​The 20th annual Andersonstown Powwow was held on September 6-7, 2024, in Alexandria Indiana. Powwows are common now. They range in length and size, but they can be found almost every weekend somewhere in the United States. That was not always the case. In the mid-1900s Indian dance was regulated so that it occurred far less. This was one of many attempts of diluting Native Culture.
 
The Andersonstown Powwow flooded the senses. As soon as you parked your car and began to walk to the powwow you heard drums beating, you smelled bison grilling, you saw bright colored fabrics. The excitement grew as you got closer to the entrance.
 
I arrived at lunch time. So, I had choices, bison chili, frybread, Indian tacos, or bison burgers. All around me were booths with people selling their arts and crafts. Representatives of Mounds State Park provided demonstrations. They demonstrated how prehistoric hunting tools such as the Atlatl were used, around the world, and in this part of Turtle Island. They also demonstrated how grass and plant braiding was versatile for indigenous peoples.
 
There were historical interpreters. Cathi and I were docents at the Chicago Historical Society. So historical interpretation demands my attention. It is a way of getting the audience to think, wonder, and ask questions. It is not just facts; it is bringing the past to life. There were interpreters of Settler and Native culture and history. Watching them I learned about the Great Squirrel Stampede of 1822. How is it that I have never heard of that?

There was a flute concert and flute classes. There was intertribal dance. I especially enjoyed watching World Champion Hoop Dancer Patrick Willie.
 
The first video covers the overall powwow. Both videos demonstrate in multiple ways how the Indigenous People of the area we now know as Central Indiana lived in harmony with the land. This was a place of forests, wetlands, bison, elk, and yes, squirrels. When the settlers removed the trees and drained the wetlands for farming, villages, and industry, they also lost the balance of life that had been part of the history of the land. We were not living in “that good way.”
 
The second video focuses on cultural and historical interpreter Jim Sawgrass. He is a member of the Muscogee Creek of Florida. He teaches/demonstrates, in Florida, Georgia and Alabama. He has been on the Discovery Channel, the History Channel and the Travel Channel. He brought with him artifacts that highlighted life in the Southeast of Turtle Island before the colonizers and after the Contact. I only show the first half of his talk. I want people to see what a gifted teacher he is but I also do not want to give away his entire demonstration. He did give permission for me to video his presentation.
 
The Andersonstown Powwow group are already making plans for 2025. I hope to see you there. Bring the kids and eat, dance, and learn about the land and the peoples of central Indiana.

The latest Parliament of the World’s Religions was convened in Chicago.  As a member of the press corps, I covered events at the Parliament from August 14 through 18, 2023. With over 8000 participants from over 95 countries, representing over 210 faith traditions, there was a lot to cover. There were Plenary Sessions, theme focused Assemblies, an Opening Procession, Langar, thousands of workshops, the daily Sacred Fire, worship services, art, dance, and music, kid events, community service, a Sacred Music Night, and awards. That is not to mention all the booths and all the new friendships. To narrow all this down and make it manageable I covered two foci, Indigenous Peoples and Climate Action.
 
My earlier videos each had a specific focus, art, disaster relief, Indigenous Peoples, preparing for the parliament. The video linked to this post is different. It is more eclectic, it covers “special projects”. The first is an ecovillage near Mumbai. It was built using the values of Hinduism. I interviewed Gauranga Das. Gauranga Das is an impressive person. He is a Hindu monk and an author. He serves as a governing body commissioner of International Society for Krishna Consciousness . He also serves as the director of the Ecovillage.
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He talked about how the village is sustainable, producing energy and food and recycling used materials. It is also an educational institution and a religious ashram. The village, Govardhan Ecovillage, is a model of hope and possibilities. He was my first interview and that is how I discovered I had to be careful where I interviewed people. The Great Hall was visually stunning, but the sound bounced around and made for challenging acoustic recording.
 
My second interview was with Katie Nolan of the Interfaith Vegan Coalition. The coalition includes many organizations that advocate for veganism because it is compassionate, it is earth-friendly, it is animal friendly. The booth had recipes, books, and activities. The presenter was friendly, engaging, and inviting. The booth was resource rich. The focus was expansive from animal rights to education and fun activities.
 
The third project was the Interfaith Power and Light. I knew of this organization because it is active in Fort Wayne. The representative, Sarah Paulos, provided a clear description of the mission of the group. Simply stated, they are a leader in assisting faith communities to be good stewards of the earth and to be effective advocates in addressing climate change. They have 40 affiliates and impact 22,000 faith communities. They are also resource rich and a great way to educate faith communities to make their houses of worship greener but also to work to do the same for their local communities.
 
Green Hope Foundation was new to me. However, the founder, Kehkashan Basu was active in the halls and stages of the Parliament. She is the youngest member of the Parliament’s board of Trustees. She is a United Nations Champion for the Environment. Her organization is active in 28 countries. It engages with half a million people. The Green Hope Foundation has planted over 1.2 million trees. Their list of accomplishments and their focus on sustainability and inclusion is impressive.
 
