Over the years, many groups of indigenous people have been wiped out, either by diseases of colonizing peoples,

or through policies of extermination. Those native societies that remain today are predominantly subsistence-based (i.e. farming or hunting for food for immediate use), and non-urbanized, sometimes nomadic. The indigenous people of today have experienced many changes; however a similar characteristic of indigenous people in the past and present is environmental degradation. Indigenous peoples are facing a number of grave and complex environmental issues within their territories. The environmental issue they faced and that are still present today is not just about the environment, it also about their health and wellbeing; which play a huge role in their cultural survival. Many Aboriginal Peoples face devastating environmental degradation impacting their ways of life, knowledge systems, traditional governance systems, foods, and cultures. Today, in a role reversal, indigenous peoples are using the power of classification to assert their rights. Crucial to this is the concept of ancestral domains lands that have provided home and livelihood for countless generations. When people from different cultures meet, the possibility for misunderstanding and conflict is high; unless they are already aware of the impact that culture has on their relationship. Example: The Native American and European cultures met and lived in close proximity with each other in relative cooperation at first. But, as time passed, more colonists arrived and more land was needed. As a result of their differences, a great deal of frustration arose between the two groups and the two cultures came into conflict. Of course at the time of which I spoke neither culture spoke the language or completely understood the intent of the other. Present day there is still a lot of conflict between different cultures; however it is not inevitable. Conflict between different cultures is avoidable; personally, I believe it starts with respect of differences.