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Introduction
The indigenous people of the world represent a group that is critical in meeting sustainable development goals (SDGs). Academic literature consistently highlights the need for a more comprehensive understanding of indigenous communities and tourism, specifically, one that considers the interests and values of its stakeholders (Whitford and Ruhanen, 2016). This paper discusses and documents the survival of Taíno communities in Cuba and Jamaica and their alignment with the SDGs of 2030 through the lens of constructivist theory. The paper begins by giving a brief history of Taíno communities in the selected countries to contextualize the subject and goes on to state the impact of tourism as a means of achieving sustainable development.
With the launch of the SDGs agenda that is to be achieved by 2030, indigenous groups around the world are pushing for advocacy and greater inclusion in the discussions of achieving sustainability (www.culturalsurvival.org). The SDGs are grounded in a vision that aims to transform our world. They aspire to build a world free of poverty, hunger and disease, in which every woman and every girl enjoys full gender equality, where the environment is protected and where all people have access to quality education and decent work. This will be a world that is more inclusive; sustainable; peaceful and prosperous; and free from discrimination based on race, ethnicity, cultural identity or disability. These are just some of the facets of an ambitious and universal vision, adopted with the pledge that “no one will be left behind” (Dhir, 2016).
According to the International Labour Organization (ILO) (2016), “while indigenous peoples face a host of challenges in their lives, their proactive participation as agents of change is essential for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals” (p. 1). This vision is of great significance to the over 370 million indigenous people worldwide, who have historically suffered grave injustices and many of whom continue to face marginalization, exploitation and exclusion. Even though great strides have been made in the eradication of poverty, indigenous people are still among the poorest of the poor (Dhir, 2016).
Globally, indigenous tourism is commonly viewed as a means of facilitating socio-economic benefits to indigenous individuals, communities and host regions. Like all forms of tourism, the development, implementation and management of indigenous tourism should...