On the last day of the Parliament of the World’s Religions I met with a representative of a timely and powerful group, Voices for a World Free of Nuclear Weapons. “Jenna” said the group had it’s birth as a reaction to the final days of World War Two. Members include diplomates, former government workers, faith leaders, academics, and youth. The work includes addressing armaments, the pollution of uranium mining, the problems related to nuclear power, and above all, the urgent need for peace. I had not thought of this as an environmental issue. I suppose I saw it as an important political issue.  However, most of the issues addressed in the Parliament overlapped, intersectionality was the rule. One nuclear strike would be ecologically devastating. Funding the buildup to nuclear weapon stockpiles diverts monies needed for climate change initiatives, clean water, and food production. This was in fact a very special project.  
 
These special projects are only a very small sample of the important activities presented at the 2023 Parliament of the World’s Religions. The 2023 PoWR printed program was 304 pages in length. There is a lot of work that needs to be done, and we need to do this work together. 

I attended the 2023 Parliament of the World’s Religions last August. As a member of the press corps, I interviewed presenters and people representing their organizations. I was particularly interested in Indigenous Peoples and Climate Action. One focus of Climate Action is Disaster Response Services. I have served with the American Red Cross Disaster Services and have responded to flooding, wildfires, tornadoes, and the September 11 attacks. My contributions are miniscule compared to my colleagues. They do however give me an appreciation for all those volunteers and first responders who do respond to disasters.
 
Climate change has been associated with an increase in natural disasters and an increase in severity of those disasters. Climate change is also associated with increased international conflicts. Struggles for water, arable land, and crops are all increasing stress in populations and setting the stage for wars over resources and land. Starvation, drought, and conflict are also contributing to increased refugee and internally displaced peoples. I have served with Internally Displaced Peoples camps in Kurdistan with ADRA, I have also served with Syrian American Medical Society in Jordan at refugee camps and clinics.  This work is dangerous, demanding, and necessary. So, I was pleased to see the many faith communities responding to disasters. The interviews in the video are simply a sampling of the efforts being made.
 
I am familiar with several Disaster Response Organizations. They include the American Red Cross and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent, The Salvation Army, Southern Baptist Relief Services, Mennonite Disaster Service, and Sikh Aid and Khalsa Aid. I know there are relief organizations representing most religions of the world.
 
The 2023 PoWR was opened by United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres. His support for the Amazon Summit reflected the urgency of responding to the existential threat of climate change. Dr. Jane Goodall  
virtually addressed the Parliament. Her message was one of hope. She told us, we humans have made this mess and if we choose, we can fix it.
 
The Parliament had a designated space referred to as The Green Village. This was a place for environmentalists, activists, and agencies to meet and informally share information. This included an informal presentation by religious delegates to the previous United Nation's Conference of Parties or COPS.
 
The first person I interviewed set the stage for the rest of the day. Doctor Raj Devasigamani talked about The Global Ethic. The Global Ethic is a declaration of the Parliament of the World’s Religions stating the universal values and principles shared by the world’s religious, spiritual, and cultural traditions. The 1948 United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights appeared inadequate to address faith and individuals in their interactions with one another. The Parliament of the World’s Religions created the Global Ethics, under the supervision of theologian Hans Kung and presented it to the Parliament assembly in 1993. Doctor Raj Devasigamani introduced us to the document and the impact it has had on interfaith cooperation.
 
Members of both the Islamic Relief USA and the New York Interfaith Disaster Services spoke on the importance of inclusion and cooperation to address disaster needs. The Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, an international Buddhist organization headquartered in Taiwan was very active. They had a presentation table that educated youth on the importance of vegetables and veganism to the environment. They also had a booth that spotlighted recycled plastics that provided housing and clothing for victims of disasters. Finally, they invited us to a meditation service which highlighted the need for balance in our lives.
 
The video ends with a song at the Sacred Music Night. It is Dennis Werner and children of many faiths singing We are All Beads on One String. The song addressed why we need to support one another in these challenging times.

​The Parliament of the World’s Religions has been convened nine times since 1893. The most recent Parliament was in Chicago. The Parliament took place from August 14-18, 2023. There were over 8000 attendees from 95 countries. I had attended the 2015 Parliament in Salt Lake City, helped plan the 2018 Parliament in Toronto, attended the virtual Parliament in 2020, and was overjoyed to be attending one of my favorite events in Chicago. I have served as an ambassador, served on the Ambassador Advisory Board, and served as a member of the Press Corps. I presented on Franciscan Nature-focused Meditation at the 2015 Parliament. NatureWhile religious leaders and organizations addressed a variety of pressing needs my focus has been on Climate Action and Indigenous Peoples. The two foci are separate but intertwined.
 
