Reconciling Differences
for the Sake of the Earth

BY JAMIE PINKHAM

In 1877, in the debates preceding our war with the United States, a Nez Perce leader said, ìThe Earth is part of my body. I belong to the land out of which I came. The Earth is my mother.î These words reflect a sacred allegiance between our people and the land. And the man who spoke them was not simply expressing an opinion, but rather describing a way of life.
Long ago, nature managed us. Nature offered us physical and spiritual sustenance, and our activities reflected an understanding of the natural cycles turning upon the land and waters. Nature provided what was sacred and fundamental for us to freely express our religious convictions. Just as all things in the ecosystem are intimately connected and cannot survive isolated from one another, we, too, were a vulnerable and resilient part of the ecosystem. When the salmon returned to the healing waters of their birth, we followed. When the roots and berries returned to the mountains, so did we. Nature sustained us and assured our survival. We put our faith into the hands of the earth, our Mother, and we lived by natureís laws.
But a new humanity came. Over the past 200 years, people lost sight of living within natural limits, assuming that nature was endlessly forgiving. They saw the world as an empty, unused wilderness with plenty of room for expansion. It was also considered a full world, abundant with natureís bounties. However, todayís world is full as we approach the limits of its tolerance for our noxious consequences. Biologically, it is becoming an empty world, as we watch resources wither into extinction. We are students of some hard-learned lessons as we discover that science and technology are not always fail-safe. There is still so much to be learned about the care of the land. With the loss of each piece of the landscape we are deprived of its lessons and spirit.
Nature remains our provider, but we have now become managers. It is our turn to care for and heal the land. To be worthy of this task, we must concede to natureís wisdom.
The political landscape regarding the care of land in this country is difficult to navigate and, more often than not, pits neighbor against neighbor. To effectively resolve the conflicts we face, we must acknowledge areas where we agree. We must also respect our differences. As we battle to resolve tough issues, we must strive to find peaceful solutions. After all, when the debate winds down, regardless of the outcome, we will still be neighbors. And, we pray, for the sake of our grandchildren, that the product of the debates will unite, not sever the bonds of our communities.
Healing the land goes hand in hand with caring for one another. And, no doubt we will continue to walk a tightrope as we try to balance the need to care for our environment and our communities. We will continue to search for new science, new technology and new leadership to help us care for and heal the resources we all depend on. But, science, technology, and leadership come and go, changing like the seasons. The everlasting promise, however, lies in our spirit to overcome the challenges that arise time and again—the spirit that will allow us to find a peaceful place next to one another.
Nature has always had a voice and rhythm of her own. Some people cover their ears and refuse to hear her, while the loud rattle of a political and industrial world smothers the voice. Fortunately, there are those who hear what the land has to say. And, there are those of us who still believe what we hear.

Jaime A. Pinkham, Nez Perce, is on the Tribal Executive Committee for the Nez Perce people, and is the American Indian Science and Engineering Chairman Emeritus.