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What does it mean to “discover” a place where people have lived for thousands of years? And who is protecting the sacred places and waters that are still here today? Robert Rosa is a Taíno leader and a member of the American Indian Movement who has spent years protecting Native burial sites and wild places across Florida. On this Indigenous Peoples’ Day, he takes us back to where the Taíno story begins: who they were, how they lived, how they traded all the way to Florida, and why so many words we use every day came from them. Then Robert explains why calling 1492 a “discovery” is so offensive, and corrects a myth about the Taíno that has been told for hundreds of years. Finally, we come home to Florida. Robert talks about his work using federal law to help the Seminole and Miccosukee protect burial sites from developers, and why Shingle Creek, the headwaters of the Everglades, matters for every person who drinks Florida’s water. This episode is for students, teachers, and anyone who wants the real story behind Columbus Day, and practical ways to protect the land where they live.   The history behind the holiday Columbus’s arrival in 1492 began one of the largest losses of human life in history. Through violence, forced labor in mines and fields, and new diseases, the Native population of the Caribbean fell by about 90 percent within a few generations. Spanish priest Bartolomé de las Casas, whom Robert mentions in this episode, wrote eyewitness accounts of the cruelty he saw. Still, the Taíno were never fully erased. As Robert shares, Taíno women carried the language, stories, and identity forward, and their descendants live on today in Puerto Rico, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and across the diaspora.   What You’ll Discover: Where the Taíno came from, and the other Caribbean peoples who lived alongside them Why Taíno society was matriarchal, and how women kept the culture alive How the Taíno traded with Florida, using ocean currents historians said they couldn’t navigate Why the Taíno settled disputes with a ball game before going to war Taíno words you already use: hurricane, canoe, manatee, hammock, and more Why “you can’t discover something that’s been there for thousands of years” The myth that the Taíno thought the Spanish were gods, and what really happened How Robert uses NAGPRA to help Florida tribes protect burial sites and sacred objects Why building on Shingle Creek’s wetlands affects floods, sinkholes, springs, and drinking water How you can get involved, even if you’re not Native Chapters: 0:00 Introduction 1:18 Where the Taíno came from 3:59 Daily life in a Taíno village 8:35 Taíno words we use every day 11:21 What “discovery” looked like from the beach 13:55 The biggest myth about the Taíno 15:12 Protecting sacred sites in Florida 17:47 Shingle Creek and the headwaters of the Everglades 22:04 Robert’s advice: how to get involved Resources: Protect Florida’s land and water Protect Shingle Creek: [https://protectshinglecreek.com/ Friends of Split Oak Forest (Save Split Oak): https://friendsofsplitoak.org Friends of the Everglades, founded by Marjory Stoneman Douglas: https://www.everglades.org Florida Springs Council, a statewide coalition of springs groups: https://www.floridaspringscouncil.org Florida Springs Institute and their Springs 101 guide: https://floridasprings.org Learn about sacred sites and Native rights What is NAGPRA? The 1990 federal law that protects Native burials, funerary objects, and sacred items (National Park Service): https://www.nps.gov/subjects/archeology/napgra.htm Taíno: Native Heritage and Identity in the Caribbean (Smithsonian): https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/culture-once-believed-extinct-flourishing-180970101 For teachers Native Knowledge 360°, free lessons from the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian: https://americanindian.si.edu/nk360 The Taíno People of Boriken, a free classroom reading (Teaching for Change): https://www.teachingforchange.