Learning From Indigenous Peoples

In the Indiana Master Naturalist program they emphasize that to know the land, the plants, and the animals of an area one needs to know the original peoples. This is supported by several experiences I have had.  
 
I recently completed a Coursera Specialization program through Yale University. The program was Religions and Ecology: Restoring the Earth Community Specialization. The program consisted of five courses that addressed religions from around the worlds and connecting them to a growing environmental movement. For me, the most interesting of the five courses that made up this specialization program was Indigenous Religions and Ecology. The course covered not only First Nations Peoples of North America (Turtle Island), but also the artic (Russa/Siberia, Scandinavia, Greenland, Canada, and Alaska. The course covered indigenous religions of Mesoamerica, South America, Africa, Asia, and the Pacific. The program highlighted indigenous leaders who are addressing climate change head on. The course emphasized the reclaiming of wisdom that is so desperately needed today.  
 
Each of the Coursera Specialization courses began with a Land acknowledgment of peoples who lived on the land prior to the European invasion. This reminded me of the opening ceremony of the 2015 Parliament of the World’s Religions in Salt Lake City. The procession began with Utes, and then other Peoples of the Western states followed by indigenous peoples from around Turtle Island and then the world. There were specialization breakout sessions on Indigenous Peoples and Caring for Creation.  
 
This in turn remined me of a tradition in Fort Wayne, Franke Day Camp. For the past 75 years parents would drop off their young children to learn about nature, arts and crafts, and Native American history. The campers would learn re-creations of dances that acknowledged the original peoples of the area. This included Potawatomi, Delaware, Kickapoo, Chippewa, Cherokee, and Miami. Fort Wayne, or Kekionga, is a city with a rich Indigenous history. It is home to Chief Little Turtle’s Memorial and statues of Chiefs Tecumseh and Blue Jacket. The Potawatomi are remembered at a county park named after Chief Matea. The park also hosted a Potawatomi cultural camp. There is a marker remembering the Miami long march west. Within the borders of Prominade Park is the site of the Battle of the Pumpkin Patch. On the south side of the city is the home of Chief Richardville.  
 
Indigenous history permeates the area. The Miami Nation of Indiana works at educating the public. Powwows are a part of the cultural landscape. The transition from indigenous of Euro culture is also clear. William Wells’ influence is still felt. A prominent statue of General “Mad” Anthony Wayne is across from the county courthouse. Chief Richardville Home hosts Miami Days each month. This serves to teach history, crafts, and current history of the Indiana Miami.  
 
I spend time at the shores of the three rivers. I visit local forts and sites of battle. I am interested in who came before the Europeans and how they lived with the land. So, I will write about individual indigenous leaders. I will talk about indigenous religious beliefs and how they interface with caring for creation. I will acknowledge that this is the land of wetlands, bison, eagle, beaver, and deer. It is the land of Miami, Shawnee, Potawatomi, and Delaware. My goal will be to try to understand and speak their wisdom as we work to restore wetlands and preserves and combat the damage we have done to Mother Earth. 
 
So, I will blog and vlog about local, national, and international indigenous groups. They may be found under the hashtag #indigenouse followed by names of famous individuals, of skills and beliefs, of movements around the world. The entries may focus on indigenous woman taking on governments and corporations, of personhood rights being bestowed on rivers, on religion motivating a growing environmental movement.