35-3 Living in Two Worlds

A New Way of Giving

In philanthropy, as in too many other areas, Indigenous Peoples tend to get scant attention. Despite being responsible for the majority of the world’s remaining biodiversity, and despite suffering the most egregious human rights violations and the highest rates of poverty, Indigenous programs receive less than one-fifth of one percent of U.S. foundation grants. And most of the grants they do get…

Conservation Begins at Home

A photo essay by Indigenous Dusun photographers Cradled by Borneo’s Crocker Range and tucked in a narrow strip of state land, a handful of villages known collectively as Ulu Papar are helping to redefine the concept of conservation. Ulu Papar is located in the upper reaches of the Papar River, in the state of Sabah, Malaysian Borneo, where about 1,000 Indigenous Dusun people live in several…

Bringing Back the Tobacco

Cultural resilience has been used by Native Americans for centuries as a means to survive, using oral traditions, spirituality, family strengths, elders, tribal identity, ceremonial rituals and the need to give back to one’s tribe and family as tools to help them live and function in a majority society.   The following two Cherokee stories, an ancient traditional story and a modern autobiography…

Grandma’s Stocks

An Indigenous perspective on the economic crisis I initially submitted a portion of this essay for a contest that wanted insight from Native people.  The title of the contest and the ensuing description read, “Native Insight: Thoughts on Recession, Recovery and Opportunity is a writing competition crafted to tap the wisdom and ingenuity of our Native communities, and encourage Native thinkers to…

Nijiamanch

The territory of the Achuar, the people of the swamp palm, is a vast and remote territory straddling the long-disputed border of Peru and Ecuador, spanning nearly three million acres of forest. There are approximately 65 Achuar communities, made up of 50 to 500 people and scattered over a wide area of forest. Among the Achuar, hunting is primarily a male activity, while women are responsible for…

Massau’u’s Message

The following is an excerpt from a speech delivered by Hopi spiritual leader, Thomas Banyacya, in front of the United Nations Habitat Forum in Vancouver, British Columbia in 1976. The speech was delivered as part of a three-day Earth Healing ceremony, during which the Hopi shared their spiritual prophesy with the forum. Prior to this event, the Hopi people had been denied audiences with both the…

Standing Up to Violence

West Papua is the western half of New Guinea, the second-largest island in the world. The island is divided into two parts, West Papua, which has incorporated as a province, and Papua New Guinea. In May 1963, West Papua was occupied by Indonesia. Since that time. Indonesia has denied Indigenous Papuans a genuine opportunity for self-determination. Papuans are now facing a real threat to their…

Remembering to Remember

As the end of August nears and summer begins to transition to fall, we are reminded of the seasonal change with the early hints of yellow leaves, the crisper evening air, the harvesting of crops, and the feeling of needing to prepare for the winter months ahead.  I am, of course, speaking about a specific place: the United States. Further, I am speaking about my own specific experience recently…