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Taino-Lesson-Reading1-2.pdf Young Friends of the Everglades and their Educators Exploration Kit: https://www.everglades.org This podcast was reviewed by Common Sense Media: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/podcast-reviews/indigenous-earth-community-podcast Classroom discussion questions: Robert says you can’t discover something that’s been there for thousands of years. What word would you use instead? Which Taíno words did you already know? Why do you think they survived? Why do you think the Taíno story was left out of so many history books? Where does the rain at your school go? Trace it as far as you can. A note for teachers and parents: this episode discusses colonization and genocide in age appropriate terms, suitable for middle school and up. 📚 Support This Podcast & Indigenous Youth Workshops: When you purchase books through our Indigenous Earth Bookshop, you directly support independent Indigenous booksellers AND fund our hands on workshops for Native youth worldwide. Every book purchase helps preserve traditional ecological knowledge for the next generation. 🌱 Connect with Indigenous Earth: Newsletter: https://www.indigenousearth.org/newsletter/ Topics: Taíno, Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Columbus Day, Columbus myth, Caribbean history, Boriken, Puerto Rico, Taíno words, NAGPRA, sacred sites, Tequesta, Seminole, Miccosukee, Shingle Creek, Everglades, Split Oak Forest, Florida springs, Floridan aquifer, wetlands, teaching resources, Native American Heritage Month

What happens when the first fresh fish your people have eaten for ten thousand years stops coming up the river? And what do you lose when an entire generation grows up never tasting it? Cindy Wagner has lived on the Annette Island Reserve in Metlakatla, Alaska for 56 years, the only Native reserve in the state and the only one in the world sitting entirely on an island. Her husband Louie is known as the hooligan man. She is the Grease Lady. Together they have spent their lives on the Unuk River, teaching children, grandchildren and now great grandchildren how to live off the land. In this episode, Cindy explains what the hooligan is and why people once called it the savior fish, lining up four blocks deep for eight hours to get a single bucket. She describes finding oil drums and pallets thirty miles up a river that only Canada sits above, watching two natural lakes fill with mine tailings until blood red water spills over the top with every rainfall, and losing the marbled blue glacier water where the best trout used to hold. She walks through what it takes to render pure hooligan grease, why the Unuk is the only river in Alaska closed to the very people whose inherent right it is to fish it, and what is coming next: a proposed tailings dam 780 feet tall, five thousand workers, fifty five years. This is for anyone who wants to understand what a mine upstream actually does to the people downstream, told by someone who has watched it happen for a lifetime. What You'll Discover: Why the hooligan is called the savior fish, and what makes it different from salmon How hooligan send scouts ahead, and why Cindy believes they can never go extinct What abandoned mine tailings look like twenty years later in a temperate rainforest that gets 14 feet of rain a year How to render hooligan grease, and why it is treated like truffles What one five gallon bucket per household per year means for a community that is 90 percent Native Why a closed fishery costs more than food, and what happens when a generation never learns the work The connection Cindy draws between mining, the herring collapse, and the last wild salmon runs on the continent What she says the Canadian government has to do, and what listeners anywhere can do Resources: Southeast Alaska Indigenous Transboundary Commission (SEITC): https://www.seitc.org/ B.C. mining in the Unuk watershed, from Salmon Beyond Borders: https://salmonbeyondborders.org/bc-mining-unuk ICT reporting on the transboundary mining boom, featuring Cindy and Louie Wagner: https://ictnews.org/news/modern-day-gold-rush-mining-projects-opposed-by-alaska-tribes-get-boost-from-canada-british-columbia-and-first-nation/ 📚 Support This Podcast & Indigenous Youth Workshops: When you purchase books through our Indigenous Earth Bookshop, you directly support independent Indigenous booksellers AND fund our hands on workshops for Native youth worldwide. Every book purchase helps preserve traditional ecological knowledge for the next generation. 🌱 Connect with Indigenous Earth: Newsletter: https://www.indigenousearth.org/newsletter/ Topics: Unuk River, hooligan, eulachon, ooligan grease, Metlakatla, Annette Island Reserve, Southeast Alaska, transboundary mining, tailings dams, wild salmon, subsistence rights, Indigenous food sovereignty, SEITC, water protection

