Paper short abstract:

This paper documents the ways in which the ancestral land of the indigenous Pälawan is being threatened, appropriated and controlled by external actors. While environmental changes are leading to rises in malaria, malaria is also implicated in efforts by the Pälawan to resist and reclaim their land.

Paper long abstract:

For 16th century Spanish invaders, the forested uplands of Palawan island in the Philippines were to be avoided, teeming with "mal' aria" - fetid emanations from the mists and miasmas of decomposing vegetation where clusters of indigenous people lived. Although this offered inhabitants some initial protection from colonisation, over time, the forests were penetrated for cash cropping, disturbing the equilibrium between parasite, mosquito and humans. By the end of the 19th century, fever was the biggest killer among indigenous peoples. Today, struggles over land continue as political confrontations between governments, non-governmental organisations and businesses are at the centre of everyday life for the indigenous Pälawan that inhabit the southern tip of the island. This paper documents some of the causes and consequences of contemporary dislocation resulting from activities such as migration, conservation, tourism and mining. As in the past, land changes are also a significant factor in maintaining malaria transmission. However, this paper also shows how malaria presents opportunities for indigenous people to engage in strategic political tactics of their own to counter the effects of dislocation. For example, the increase in malaria and fever provides some panglimas (leaders) with a means to resist efforts to turn forests over to mining and presents a chance to hold on to land that has been theirs since 'time immemorial". As land degrades, relations are intensified between balayan (healers) and the spirits that imbue forest plants they use to treat 'traditional' fever. As such, they provide increasingly important services that "modern" professional cant.