Cultural Politics

   INDIGENOUS/NATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE WORK

Contrary to stereotype, Native American Indians do not have a "natural" affinity with environmentalism. What they do have is lands with a long history of being the dumping ground for uranium tailings, nuclear waste, and toxic chemicals. Reviving traditional land-based spiritual/cultural practices, and inventing new ones for the 21st century, play an increasingly vital part of many reservation cultures threatened by environmental pollution and cultural genocide. Below is a brief sampling of some Native organizations fighting for environmental justice and cultural renewal. (See also the bibliography for works on Native involvement in environmental justice movements.)

Featured Site

Indigenous Environmental Network. "An alliance of grassroots indigenous peoples whose mission is to protect the sacredness of Mother Earth from contamination and exploitation by strengthening maintaining and respecting the traditional teachings and the natural laws."

Key Sites

• 'Āina Momoma. Hawaiian sovereignty through environmental & social justice.
• Apache Survival Coalition: Mount Graham. A page dedicated to the Native opposition to development at a sacred site.
• First Nations Environmental Network. A circle of Canadian First Nations people working to protect and restore the balance of all life through traditional Indigenous values and the path of our ancestors.
• Haudenosaunee Environmental Task Force. Environmental organization for the Mohawk people.
• Honor the Earth. "Honor the Earth is a national Native grant-making and political advocacy organization sponsored by Indigenous Environmental Network and Indigenous Women's Network.We ask people to recognize our joint dependency on the Earth and be a voice for those not heard. "
• Hopi Message to the United Nations. Thomas Banyacya addressed the general assembly in 1993 and spoke on Hopi prophesy and the state of the Earth.
• Indigenous Agricultural land Environmental Knowledge Systems. A thematic essay on traditional environmental knowledge.
• Indigenous Environmental Network. "An alliance of grassroots indigenous peoples whose mission is to protect the sacredness of Mother Earth from contamination and exploitation by strengthening maintaining and respecting the traditional teachings and the natural laws."
• National Environmental Coalition of Native Americans. Addresses the dumping of nuclear waste on Native lands and other cultural environmental issues.
• Nation of Hawai'i Homepage. Includes links regarding the restoration of Hawai'ian independence as well as links on the Hawai'ian environment.
• North East Native Advancing Society.
• Pro and Con Native Opinions on Pocahontas. A variety of links to Native responses to Disney's Pocahontas, some addressing how the film treats indigenous peoples and Nature.
• White Earth Land Recovery Project. Group fighting to restore land base and environmental stewardship to the White Earth Ojibwe people.