What happens when a place your people have prayed at for a thousand years becomes a uranium mining site? And what can one voice actually do to stop it? Sumaya Quitugua, a young woman from the Acoma Pueblo in New Mexico and Chamorro from Guam, grew up at the Sky City, in traditional adobe homes on top of a mesa, where her grandfather taught her that we don't own the land or the water. We protect them.  In this episode, Sumaya breaks down the fight for Chaco Canyon, a place protected by President Theodore Roosevelt over a century ago and named a UNESCO World Heritage Site, now targeted for uranium mining right up against its borders. She explains what's really at stake, what mining does to land and water that can never be undone, and how a seven-day public comment window turned into a hundred and fifty days because people refused to stay silent. This is for anyone who's ever wondered whether speaking up actually changes anything, and anyone who wants to understand sacred land from the people who carry it.   What You'll Discover: What actually makes a place sacred, and why it's a feeling, not a spot on a map Why the "buffer zone" around Chaco matters as much as the site itself What uranium mining really does to water, air, and the people who live there How seven days of public comment became a hundred and fifty How to visit a sacred site with respect, including what to do and what to say Why choosing not to learn is choosing to be part of the problem   Resources: Follow Sumaya Quitugua on Instagram Learn about the threat to Chaco Culture National Historical Park (NPCA) Discover Chaco Canyon's dark skies, stargazing, and archaeology (National Geographic) 📚 Support This Podcast & Indigenous Youth Workshops: When you purchase books through our Indigenous Earth Bookshop, you directly support independent Indigenous booksellers AND fund our hands-on workshops for Native youth worldwide. Every book purchase helps preserve traditional ecological knowledge for the next generation. 🌱 Connect with Indigenous Earth: Newsletter: https://www.indigenousearth.org/newsletter/ Topics: Chaco Canyon, uranium mining, sacred sites, Acoma Pueblo, Indigenous land rights, public lands, water protection, UNESCO World Heritage Site, environmental justice, tribal sovereignty, public comment, land conservation PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

Hey friends, it's been a while. Like many of you, we've been navigating a lot on the environmental and overall news front lately, so today I'm doing something a little different. I think back to those early days kayaking with friends here in Florida, searching rivers for trash. Some days we'd arrive and the water was pristine. We almost felt bad, like we had nothing to do. My mentor smiled and said, "just enjoy it,  sometimes we need to remember why we do what we do." That's what this episode is. No interviews, no talking. Just the sounds of the living world. This nocturnal soundscape was recorded deep inside Kichwa tribal territory in the Ecuadorian Amazon by artist Rafael Diogo. Bats cutting through the dark, insects surging into something almost electric, a monkey rustling unseen branches, a distant howl, and underneath it all a stream threading through the night. A beautiful reminder of what we're working for. Big thank you to Rafael and our friends at Earth.fm — a nonprofit repository of over 1,200 pure, immersive natural soundscapes from around the world, recorded by the best artists. Based on empirical evidence as well as numerousrecent studies from all over the world, listening to natural soundscapes has a great positive impact on our wellbeing, and potentially on our respect for nature. However, these soundscapes are increasingly scarce as we humans continue to destroy the natural ecosystems which produce them. That's where Earth.fm comes in: as well as sharing a new natural soundscape every day, they're actively helping the community go out in nature more often and discover a deeper, more direct connection with the wonders around us. Visit www.earth.fm and download their app on Android or Apple devices. Stay tuned! exciting interviews are lined up. And if you have questions or just want to say hello, it genuinely means a lot to hear from you. (send me some good vibes!) Find me on Instagram @frankoscarweaver or email [email protected] aguye!

