A Call for Action from the International Indigenous Leaders Gathering Keynote to Our Relatives Gathered at the Rights of Mother Earth Conference
Haskell Indian Nations University
Presented by Sun Dance Chief Rueben George, Tsleil-Waututh Nation
April 6, 2012
Whether or not the nation states, multinational corporations or international development agencies that surround us are willing or able to participate with us at this time, it is clear our Indigenous Peoples and Allies are moving forward in rebuilding and reunifying the Americas and beyond, through the Natural Laws and Guiding Principles inherent in our Indigenous World View.
1. We have the ancient prophecies and the clear vision of a future of social justice and collective prosperity for the Americas and beyond that are in the process of being manifested. This new global civilization will fully honor the Natural Laws and Privileges of Mother Earth and the Unity and Diversity of Human Family. This New Spiritual Springtime foretold by our Elders is now occurring, as sure as the sun rises every morning.
2. We have a strong, enduring and unbreakable spiritual foundation of cultural values and guiding principles that have empowered us to survive and arise after a great spiritual wintertime. This wintertime was filled, at times, with the utmost human cruelty, violence, injustice, abuse, and physical and cultural genocide. Despite these challenges, throughout the Americas, our Indigenous relatives are reawakening to their spiritual and cultural identities and are healing our Sacred Relationships between ourselves, Mother Earth and all members of the Human Family.
3. Together, with our allies, we have the cultural, spiritual, scientific, technological, social, environmental, economic and agricultural capacities and wisdom needed to co-create and rebuild our Families, Tribes and Nations stronger and more unified than ever before.
4. Our Indigenous Peoples and our allies, have the growing collective social and economic capital, coupled with vast natural resources, to bring our greatest dreams and visions to reality. This includes fully protecting, preserving, and restoring our Beloved Mother as the sacred heritage of all generations yet to come! Furthermore it is crystal clear that these collective resources are in the process of empowering us to become a primary spiritual and economic force, not only in the Americas, but around Mother Earth.
We are and are destined to play a greater and greater role as key global leaders in wisely mandating the sustainable and harmonious ways Mother Earth’s gifts will or will not be developed! We will insure that when the development of the natural resources of Mother Earth are not sustainable, no matter how much profit is to be made, they will not be developed! Our Sacred Places and the Healthful Life of our Beloved Mother Earth are not for sale and exploitation for any price!
5) We, the Indigenous Peoples of the Eagle of the North (Canada and the U.S.), along with our allies, have the material resources to directly support our Indigenous relatives of the Condor of the South (Latin America) in developing their collective resources, as they choose. The Condor of the South equally has critical resources to share with the Eagle of the North. Our greatest strength yet to be fully realized is our spiritual and cultural unity.
6) By utilizing digital and green technologies and economies, in harmony with our vast, collective social, economic, cultural and spiritual capacities, we are manifesting, as promised, a future with social, environmental and economic justice for all members of the Human Family and our Beloved Mother Earth!
7) The primary challenge that stands before us as Indigenous Peoples in rebuilding the Americas, and beyond, is disunity. This disunity has been directly caused by genocide and colonialism. This genocide and colonization has resulted in unresolved inter-generational trauma and internalized oppression that is the process of being fully recognized and addressed.
As we move courageously and wisely forward in greater and greater love, compassion, justice and unity we are reconnecting to our enduring and unbreakable spiritual and cultural foundation for healing, reconciliation and collective action for “Protecting and Restoring the Sacred ” everywhere on Mother Earth. With the realization of this spiritual and cultural foundation for prayerful, wise and unified action, all that is needed for our ultimate victory will gracefully and assuredly unfold at the right times and places, as foretold by our Ancient Ones.
In Unity, Love, Respect and Solidarity,
Dekshi and Brother Phil Lane Jr.
Ihanktonwan Dakota and Chickasaw Nations