Aboriginal message on stewardship of the planet has long history
By AYOUB ANSARI
Sun Media
In celebration of Earth Day, if there is one group that can be credited for their attempts to keep the planet green way before it became a fad, it’s Aboriginals.
Once considered backwards for refusing to adapt to ways of the era, today their philosophy is widely appreciated.
“Aboriginal people are right; we are the Earth, created like everything else from the four sacred elements of water, air, fire and earth,” says world-renowned Canadian environmentalist David Suzuki in his book, The Sacred Balance: A Visual Celebration of Our Place in Nature.
“When we think of the ‘environmental crisis’ this way, our response has to be completely different.”
Although based in science, the world renowned Canadian environmentalist’s book connects with Aboriginal tradition, as well as Islamic teaching, to describe how our physical bodies are comprised of the elements.
That message resonates with Cynthia Wesley-Esquimaux, a professor of Aboriginal studies, who runs a program called Canadian Roots that aims to foster greater understanding between aboriginal and non-aboriginal peoples.
She takes groups of students to various reserves across the country to experience and appreciate the Aboriginal lifestyle.
She says all Aboriginals revere Mother Earth and will be involved with a variety of activities in celebration of Earth day. “Most take their kids outdoors and perform community cleanups on that day,” she said.
They will also be picking up accumulated garbage from the winter, doing spring ceremonies — depending on their own practices — participating in walks and reconnecting with the land.
“Some also do internal cleanses, and use early spring roots to make healing drinks for liver and bowel cleanses,” Wesley-Esquimaux said.
According to her, if there is one thing that everyone can learn from Aboriginals it is: “Absolutely everything doesn’t have to be developed. There is such a thing as having a greenbelt.”
Wesley-Esquimaux says even if the community decides to develop land, there is an important principle they abide by. It is called the Seven Generations Principle — basically taking into consideration how today’s choices would effect seven generations down the road.
Kurt Grimm, a professor of Earth and Ocean Science at the University of British Columbia, laments that we are consuming nature faster than it can actually regenerate itself. Aboriginals, on the other hand, revere the nature.
“They look at nature as reflection of creator,” Grimm said.
Although Wesley-Esquimaux resides by Lake Simcoe, she can’t even drink a sip of water due to pollution. She says most people worry about having water treatment plants while water contamination is one of the most important environmental issues facing the Native populations.
“The point is not to have clean water through water treatment plant, but (that) water shouldn’t be polluted in the first place,” she said.
Wesley-Esquimaux says Aboriginals understand the integrity of water, air and land.
Josephine Mandamin, an Anishnabe grandmother from Ontario, six years ago initiated the Grandmother’s Walk to bring light to the issue of clean water. She set out six years ago to walk around the Great Lakes and has walked 17,000 km.
Grimm says the alternative industrial model is collapsing because “all we think about is domesticating and mastering land.”
Aboriginal culture, he says, is not about distinct form of pagan practice of worshipping, but a way of reverence for and submission to the vastness of creation for membership into the human community.
—
ABORIGINAL EARTH DAY CELEBRATIONS AND INITIATIVES
April 22 is Earth Day: An annual event first celebrated in 1970, intended to raise awareness of environmental issues.
Grandmother’s Walk: Josephine Mandamin, an Anishnabe grandmother from Ontario, initiated the Grandmother’s Walk for clean drinking water. She set out six years ago to walk around the Great Lakes and has walked 17,000 km so far!
Sunrise Aboriginal Ceremony: Grande Prairie Region is holding a Sunrise Aboriginal Ceremony and a Drumming ceremony in Grand Prairie, Alberta.
Windsor Essex Earth Day: Ojibway Nature Centre is holding a Windsor Essex Earth Day Celebrations in Windsor, Ontario, for 3,000 people.
ABORIGINAL PEOPLES:
- According to Statistics Canada, the Aboriginal community includes First Nations, Inuit and Metis.
- In 2006, 1,172,790 people, about 3.8% of the total population of Canada, reported Aboriginal identity.
- There are 632 First Nations groups across Canada.
Published in…
The Edmonton Sun, The Calgary Sun, The Ottawa Sun, The Toronto Sun, The Sault Star, The Welland Tribune, The London Free Press, The Pembroke Observer, The Timmins Daily Press, The St. Catherines Standard, The Brantford Expositor, The Kingston-Whig Standard, Grand Prairie Daily, Herald Tribune
