INDIGENOUS TERRITORIES: PRESERVING ANCESTRAL LINEAGES IN NICARAGUA THROUGH ECOLOGICAL HABITATION

Abstract

Nicaragua's Miskitu Indigenous peoples of the North Caribbean Coast ofNicaragua possesses a traditional and simple way of life. Colonialism and a historical record of social injustices have plagued their communities, their homes are not durable enough to withstand generations and natural disasters. This thesis project proposes a revised housing typology employing simple building systems and resilient materials. On an urban scale, the thesis project integrates key infrastructure proposals with a proposal for an agricultural sustenance system. Establishing an ecological environment for the Miskitu community, such as a garden of plants, vegetables, and fruits, would be vital to this community's well-being. The proposed design aims to respect their ancestral lifestyle, not Westernizing or modernizing their way of living. Using simple tactics and longstanding methods will help mitigate the high poverty rate and extend the ancestral lineage of the Miskitu peoples of Western Nicaragua.