INTERNATIONAL DAY OF WORLD’S INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
Yesterday a friend of mine posted about how she has lost her son (a brilliant student filmmaker from the Indigenous Filmmaker's Masterclass I instructed at several years ago in BC, Canada) to meth, beseeching him to come back to her. This was my first hand experience of hearing of a brilliant indigenous teen turn toward what has become the norm for indigenous peoples around the world: Meth. Alcohol. Opium. Gambling…
Are indigenous peoples lost souls in the modern world? Those who can't keep up with us hence must perish. Absolutely not. They are the treasures of the world being oppressed by powerful forces who don't want them to exist because they do not fit into their paradigm. #language #learning They are being STOPPED from learning about their own roots and culture and the essence of who they are, to study instead about white man's history. Yes, addiction is caused by lack of connection. But it is not only the lack of human connection that sends someone spiralling into the darkness. It is also caused by lack of connection to who we truly are, to our roots.
I attended an incredibly powerful online conference this morning with the UN where, when presented with the question of how we can incorporate indigenous traditional knowledge to help with climate change, the indigenous peoples on the panel gave profound responses (including respect for the indigenous peoples and their wisdom, and being invited to climate change solution assemblies) but one of the most profound one was from a woman who said, “Let us impart our wisdom in our language.”
English is such a limited language, so that I often speak a mix of both languages even with my Russian partner, not being able to find the right words to express the emotions behind what I'm trying to say.
What I'm trying to say here is that just as monoculture farming has destroyed the food system here in the United States—requiring us to use heavy pesticides and chemicals to make it work, having one language, one thought pattern, one belief system (monocultured humans, I would call them) is just as detrimental to human evolution and the health of our climate.
Respect for diversity is a responsibility. We need to let indigenous peoples be. For those not so closely in touch with them, from Vedic priests to the Mamos of Colombia to the Andean people, they actually conduct prayers for the wellbeing of the planet with ancient rituals which speak directly to the Earth and the spirit. They are taking care of our planet. They are taking care of us.
We need to let them have the freedom to impart their knowledge freely to their people so that the youth can forever be in touch with who they really are. We need to stop going to their lands and teaching them how to be. But go and learn how to be. Feeling grateful for them. Their knowledge. Their stewardship of our planet. Their love for us even though we don't know better. Their wisdom. And for their willingness to share with us.
We need less universal schools and more cultural schools teaching things that really matter. International schools have become a fad, creating international leaders. We need schools that impart indigenous wisdom, creating indigenous leaders and elevate the bearers of wisdom.
Our diversity is the biggest gift to the planet.
Happy International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples!
