A Time for Heroes

by Lori Lambert

"Our Indian heroes teach us the ways of courage. They look straight into the eyes of what others fear, and speak out with their best voice. They listen intently to those whose voice is sometimes unsure. Our greatest heroes, with fearless eyes and caring heart, show us that there is power within us all." —Dana Tiger, Creek

For American Indian people, and for most indigenous people worldwide, the view of a healthy environment encompasses and supports our vibrant and ancient indigenous spirituality and culture. This view reflects on who we are as a tribe and as individuals. Tom Goldtooth, national coordinator of the Indigenous Environmental Network states, "We are one with the air, water, and soil of Mother Earth." We believe in the paradigm: healthy environment, healthy people, healthy culture. Our medicine plants, our traditional animals, our cosmology, stories, songs, and oral history from the lands of our ancestors all emanate from healthy lands. Indigenous cultures globally revere the Earth as the great nurturing mother, a living entity who creates and fosters life and health.

Five hundred years ago, forces from Europe came to the Americas and attempted to prove to Native Peoples that their lands, waters, animals, plants and mountains were not so sacred. They despoiled the land, colonized the people, imported cattle, eliminated indigenous plants, insects and unwanted predators. It continues today with pesticides, herbicides, nuclear waste, and persistent organic pollutants or POPs. One of the most sinister problems we face are persistent organic pollutants or POPs. POPs are a group of synthetic chemicals that do not biodegrade in the environment, accumulate in the bodies of animals and humans, and are toxic to a wide variety of wildlife.
To solve the problems of environmental contamination, more Western scientists are turning to the science of our Elders, Native knowledge and traditional science. It may not be called "science" in Native languages, but indigenous knowledge refers to scientific skills Native people value and have used since the beginning of time to discover the way things work in the world. When speaking about Native science or traditional knowledge, one is really talking about the entire edifice of indigenous knowledge. Native science is most akin to what Western science calls environmental science or ecology. The understanding that indigenous people have with the natural world is profound and impacts our philosophies, cultural ways of life, customs, language, and all aspects of being (Cajete, 1999). Native science is tied to the spirit of the people and the heart of ecological values. It is both ecological and integrative. Native knowledge and traditional science applies the holistic healing approach to solve environmental problems. It involves culture, environment, person, mind, body, and spirit. Like the earth, the seasons, the planets and the universe, it is circular.
It is time our wisdom and culture are respected. It is time to work collaboratively on issues affecting the health of indigenous peoples, the health of the planet and the health of all people. We must walk the talk, and we must walk that talk together. It is time for heroes.

Lori Lambert, Ph.D., RN is an enrolled Abenaki and descended from Mi'qmaq and French Canadians. Dr. Lambert's area of expertise and interest focuses on indigenous health and spirituality, in particular, breast cancer in indigenous women and its relationship to culture, religion, and environment.