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:
- National Environmental Coalition of Native Americans. Addresses the dumping of nuclear waste on Native lands and other cultural environmental issues.
-
Akwesasne Task Force On
The Environment. Mohawk environmental projects.
-
Apache Survival Coalition: Mount
Graham. A page dedicated to the Native opposition to development at a sacred site.
- North East Native Advancing Society.
-
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.
-
First Nations and the Environment.
Contains articles on Native American Environmental Issues, First Nations
Protocol, Environmental Equity, Fisheries, Deep Ecology and Animal Rights.
- 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. "
- 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."
-
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
and Environmental Knowledge Systems. A thematic essay on traditional
environmental knowledge.
- Native Americans
and the Environment.
Extensive bibliography of resources about Native
environmental issues. Also check out there section on
environmental organizations representing Indians of the Great Basin region.
- Nation
of Hawai'i Homepage. Includes links regarding the restoration of Hawai'ian
independence as well as links on the Hawai'ian environment.
- 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.
- Shundahai Network. "An international
network of activists and organizations that work to bridge the gap between
the environmental, peace and justice and indigenous land rights communities."
- White Earth Land Recovery Project. Group fighting to restore land base and environmental stewardship to the White Earth Ojibwe people.