CHOOSE EARTH
Earth Day 2022 saw the launch of a new campaign and initiative, Choose Earth. I’m writing this piece to tell you all about it!
Whilst indigenous communities are only 5% of the world’s population, they protect 80% of global biodiversity. Choose Earth was created to resource the incredible frontline defenders who put their lives at risk to protect crucial ecosystems and preserve life on this planet for all. Every day, they have to fight against systemic racism in the form of extractive industries, illegal mining and deforestation, land grabbing.
International law on indigenous peoples’ land and natural resource rights includes the rights to own, use, develop and control their traditional land and natural resources, but these rights aren’t always protected. For example, the Philippines was named the deadliest country in Asia in 2018 for land and environmental activists, with campaigners saying that indigenous communities were further at risk. At least 60 tribal people have been killed since 2016.
In Brazil, indigenous territories in the Amazon are under increased threat due to deforestation. Although indigenous territories are legally protected, President Bolsonaro has openly called for mining and other development in these locations, which literally take over their homes.
Additionally, current plans for climate action in countries like Ireland have failed to consider and include indigenous agency, experiences, knowledge and values. But, there is a critical need to collectively rethink how we see the natural world and be directed by indigenous intelligence and practice.
‘SHE GIVES LIFE TO ALL CREATION’
Two vital ways we can learn from indigenous people as we rethink, is from how they value nature and connect to their ancestors.
Biodiversity is all of our lungs, essential to all life and yet, people have disregarded it, opting to chop it down for profit. Let’s look at how indigenous communities, who exist in synergy with complex ecosystems, respect nature in comparison. For Mother’s Day 2022, the Indigenous People’s Movement wrote, ‘Similar to the mother who gives us life, mother earth is the giver of life of all things on the earth, she gives life to all creation. That is why there is such a great importance for water amongst the indigenous people, because water is the lifeblood of mother earth as it flows through her and keeps her and everything else on the earth alive. Whether or not you celebrate Mother’s Day, as indigenous people we know we must celebrate the gifts of our mother, incredible generosity, and infinite wisdom every day.’ Wherever you are, step into a pocket of nature, really breathe it in, feel connected to it, look around and feel grateful for everything it means to us.
Indigenous people also hold ancestors dear culturally and generally, think much more about future generations which is a key practise to treating nature and their area with respect to ensure a safe, liveable future is protected. In fact, the quote, ‘We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children’ is credited with being an ancient indigenous proverb and has been traced back to Chief Seattle, a chief to the Duwamish people and his native name is closer to Si’ahl.
Choose Earth aims to help us do exactly this and learn from their extensive knowledge, it is an invitation to Reforest the Mind. This an Indigenous idea and call to arms to reseed ourselves with new ideas in order to relearn how to nurture ourselves - and nature - back into health. Another world is possible but the global community needs to relearn how to hold a caring relationship with nature, by deeply listening to those who are the protectors of the last wild spaces left on Earth. Choose Earth aims to challenge perceptions and amplify Indigenous wisdom in the curation of worldwide environmental solutions.
Working alongside Indigenous community leaders, activists, journalists, artists, spiritual leaders, agro-foresters and academics, they want to invest in indigenous defenders by supporting 35 communities in 18 of the 26 states in Brazil, including the Apurinã, Arara-Karô, Asurini, Baré, Fulni-ô, Guajajara, Guarani-Mbyá and others. The Choose Earth campaign is being directed by 9 nationally recognised Brazilian indigenous collective leaders who are guardians of their communities, ecosystems and territories. Their land is their life and they nurture the heart of our natural world.
LEARN FROM THESE COMMUNITIES
The best way to support Choose Earth is to engage with, talk about and share the campaign. Try to really challenge your internal thoughts and beliefs as you learn from these communities and leaders, in a way that will positively impact our planet! If you can support them monetarily, donations will go towards the direct costs of these individuals’ collective community work, funding technology that will aid surveillance, cultural spiritual programmes, food sovereignty and environmental restoration projects, and traditional educational practices amongst other things.
I can never fully understand the experiences of indigenous communities, each of which are also unique, but I am so grateful for any opportunity to learn from them and recognise that they should be at the forefront of the climate justice movement. I hope you have learned a lot from this article and remember… Choose Earth!