Feeling overwhelmed by climate change and disconnected from nature? What if the solutions we need have been here all along, in the wisdom our ancestors knew, in the plants growing in our backyards? Laylalanai Gocobachi, a Pascua Yaqui woman and Unity Earth Ambassador, learned this from her grandfather who sent her into the Arizona desert with grocery bags to "shop" for dinner. He taught her the desert is like our pantry, and that Native people were the first scientists. Today, Laylalanai shows us how to bridge traditional wisdom and modern science. You'll learn how she combines climate data with elder observations about disappearing plants, and why the Earth is constantly speaking to us, through snakes climbing trees before floods, through plants receding, we just need to remember how to listen. This is for anyone who's felt like one person can't make a difference, anyone searching for hope in these challenging times. What You'll Discover: How to start listening to what the Earth is trying to tell you (practical signs to observe) Why "water doesn't separate us, it connects us"—and what that means for your work The exact process for braiding Indigenous knowledge with Western science How to overcome imposter syndrome when you're the only one in the room Why showing up matters even when you doubt yourself Simple ways to reconnect with nature and find knowledge keepers in your community Resources: Follow Laylalanai Gocobachi on LinkedIn and Instagram Watch for her documentary on Planet Forward about traditional crops across the border 📚 Support This Podcast & Indigenous Youth Workshops: When you purchase books through our Indigenous Earth Bookshop, you directly support independent Indigenous booksellers AND fund our hands-on workshops for Native youth worldwide. Every book purchase helps preserve traditional ecological knowledge for the next generation. 🌱 Connect with Indigenous Earth: Workshops: https://www.indigenousearth.org/p/indigenous-earth-workshops/ Newsletter: https://www.indigenousearth.org/newsletter/ Music Credit: "Pascola Dance - Mamna Cialim (Green Spinach)" performed by Musicians and Singers from Old Pascua Village, Tucson and Rio Yaqui, Sonora from the album Yaqui Ritual and Festive Music (Canyon Records, 2002). Published by DMG Arizona Music/Public Domain. Topics: Traditional ecological knowledge, intergenerational learning, Yaqui culture, climate assessment, Indigenous youth leadership, desert wisdom, water sovereignty, environmental science, knowledge braiding, listening to Earth

Want a green career but worried you'll have to compromise your values? Andrea Everett from the Pueblo of Ysleta del Sur shows there's another way. Andrea shares how she turned her midnight business decision into MatriARC PROJECTion LLC, a drone and GIS mapping company that serves communities instead of extracting from them. She reveals why she turns down high-paying work that doesn't align with her Pueblo values, and how that actually attracts better opportunities. You'll also hear the inspiring story of how a group of Pueblo women came together after Feast Day to reclaim their traditional farming roles. They secured land, built two hoop houses, and are now growing ancestral seeds: Hopi corn for ceremonies, Pueblo chiles, tobacco, and marigolds for Day of the Dead. Healing in community while creating a foundation for the next generation. What You'll Discover: How to break into GIS and drone careers  Why staying true to your values attracts the right work Starting a business with just faith and a grant that showed up unexpectedly How youth learned to fly drones while connecting with sacred sites and elders Traditional farming techniques: three sisters planting, waffle gardens, soil preparation Why healing happens in community, not isolation The power of starting small, even a few plants in pots Resources: Books: Braiding Sweetgrass, Radical Cartographies, Muskogee Tools of Futurity Video: Native Cartography - Challenging Western Notions of Place Connect: Andrea Everett Story Maps. https://borderlore.org/a-sacred-rivers-sovereignty/ indigenousearth.org Topics: Green careers, GIS mapping, drone jobs, Indigenous agriculture, seed sovereignty, rematriation, traditional farming, values-based business, career advice for Native youth

