![]() 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. 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.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Carl Jylland-Halverson
I am just a nature lover who struggles not to be overwhelmed or immobilized by the destructive impact humans are having on the planet. My goal is to do my part to reduce my carbon footprint, to celebrate biodiversity, to help heal my tiny part of the earth. Please join me in this endeavor to turn hope into action. Archives
January 2025
Categories |