Indigenous Worldviews for Defining Climate Problems and Solutions

retreat focus

How do we seek to redefine the “climate” problem and the solutions from the heart of the indigenous worldviews?

In partnership with the IINÁH Institute, we are gathering wonderful minds and hearts of Indigenous elders, ecologists, and scientists alongside allies from journalism, philanthropy, and organizing worlds. From the heart of our creation stories, paradigms, and worldviews, we seek to define what is going on now, as well as the best steps forward. At the very least, we hope to walk away from the hoghan with a stronger network of relatives, and an enriched vision of how to serve the earth and the Creator at this time. 

The purpose of this gathering is twofold. First we seek to host a retreat where we explore how to reframe the climate crisis from an Indigenous lens. From the onset, colonial culture has had the luxury of defining both the problem and therefore the solutions to our planetary crisis. We will ask invited Indigenous climate scientists and ecologists from across the country: “How would you frame our planetary situation based on your own prophecies, creation stories, worldviews, elder teachings and cultural understandings?  What lessons might we learn from Indigenous ways of knowing, traditions and practices? How might we share our insights?

Second, we hope to spark and strengthen the bonds and emergent networks between the invited allies and Native leaders, and also between the Native invitees. In this context, we will share stories, take time to be together on the land, and create the space to explore existing and potentially emergent initiatives led by these grassroots Indigenous leaders.  We will all be in a "deep listening"mode as we seek to tap the wisdom in the group and the wisdom of the land.

Inspiration and Resources

Avoiding a new era in biopiracy: Including indigenous and local knowledge in nature-based solutions to climate change

Diaspora's Children, 2020: by Stan Rushworth, book

Going to Water: The Journal of Beginning Rain, 2014: by Stan Rushworth, book

Indigenous Environmental Network: Nature Based Solutions

Home Planet Fund (live on Earth Day)

How Native Tribes are Taking the Lead on Planning for Climate Change

Indigenous Catalytic Capital Report

Lo—TEK. Design by Radical Indigenism, byJulia Watson: book

Misplaced Trust: Stolen Indigenous land is the foundation of the land-grant university system. Climate change is its legacy.

Native Climate 

The End of Ice: Bearing Witness and Finding Meaning in the Path of Climate Disruption, by Dahr Jamail, book

Sam Woods American Healing, 1992: by Stan Rushworth, book

The Possibilities of Regeneration (video)

The Problem with Nature Based Solutions

Value Change for Survival (video)

We Are the Middle of Forever: by Stan Rushworth and Dahr Jamail, book