My first impression of the importance of Indigenous Peoples to the functioning of the Parliament was in 2015 in Salt Lake City. Outside of the Salt Palace, the convention center, Indigenous People from around the world gathered to greet the rising sun and to welcome the Parliament through the Sacred Fire. The Procession to convene the Parliament of the World’s Religions started with the drums, dance and song of the First Nations of Utah followed by First Nations from all over Turtle Island and South America. They were joined by Indigenous People of Northern Europe, Asia, The Pacific, and Africa.
 
The Parliament had plenary sessions addressing Indigenous People. There were Indigenous Peoples assemblies and workshops. There was song and dance, and there was an Indigenous People reception. They addressed spirituality, human rights, ceremony, and caring for creation.
 
This is where I first met many of the leaders who would change the course of my life. I first saw Māori Elder, Dr. Rangimārie Te Turuki Arikirangi Rose Pere from New Zealand. I first saw her at the Sacred Fire, then at the Procession. She spoke at the Indigenous Peoples Assembly and the Women’s Assembly. She taught me the breathing greeting, the hongi. She led all of us, 10,000 attendees, in singing of joy and of our unity. Rose died in December 2020, and I still miss her.
 
Closely associated with Rose Pere was fellow Great Grandmother Mary Lyons. Mary was prominent at the initiation of the Sacred Fire. She was center stage at the convening of the Parliament. She spoke at the assemblies, and she nurtured us. I have since met Mary at the 2023 Parliament and at the 2024 Protecting Mother Earth Conference.  She is one of the original 13 Great Grandmothers, a group of Indigenous Knowledge Holders and Sharers of Wisdom from around the world. It is a profound privilege to know Great Grandmother Mary Lyons.
 
In 2015 there were a number of leaders who inspired me. This included Chief Arvol Looking Horse. He is the 19th Keeper of the White Buffalo Calf Pipe and Bundle. He inherited his role as The Keeper at age 12. He is the ceremonial leader of the Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota People. His respect for Mother Earth and our connectedness impressed me.
 
Chief Oren Lyons is a Haudenosaunee Faithkeeper of the Wolf Clan of both the Onondaga Nation and the Seneca Nation of the Six Nations of the Grand River. He has served 14 years as a member of the Indigenous Peoples of the Human Rights Commission of the United Nations. He addressed the Parliament giving a passionate plea to care for Mother Earth and to act quickly.
 
Not all the leaders that impressed me were elders. I sat having coffee with a 14-year-old woman having no idea she was internationally know for her environmental advocacy. Ta’Kaiya Blaney is a member of the Tla A’min Nation of British Columbia Canada. She is an Ambassador of Native Children’s Survival Indigenous Children Fund. She is an award-winning singer, songwriter and actress. Her advocacy began at age 10. When I saw her speak in front of 10,000 people, eloquently urging us to act for the earth and then saw her move the same people with song, I knew I was witnessing something special.
 
Uncle Angaangaq Angakkorsuaq is a shaman and spiritual leader and healer from Greenland. When he addressed the Parliament, he was clear, Mother Earth does not need humanity, she will survive. We, however, need Mother Earth. He said, if we are to heal Mother it will take all of us and all our ancestors. Then, using his Windrums, in a hall holding 10,000 souls he cupped his face with the drums and called out, summoning our ancestors to join us in this task. Uncle’s sincerity impressed me. I have since joined his lectures. Tomorrow, I join him, virtually, in a Shamanic Walk. This includes a day of preparation, a day of walking, listening, reflecting, in silence, and a day of processing with Uncle.
 
Arnold W. Thomas is of the Shoshone-Paiute Tribal Nation of the Great Basin. He is the first of the First Nation Chaplains. He spoke of the pain of the Mother Earth and the generosity of Mother Earth. Then he had us all stand up and as a chaplain he commissioned us all to be missionaries spreading the word of the love of Mother Earth.
 
In 2023 I met Major Moggy Sumner, a cultural ambassador from Australia. He spoke at assemblies, he led Sacred Fire ceremonies, he hosted workshops, and he impressed the heck out of me. The video clip I have is of his performance at the Sacred Music Night at the 2023 PoWR,
 
Throughout all of this there was one man who coordinated the meetings, the missions, and the gatherings of all these Indigenous People. That was Lewis Cardinal.  Mary Lyons and I would sit and talk about Lewis (all good) because his efforts were for the benefit of others. He is member of the Woodland Cree from the Sucker Cree First Nation in northern Alberta Canada. He is a communicator and educator. He organized the Amazon Summit at the 2023 Parliament. He is also the recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Medal for Public Service.
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The video I took of the 2023 PoWR captures some of this vitality and connectedness. There is an interview with Lewis Cardinal. There is a performance by Moggy Sumner. There are photos of the Amazon Summit and a clip of the 2015 Indigenous Peoples Reception. There are photos that speak to the enduring impact the Parliament and the Indigenous Peoples track has had on me.  If we are to have a chance at healing Mother Earth it must include the leadership of Indigenous Peoples.