‘For Them, It’s Money. For Us, It’s Life’: Grassy Narrows’ 60-year Legacy of Poison

The land guardian knows the intricate layout of his territory inside out. Mike Forbister (Ojibwe), like his father and grandfather before him, has memorized every vein of the complex English-Wabigoon River systems and navigates every nearby backroad and old hunting trail with ease. Together, with his colleague, Robby Williamson Jr. (Ojibwe), they spend their days monitoring the territory of their homelands at Grassy Narrows First Nation in Northwestern Ontario, Canada. Read more. 

Indigenous Peoples, Biodiversity, and the Responsibilities of Financial Institutions

In my native language, Tz’utujil, as in many other Indigenous languages, there is no direct translation for “ecosystem” or “biodiversity.” Instead, we use the compound noun, “Ruuwaach Uleew,” to refer to Mother Earth, to everything that exists, living and nonliving. Indigenous Peoples worldwide have been engaging in ecosystem management and biodiversity conservation since time immemorial. Although we may call it by different names and understand it through different lenses, we do this through our Traditional Ecological Knowledge. Read more.

Westwin Resistance: Indigenous Land Defenders Fighting for their Future in Oklahoma

Westwin Elements, the city of Lawton, and the state of Oklahoma are moving forward with a cobalt, nickel, and manganese refinery on ancestral lands of the Kiowa, Comanche, and Apache Tribes without their Free, Prior and Informed Consent. Read more.

The Apache Stronghold Standing in the Way of a Massive Copper Mine

In the heart of the Arizona high desert lies a battle for the soul of the land. The ancient, sacred grounds of Apache Native territory are under threat from a looming giant — a massive copper mine that promises riches for the locals, and a pathway to the so-called green transition. But, as is often the case, it comes at a cost. The San Carlos Apache Tribe calls it Chi’chil Bildagoteel, English speakers call it Oak Flat. Read more. 

How Indigenous and Quilombola Communities of Araçuaí, Brazil Are Fighting for their Rights in the Energy Transition

Maracanã Village and University: The Saga of Indigenous Peoples’ Resistance in the Heart of Rio de Janeiro

Indigenous Peoples in urban contexts often face unique challenges, including marginalization and lack of recognition of their cultural identity. Sometimes, they are invisible even to other Indigenous organizations and relatives. Urbanization is one of the legacies of colonization that grows and deeply impacts Indigenous Peoples, threatening their very existence. Despite living in cities, they retain distinct social, cultural, and economic practices linked to their Indigenous heritage.  Read more.

Beyond Beautiful Words: A Call for Tangible Action during Brazil's Indigenous Month

April was a momentous month for the Krenak Peoples, as it brought both significant recognition in literature and a long-overdue formal acknowledgment of past wrongs. Indigenous Peoples received a formal apology for the human rights abuses endured during the military dictatorship era of Brazil (1964-1985) from the president of an amnesty commission investigating the crimes. Read more. 

Seeing Red

Coyote, or in the Diné language, Ma’ii (Muh-ee), is a trickster. But I always saw him as a storyteller. The stories that involved Coyote were always my favorite. He was sort of like a naughty child, always getting scolded by someone or having karma get him back for something he did. I liked to see the other side of it also, as I saw Coyote as someone full of stories, both about him and ones that he could tell. He is the narrator of the story below, so imagine you are at the fire with him when he stands for his turn. Read more. 

Indigenous Youth Fellow Spotlight:

My Reflections on Attending the Largest Gathering of Indigenous Leaders at the United Nations

My name is Shaylin Salas, and I am a CHamoru woman from Guåhan, Mariana Islands. Guåhan (popularly, Guam) is the southernmost island of the Mariana Islands chain in the western Pacific Ocean. The Indigenous Peoples of this region are the CHamoru and the Refaluwasch communities. In 2022, I was a Cultural Survival Indigenous Youth Arts Fellow. For this, I was invited to attend the 23rd session of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in New York in April 2024. Read more.

Indigenous Community Media Fund Grant Partner Spotlight:

Strengthening of Nasa Stereo's Communication Processes in Colombia

The Nasa community is located in the ancestral territory of Toribio, Cauca, Colombia, comprised of three Indigenous reservations Tacueyo, San Francisco, and Toribio. Ninety-six percent of its population is from the Nasa Indigenous Peoples and the remaining four percent is recognized as mestizo or as part of other Indigenous Peoples, mainly Guambianos. The Nasa Peoples carry out resistance actions articulated from communication for the defense of the territory, the care of life, and the strengthening of cultural identity.  Read more. En español. 

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