Environmentalist face devastating burnout rates - 96% experience high or very high exhaustion levels from working on environmental issues. BIPOC communities bear this burden even more heavily, standing on the frontlines of climate destruction. For this Earth Warrior Challenge we are looking on how Indigenous wisdom offers a powerful antidote: connecting with your environmental ancestors. What You'll Experience: The exercise from Dr. Sue Bell Chiblow's Indigenous science class Why connecting with environmental guardians in your lineage sustains planet work across generations Why this practice transforms climate anxiety into ancestral strength The Connection Process: Identify family members who shaped your environmental calling - the bird watcher, the hiker, the gardener Interview relatives who knew them if they've passed on Learn their names and stories (names hold power) Honor them through daily practices and sacred space Spend time with them, experience nature together  Resources Referenced: NPR Article: "How to make an ancestral altar: A cross-cultural guide" Climate Burnout Research Report (96% statistic) Special Thanks: Frank's mother for sharing the water diviner grandfather story My awesome cousin Joenna for the English translation Dr. Susan Bell Chiblow for the Indigenous wisdom classroom practice Connect with Indigenous Earth: Website: indigenousearth.org Newsletter for more Earth Warrior Challenges Topics: Climate burnout, ancestral connection, environmental activism sustainability, Indigenous wisdom practices, water divining, intergenerational environmental calling, BIPOC climate trauma, spiritual ecology, activist resilience

Join us as we return with Professor Susan (Sue) Chiblow, one of our most beloved guests whose wisdom bridges Indigenous science with academic research. As an Ojibwe professor and International Joint Commission commissioner, Sue reveals the right way to learn from Indigenous knowledge—without appropriation or harm. Discover how to respectfully access traditional wisdom, trace your own ancestral stories, and apply Indigenous practices to solve environmental problems in your own community. What You'll Experience: Sue's groundbreaking work fighting harmful herbicides like glyphosate in Canadian forests 🌲 Why Indigenous peoples aren't the only ones responsible for fixing environmental problems—it's all of us The powerful classroom exercise that helps students understand their own displacement stories How maple syrup, potatoes, and canoes are Indigenous innovations the world still uses today 🍁 Traditional water ceremonies that connect us to our universal origin story The difference between saving the planet (impossible) and saving ourselves (essential) Practical ways to honor the Indigenous peoples of the land you currently live on Why trees teach us better coexistence than most humans ever manage Essential Reading Mentioned: "Native Science: Natural Laws of Interdependence" by Gregory Cajete "Braiding Sweetgrass" by Robin Wall Kimmerer "Traditional Ecological Knowledge" (multiple authors) "Water Voices from Around the World" (2001) 📚 Support This Podcast & Indigenous Youth Workshops: When you purchase the books Sue recommends through our Indigenous Earth Bookshop, you directly support independent Indigenous booksellers AND fund our hands-on workshops for Native youth worldwide. Every book purchase helps preserve traditional ecological knowledge for the next generation. 🌱 🎬 Watch Recommended: "The Americas Before Christopher Columbus" series on APTN - 10 episodes showing the incredible innovations of Indigenous peoples across the continent Connect with Indigenous Earth: Workshops: https://www.indigenousearth.org/p/indigenous-earth-workshops/ Newsletter: https://www.indigenousearth.org/newsletter/ "We're not trying to save the planet—the earth will be fine. We're trying to save ourselves and learn to be better humans." - Sue Topics: Water protection, Indigenous science, chemical contamination, glyphosate, traditional ecological knowledge, displacement trauma, academic-Indigenous knowledge bridge, Ojibwe wisdom, environmental justice, intergenerational healing

Join us as we journey to the Hawaiian Islands with Molly Mamaril, a powerful voice bridging Hawaiian wisdom with modern environmental and economic solutions. Born in Hawaii but raised in Minnesota's Hawaiian diaspora, Molly shares her transformative journey back to her ancestral home and reveals practical ways to apply the sacred values of aloha in your own life and community. Discover how you can support local economies, restore damaged environments, and build stronger communities using time-tested Hawaiian principles of reciprocity and abundance. Learn why changing where you spend your money can be one of the most powerful actions you can take today. What You'll Experience: Simple daily practices inspired by aloha values that strengthen relationships and reduce stress Molly's personal journey from the Midwest back to her Hawaiian roots through hula dance 💃 How one community removed 3 million pounds of invasive seaweed to restore an entire bay ecosystem 🌊 Why supporting local farmers and businesses creates lasting change in your community Traditional Hawaiian economic models that prioritized abundance over scarcity The profound difference between ancient and modern hula as cultural storytelling Practical ways to honor your local environment and cultural heritage 🎧 Don't Miss