What Indigenous People Know About Mental Health That We Forgot
How a little know tribe in Papua New Guinea could dramatically improve your mental health with 3 simple steps
Would you consider your quality of life to be better than that of an indigenous tribesperson?
Think about that for a moment.
Indigenous tribes people tend to be hunters and gathers and perhaps have a small plot of agriculturalized land that they farm to supplement their diet.
Their housing is basic, typically constructed from nearby trees, clay and dried leaves.
Although they only make up 6% of the world’s population, they constitute 19% of the world’s extreme poor.
They have very little by way of material possessions, access to health care (on average, their life expectancy is 20 years less than the rest of the world) and their infant mortality rate is high.
So, barring the romance of being at one with nature, it’s likely you’d respond in the affirmative when answering the question that starts this article.
But wait a moment, below are some shocking stats that might make you think again.
Happy With Less
Anthropologist, Edward Sheiffelin, spent over a decade living with a remote Papa New Guinean tribe called the Kaluli in the 1990s. During that time, he interviewed over 2000 of the tribespeople in an attempt to gauge their mental health.
The responses he received were astounding.
Sheiffelin could only find one marginal case of what we term clinical depression. To put this in context, this is a rate of depression 100 times lower than those found in western societies.
How is this possible?
Here we are in the West, supposedly the most advanced collection of nations in the world and we’re 100 times more depressed than people who live in a rainforest, with barely any possessions and a life infinitely harder than our comfortable existences.
It doesn’t make any sense (until it does).
What Indigenous Tribes Have That We Don’t
While we may enjoy far greater material wealth than the Kaluli, and other indigenous tribes, they put us to shame when it comes to factors fundamental to wellbeing and mental health.
Every tribesperson has a life of freedom, meaning and connection.
There’s no government ruling over them, demanding a portion of whatever they make or own, sending them to war and forcing them to obey certain laws.
There are no meaningless jobs, serving little purpose other than making someone else rich.
And there’s no living alone, communicating virtually and going days without a real conversation.
Instead, the tribesperson can wake up when they like and decide when they will, or won’t, work.
They know what their life is about, with the daily struggle for survival providing a focus.
Finally, they form deep bonds with other members of the tribe, with their happiness, health and success being dependent on the happiness, health and success of those around them.
The end result?
Human beings who don’t get depressed, despite living far tougher lives than we do and experiencing a greater frequency of familial death and disease.
Depression as a Disease of Civilisation
You may wonder why I focused on freedom, meaning and connection as my three factors essential to mental wellbeing.
Let me explain.
It’s my belief that most cases of depression have nothing to do with a chemical imbalance in the brain (in fact, this theory has been debunked on many occasions, most recently in 2022).
With that established, we must look to environmental factors for an explanation as to why so many people suffer from this condition.
Could it be that the societies we live in, with their extreme focus on conformity, materialism and superficiality, and the disconnection caused by technology, are making us feel miserable?
I believe so.
In my estimation, you are more normal IF you suffer from depression or another mental illness. To be able to adapt to this world, without feelings of ennui or discontent, to me, is a sign that something is off with your mental makeup.
Despite writing this, though, I can’t deny that most people DO adapt themselves to this world (whether they like it or not). The need to “fit in” usually trumps personal happiness.
But what about the others?
What about the ones that, try as they might, just can’t find happiness and fulfilment through a conventional life?
You could think of this group of people as the rebels and, seeing as you’re reading this article (possibly keen to improve your wellbeing and mental health), you could be one of them.
It’s hard being misunderstood, rejected and having to adapt to a world that runs counter to your nature and ethics. However, there IS some good news.
Improving Your Mental Health
I recently wrote a book about how rebels can thrive in a dysfunctional world. In it, I identify freedom, meaning and connection as the core needs that every person with a rebellious nature must meet so they can experience good mental health.
Fortunately, through the indigenous tribespeople of the world, you have a useful model as to how you can meet these needs.
Of course, this doesn’t mean living as a hunter-gatherer. However, it does mean taking the best elements of their lives and adapting them to our modern world.
What might this look like?
To start with, you must have some connection with nature.
Whether this means living or working in a rural, or semi-rural, location, taking frequent breaks to explore the countryside or visiting parks if you live in the city, place yourself in an environment that reconnects you with our ancestral state.
Next, make sure you are in charge of your time. If you can’t find a job that permits flexible working, and respects your need for a life outside of work, create one.
This might mean starting your own business, being self-employed, freelancing or switching to part-time hours (remember, money is less significant to your quality of life than you imagine).
Address these two areas and you should meet your need for freedom.
Then, make sure something you do provides your life with enough meaning for you to feel motivated every day. Unlike life for the indigenous tribesperson, survival won’t be enough (merely surviving in a 21st century developed nation is too easy and, therefore, unstimulating), so you’ll need to find a mission/goal you can achieve, something special to create (a piece of art or product) or other people to help.
More than likely, this will be connected with your work. However, if you can’t get paid to do the work you love then you need to make sure your time outside of work is spent in doing something greater than seeking entertainment and relaxation.
This will meet your need for meaning.
Finally, make sure you’re going out of your way to connect with other people. If your work is solitary in nature, or you live alone, actively seek out people to spend time with.
The more authentic you are in the way you live your life, the more of “your people” you’ll attract. However, be prepared to make time for these people.
The frenetic pace of modern life often means that we sacrifice time spent with friends and extended family. You can’t allow this to happen. Block out time in your diary if necessary.
Do these things and you’ll meet your need for connection.
Conclusion
The above advice might challenge your current way of life and thinking.
It might mean you have to move in a new direction and go through a period of instability to create a life that, long-term, is going to be in harmony with your needs.
During this period of adjustment, your finances might suffer.
If this happens, remember the Kaluli tribe of Papua New Guinea. Barely a dollar to their names yet not a single case of depression to be found in the entire community.
You can probably exist on a little less than you think.
Furthermore, the little that you sacrifice now will be paid back to you tenfold through the intrinsic rewards you’ll enjoy over time.