of Northern Michigan University.
6th Grade Team Editor: Amy Salani, He has spent his entire teaching career at Odyssey Middle/High School, an alternative
Wexford-Missaukee Intermediate School education program in the Shepherd Public School system. In 2001, his environmental
District studies class was one of seven programs from the United States and Canada to be
chosen as a winner of the Sea World/Busch Gardens Environmental Excellence
Award. Brian is also the Northern Conference director of the Michigan Alternative Ath-

6th Grade Content Editor: Carol Egbo Sally Erickson

6th Grade World Geography Authors
Brian Dufort, Shepherd Public Schools Livonia Public Schools

Sally Erickson, Livonia Public Schools Cooper Upper Elementary
Sally has taught grades 3-6, as well as special education. She has served as

a district literacy leader for many years and participated in the Galileo Lead-
ership Academy in 2001-03. She is proud to be a teacher.


Matt Hamilton, East Jordan Public
Schools

David Soderquist, Three Rivers Schools Matt Hamilton

Steve Zigray, Concord Public Schools
East Jordan Public Schools

East Jordan Middle School
Matt grew up in Cadillac, MI. He holds a bachelor and masters degree from Michigan
State University. He currently teaches middle school History and Geography. Matt
started and advises a club at his school called the Shoe Club to inspire his students to
Dream Big. His wife and two daughters enjoy traveling and spending time in the out-
doors.

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