Mary M. Brook, Department of Geography, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712. E-mail: finleybrook@mail.utexas.edu. Modeling Autonomous Indigenous Governance: The Case of Nicaragua.

Nicaragua has some of the strongest legislation in Latin America to secure indigenous rights. In 1987, forty-eight percent of the nation’s landmass was recognized as an autonomous region. Along with the desire to create peace after a costly civil war, autonomy was proposed with the intention of establishing a new form of government that would represent the six distinct ethnic groups of the Caribbean region and promote the maintenance of traditional cultures. Today, national, regional and municipal institutions are required to work with village-based Councils of Elders as part of the official government structure. Nevertheless, more than a decade after the transition to autonomy, indigenous communities remain marginalized. Government agencies, multinational corporations and new settlers who perceive the sparsely populated region as a frontier are appropriating indigenous communal lands and natural resources. This presentation analyzes the problems and potential of Nicaragua’s unique system of governance. Based on local ideals and traditional modes of organization, I demonstrate methods to fortify indigenous leadership and the fundamentals of autonomy.

Key words: indigenous, political geography, Latin America