Our society now faces the stark consequences of ecological overshoot, including climate change. Many of us wish to resist systems of power proactively, but we most often participate in performative actions rather than engaging in systems change. Many of us do not know how to approach systems change.
As faith communities, we are under-utilizing Indigenous vision and experience. Indigenous peoples have successfully lived sustainably within their ecosystems because they built systems designed to do this.
In this lecture series, we asked Indigenous thought-leaders to reflect with us about what might comprise ecologically successful systems.
Format
Each presentation is unique, depending on the expertise of the speaker and the content of the presentation. Each speaker deeply reflects on Indigenous cosmology as it relates to systems, then processes with the interviewer, Sarah Augustine.
Rather than a lecture or sermon, the speaker shares and then engages in discussion in a workshop format. Each consultation is approximately 90 minutes in length.
Tyson Yunkaporta is an academic, arts critic, researcher, and member of the Apalech Clan in far north Queensland. He is the author of “Sand Talk: How Indigenous Thinking Can Save the World”, winner of the Small Publishers’ Adult Book of the Year at the Australian Book Industry Awards and the Ansari Institute’s Randa and Sherif Nasr Book Prize on Religion & the World, awarded to an author who explores global issues using Indigenous perspectives. He carves traditional tools and weapons and also works as a senior lecturer in Indigenous Knowledges at Deakin University in Melbourne. He lives in Melbourne, Australia.
Born on Onondaga Nation territory, and the homelands of her father, Diane Schenandoah holds the responsibility of Faithkeeper for the Oneida Nation. She was born into the Wolf Clan and her mother, Maisie, was a Wolf Clan Mother for Oneida Nation. As a young woman, with the support of her artistic family, she pursued her love of the arts at the Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute in ABQ, NM and later the prestigious Institute of American Indian Arts/Santa Fe, where she was mentored by Chiricahua Apache sculptor Allan Houser/Haozous.
Diane is an artist with many talents: creative writing, singing, and of course, sculpture and carving. Her art practice centers on a respectful and loving relationship with her materials of choice such as natural woods, clays, stone, and bone, all worked with a sense of care and attention that comes across to the viewer. Her sculptures of women, always tenderly depicted, bring focus to the significant roles of women as mothers, nurturers, wisdom keepers, and life-givers. And, her art is grounded in teachings and philosophies of Haudenosaunee people which she generously shares with all of us, granting an opportunity to learn more about ourselves and Haudenosaunee knowledge. In addition to being an artist and a leader within her family, Clan, community, and Nation, Diane currently serves as Honwadiyenawa’sek (One Who Helps Them) at the Barnes Center at the Arch, Syracuse University, supporting students by sharing Haudenosaunee principles and philosophies on wellness and well-being. Her art is in numerous private collections and represented in the collections of the Iroquois Museum, Castellani Art Museum, Fenimore Museum/Cooperstown, and of course the NYSM.
Dr. Wendsler Nosie Sr. is a former Peridot District Councilman and Tribal Chairman of the San Carlos Apache Tribe. Wendsler was born on the San Carlos Apache Reservation and was raised in the traditional Apache way of life. He graduated from the Globe High School in 1978, attended Merritt College in Oakland, California, attended Phoenix College in Phoenix, Arizona, and completed the State of Arizona Banking Academy. Dr. Nosie specializes in Bioethics, Sustainability and Global Public Health.
Dr. Wendsler Nosie recently accepted a position with the American University of Sovereign Nations as a Professor in the Practice of Indigenous Knowledge, where he will be teaching a range of Masters and Doctoral program courses to students from around the world. Wendsler is married to Theresa Beard Nosie, a member of the Navajo Nation. They reside in Peridot, Arizona on the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation and have six children and 17 grandchildren. Wendsler is a long distance runner and has participated in numerous marathons and half marathons over the years. He is dedicated to the preservation and protection of Native American culture, artifacts, history religion, and tradition. He is the leader of the Apache Stronghold and Director of Gaan Bike Goz aa where he continues to advocate for indigenous religious and human rights and protecting the future for our next generations to come.
Tela Loretta Troge, Esq. is a member of the Shinnecock Indian Nation and a member of the Hassanamisco Nipmuc Tribe. Tela is the director of the Shinnecock Kelp Farmers and the Niamuck Land Trust. She recently organized the Warriors of the Sunrise Sovereignty Camp 2020 in an attempt to raise awareness about the plight of the Shinnecock people.
Tela graduated from Michigan State University College of Law with a Juris Doctor and certification in Indigenous Law and Policy from the Indigenous Law Program. She has been fighting for tribal sovereignty for the past 11 years as the attorney with the Law Offices of Tela L. Troge, PLLC.
Jim Rock (Sisseton Dakota Father) has taught Chemistry, Physics and Astronomy for over forty years at reservation, urban and suburban high schools, colleges, tribal college and universities. He recently retired as the Director of Indigenous Programming for the Marshall W. Alworth Planetarium and as an instructor in the Physics and Astronomy department of Swenson College of Science and Engineering at the University of Minnesota Duluth.
He is an Elder in Residence at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities COIN center and is a founding governing council member of the Makoche Ikikchupi Project to return exiled Ocheti Shakowin Oyate to their sacred homelands, and to live in sustainable earth lodge communities.
Steven A. Darden (Diné/Navajo and Cheyenne) is an artist, human rights advocate, business owner, and traditional practitioner.
He is a long-time commissioner to the Navajo Nation Human Rights Commission, and currently serves as the vice-chair. Steve is a Luce Foundation Indigenous Knowledge Fellow. He sits on the council of elders for the American Indian Science and Engineering Society.
Sophie Pierre served her community of ‘Aqam (the St. Mary’s Indian Band) of the Ktunaxa Nation for 30 years, 26 as elected chief, and for 25 years was the administrator of the Ktunaxa/Kinbasket Tribal Council, now the Ktunaxa Nation Council. Sophie was recognized with the Order of Canada in 2016; the Order of British Columbia in 2002 and the National Aboriginal Achievement Award in the business category in 2003.
Sophie Pierre was appointed Chief Commissioner of the BC Treaty Commission from April 2009 to 2015 by agreement of the governments of Canada and British Columbia and the First Nations Summit. Since her retirement in 2015, Sophie has been appointed to various Foundations including the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation as a Mentor, to the BC Achievement Foundation, the Vancouver Foundation and to the BC Parks Foundation. Sophie’s commitment to good governance, accountability and leadership has been recognized by three honorary degrees from Simon Fraser University, University of British Columbia and University of Canada West.
Sophie, a mother of three and grandmother of five, now spends much of her time as an elder advisor to her community of ‘Aqam and to the Ktunaxa Nation. As a fluent speaker of the Ktunaxa language her commitment to the responsibility of passing on traditional knowledge remains her lifetime goal.