PERSPECTIVE ANTROPOLOGICE ASUPRA UNOR POPULAŢII INDIGENE
ANTHROPOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES UPON INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

Summary/Abstract: The various contacts that peoples had all along humanity’s history left behind almost unforgetable memories in the universal imaginary. People used to perceive one another according to their own image, comparing different principles and values meant to make certain communities function properly; consequently, peoples all around the world were categorized into civilized and barbarians, not always according to the historic truth. Anthropology was to be conceived as a new scientific discipline mostly at the moment some European states were in search of some useful tools meant to prove how much their help was needed on the territory of some other people considered backwarded in order to educate and civilize them. Although the humanist principles of the Enlightenment had started from genuine drives meant to help those people make progress the direction of some anthropological studies deeply affected the way Europeans approached the indigenous peoples. They were colonised and brutally exploited in total contradiction to the principles first stated concerning the most appropriate ways of approaching the newly discovered continents and the numerous natives who were rightfully populating them.

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