Protecting Mother Earth 18th Conference

​The 18th Protecting Mother Earth conference, sponsored by the Indigenous Environmental Network was held in Cherokee North Carolina. There were over 900 attendees from all over Turtle Island as well as representatives from indigenous nations in the Amazon Basin and the South Pacific.
 
The focus of the conference was on addressing degradation/desecration of Indigenous lands, ceded and unceded. The focus was on how to use Indigenous energies and solutions to help heal a hurting planet.  It was a powerful conference. Members and speakers addressed nuclear waste, incineration waste, protecting water, and working with the United Nations. The sense of inclusion and hospitality was strong. Member ate together. We enjoyed indigenous foods from around the Qualla Boundary area. This included deer, elk, foraged greens and traditional breads. In the evenings there were dances and concerts. There were purifying seats at night and the day started welcoming the Sun as we gathered around the Sacred Fire. This was a powerful conference. This video simply introduces the viewer to the conference, the land, and the atmosphere.
 
Our hosts were the Eastern Cherokee of North Carolina. We met on the land of the Qualla Boundary, the ancestral land of the Cherokee. The sessions were in tents. There were also teepees for meetings. The Sacred Fire was nurtured and protected 24 hours a day. A sweat lodge was built on the first day and used the remainder of the conference.
 
A few of the speakers and leaders included the Executive Director and founding member of the Indigenous Environmental Network, Tom B.K. Goldtooth (Dine), Eddie Saunsoki, IEN Digital and Social Media Coordinator (Omaha Nation), Mary Missy Crowe, IJT Organizer (Eastern Band of Cherokee), Mona Polacca, Indigenous Water Ethics Organizer (Havasupai, Hopi, Tewa), Michael Lane, Indigenous Sovereignty (Menomonee), Justice Peche, Secretary IEN Board of Director (Oneida), and Mary Lyons, Great Grandmother, elder, spiritual advisor, international climate advocate (Ojibwe).
 
Additional issues addressed included Indigenous Feminism, Indigenous Principles of Just Transition, and the United Nations COP 16.

​Perhaps one of the simplest joys for me was that I attended the conference with my youngest daughter, Kerri Pulley. She was an active and helpful assistant and it was fun watching her connect with others and Mother Earth. 
 
This was a diverse, spiritually grounded, inclusive gathering that valued science, allyship, and measurable goals. Following posts will include interviews with a number of the speakers and attendees. I cannot wait for the nest conference.
 

---