Frank's Episode on Heartbeat Narratives! Want to hear the other side of this incredible conversation? Frank was Molly's guest on Heartbeat Narratives where they dive deep into his passion for the sacred Ava drink, mind-bending sci-fi stories, the magic of his childhood nickname "The Storyteller," and so much more! It's a completely different conversation that reveals Frank's most personal stories and the experiences that shaped him into the storyteller he is today. Listen to Frank on Heartbeat Narratives - you'll discover sides of him you've never heard before! Connect with Molly Mamaril: Above the Sides Podcast: Stories of how we weave the values of aloha into our personal and professional lives - Listen Here Heartbeat Narratives Podcast: Stories of joy about the people, places and passions we love - Listen Here 📚 Support This Podcast & Native Youth Workshops: When you purchase books on Indigenous wisdom, and environmental restoration through Bookshop.org, a portion of your purchase directly supports this podcast and our workshops for Native youth across the globe. Your book purchases help us continue sharing Indigenous stories and empowering the next generation of Indigenous leaders. 🌱 Stay Connected: Newsletter: https://www.indigenousearth.org/newsletter/ "If we speak through our purchases, that is one really tangible thing that we can do to make a difference." - Molly Mamaril Topics: Hawaiian culture, Indigenous reconnection, hula dance, ocean restoration, sustainable economics, aloha values, environmental conservation, cultural storytelling, diaspora experience, community resilience 🌺

Join us as we travel to the Caribbean rainforests of Costa Rica with Robert Mora, a proud Bribri community member and cultural guide. In this heartfelt conversation, Robert shares how the Bribri maintain their profound connection with water, healing traditions, and community rituals. Discover the spiritual significance of rivers and waterfalls, the sacred role of cacao ceremonies, and how shamanic practices provide healing for visitors from around the world. What You'll Experience Robert's personal journey of healing and reconnection with his Indigenous roots The deep spiritual significance of water in Bribri culture and daily life Traditional cacao ceremonies and their transformative healing power Insights into the role of the "Awa" (medicine man/shaman) in community wellness The communal "Jala de Piedra" ritual where entire villages transport sacred stones Indigenous perspectives on environmental challenges and climate change Connect with Robert Mora Instagram: @the_usekol_man Tours: Experience authentic Bribri village visits and ceremonies with Robert Special Content Visit indigenousearth.org to watch exclusive footage of Robert playing traditional flute music by the "Awa" (medicine man/shaman) hut, and witness the powerful community-building Jala de Piedra ceremony where dozens gather to move ancient stones that will ground their food and medicine. Stay Connected Newsletter: indigenousearth.org "The water brings me a lot of peace" - Robert Mora Topics: Indigenous healing, Bribri culture, waterfall ceremonies, medicinal plants, cacao rituals, Costa Rica, environmental wisdom, community traditions

5 Ways to Honor Our Green Spaces with Watson Whitford Episode Summary In this powerful episode, Frank Oscar Weaver is joined by Watson Whitford (Wapanatak), co-president of UNITY and member of the Chippewa Cree tribe and Navajo Nation. Together, they explore five essential ways to be a mindful visitor in parks and natural places, weaving together traditional wisdom and practical guidance for honoring our green spaces. The Five Ways to Honor Green Spaces Become a True Steward Connect with the issues affecting natural spaces Educate yourself about environmental challenges Take action in your community Leave It Better Than You Found It Take responsibility for keeping spaces clean Think of future generations Protect the beauty of our lands Honor Ceremonial Spaces Recognize the sacred nature of many parks Respect ongoing ceremonies Seek permission and guidance Respect Wildlife Boundaries Avoid disturbing animal behavior Maintain appropriate distances Remember every creature has its place Get in the Right State of Mind Ask permission before entering natural spaces Practice mindful visitation Show gratitude through offerings   Notable Quotes "We're a part of this circle of life. I'm no higher than a ladybug. I'm no higher than a buffalo. And we're all the same. We all come from the same place." - Watson Whitford "I want this place to be beautiful. I want there to be clean water, clean air to breathe, to be healthy animals and healthy plants. Not just for my relatives that are here with us now, but for people that will be coming in the future that aren't even here yet." - Watson Whitford "Our traditional ways of ceremony are good... we don't talk down about other people's way of religion or talk down about the way other people pray. You know, because we want to be uplifting. We want to help each other." - Watson Whitford Special Offer Visit indigenousearth.org to receive an exclusive video prayer from Watson Whitford, guiding you in practicing mindful visitation to green spaces. Connect with Watson Whitford Email: [email protected] Instagram: @watson_whitford05 Role: Co-President of UNITY   Support UNITY UNITY (United National Indian Tribal Youth) supports Indigenous youth leadership across the nation. Your donation helps: Support Indigenous youth programs Preserve traditional knowledge Foster environmental stewardship Develop future leaders Donate at: unityinc.org/donate Stay Connected Subscribe to our newsletter: indigenousearth.org Follow Indigenous Earth Community on Instagram at @frankoscarweaver   Credits Host: Frank Oscar Weaver - Pai Tavytera - Tribe of Paraguay Guest: Watson Whitford -Navajo/ Chippewa Cree  Sound Engineer: Jake Kelch    This podcast acknowledges that many parks and natural areas are on ancestral Indigenous lands that have been stewarded by Native people for thousands of generations.   Topics: mindful visiting, indigenous lands, environmental stewardship, wildlife respect, ceremonial spaces, leave no trace, climate change, indigenous wisdom, nature connection, community engagement

In this powerful episode, we meet Alastair Lee Bitsóí from Naschitti, Navajo Nation, New Mexico, a water clan storyteller whose journey weaves together traditional Indigenous wisdom and modern advocacy. From the challenges of water access affecting one-third of Navajo households to the unexpected healing power of an ancient Four Corners potato, Alastair shares how returning to the land has become a path toward personal and community healing. 🌱 Through stories of water harvesting, traditional farming, and generational healing, Alastair reveals how Indigenous knowledge systems continue to thrive and adapt in today's world. Join host Frank Oscar Weaver for an intimate conversation about resilience, restoration, and the profound connection between land and healing. ✨ Key Highlights: Traditional Indigenous farming practices in Navajo Nation Water rights and accessibility in Indigenous communities The cultural significance of the Four Corners potato Mental health and healing in Native communities Indigenous environmental stewardship 🌎 Content Warning: This episode includes discussions of historical trauma and mental health challenges. Crisis Support: Native Crisis Line partners with Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board and the Indian Health Service. Text NATIVE to 741-741 to connect with a crisis counselor. 🌎   💫  Learn more at: www.indigenousearth.org Share Your Thoughts: Help shape our show: www.indigenousearth.org/survey/2024-survey/   Connect with us on Instagram: Host: Frank Oscar Weaver @frankoscarweaver Guest: Alastair Lee Bitsóí @alastairbitsoi   Music Credit: Traditional Flute Performance: Andrew Thomas (Diné), Product Specialist at Indian Pueblo Store Production

We’re joined by Anagali Duncan, founder of the nonprofit Seven Ravens, who shares their inspiring mission to bring books written by Indigenous authors to Native youth. The Indigenous Book Drop initiative is about more than just books—it’s about empowerment, representation, and fostering a deeper connection to culture and heritage. Anagali’s story sheds light on the systemic challenges Indigenous youth face in accessing culturally relevant education and the transformative power of storytelling in shaping identity and resilience.   ✨ What You’ll Learn: • The vision behind the Indigenous Book Drop initiative. • How representation in education empowers Native youth. • The importance of supporting Indigenous authors and bookstores. • How you can join the movement to amplify Indigenous voices.   🔗 Support the Indigenous Book Drop: 💸 Donate to the GoFundMe  📚 Buy from Indigenous-Owned Bookstores   📦 Ship directly via Amazon, Send them to: 7 Ravens PO Box 1327 Stilwell Oklahoma 74960   Books Needed: Ages 4-10: We Are Water Protectors   Being Home   Ages 11-15: Braiding Sweet Grass (3 have been donated) Never Whistle at night Ages 16-18: Notable Native People (20 have been donated) Invisible No More Voices from Native America Sobriety group: A guide to sobriety ten gentle reminders (3 donated need 17 more)   Connect with Seven Ravens:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/274841377525608     Thank!!    📋 We Need Your Input! Take our 2024 Indigenous Earth Survey and help shape the future of the podcast. Your feedback is invaluable! 🔗 Survey Link   🔗 Connect with Indigenous Earth Podcast: 🌿 Website: https://www.indigenousearth.org   Let’s make this Giving Tuesday a day of meaningful change for Indigenous youth!

In this episode, we’re joined by Nana Kwesi Osei Bonsu, a descendant of the Ashanti Empire, who shares his remarkable journey of cultural identity, ancestral heritage, and environmental advocacy. Growing up in Ghana, Nana experienced a profound spiritual calling to lead his people and protect sacred lands.   You can watch the podcast here: https://youtu.be/pZF3JtpQGvs?si=uCjn0gbvAfU6TK-M   ✨ What You’ll Learn: • The power of ancestral wisdom and spiritual practices. • The struggles of advocating for land rights in the face of persecution. • How Indigenous knowledge plays a vital role in environmental and climate justice. • The founding of Land Rights Defenders, a nonprofit championing Indigenous rights and ecological preservation.   🔗 Connect with Land Rights Defenders: 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093029490121&mibextid=MKOS29 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/landrightsinc 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/land-rights-defenders-inc/ 🐦 Twitter: X.com/LandRightsInc    📋 We Need Your Input! Take our 2024 Indigenous Earth Survey and help shape the future of the podcast. Your feedback is invaluable! 🔗 https://www.indigenousearth.org/survey/2024-survey/   🔗 Connect with Indigenous Earth Podcast: 🌿 Website: https://www.indigenousearth.org   Join us for this inspiring conversation and take the next step in protecting our shared planet! 🌱

What if the answers to the climate crisis are here? In this special Indigenous Peoples’ Day episode, host Frank Oscar Weaver speaks with Indigenous leaders from across the world who are on the front lines of the fight to protect their lands and our planet. Impirita, an Indigenous leader from Peru, shares the harsh reality her community faces as industrial mining contaminates rivers that have provided life and sustenance for generations. “All these rivers are contaminated, not just by sewage, but also by mining activities,” – Impirita Frank reflects on the wisdom of Indigenous teachings, like those of Dr. Don Dexter from the Klamath Tribes, who explains how removing Indigenous people from their lands disrupts a natural cycle that keeps ecosystems in balance. Beth Tupara-Katene from Aotearoa (New Zealand) reminds us of the deep responsibility of reciprocity between people and nature, and the urgent need to protect sacred lands. From the ancient mounds of the Tocobaga tribe in Florida, believed to protect the region from hurricanes, to the laws that silence the words "climate change," this episode explores the modern challenges Indigenous communities face. These storms and disasters are not merely natural—they are #UnnaturalDisasters, fueled by climate pollution.   🌍 Take Action: Support local tribes and advocate for Indigenous rights. Join efforts to protect sacred sites in Florida. Contribute to climate resilience projects and Indigenous-led initiatives. Join us in honoring the Earth by standing with those who have been defending it for generations.   Credits: "It's a good day to be Indigenous” is a quote from 1998 independent film “Smoke Signals" Highly recommend it!  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoke_Signals_(film) Music by SimonGray A raw recording of the dawn opening ceremony and pōwhiri of the Harbourview Sculpture Trail on the Te Atatu Peninsula in Auckland. (The pōwhiri (or pōhiri) is the welcoming ceremony on a marae. Marae are not the only places where pōwhiri take place. Pōwhiri can happen anywhere that hosts (tangata whenua) wish to formally welcome a group of visitors (manuhiri).) https://freesound.org/people/simongray/sounds/339321/   🎧 Listen now to learn how you can take meaningful steps to protect our planet and support Indigenous communities: Indigenous Earth Podcast.