By Tia-Alexi Roberts (Narragansett, CS Staff)
Cultural Survival joined representatives of more than 275 Tribes, villages, and Indigenous communities at the National Tribal and Indigenous Climate Conference, held September 9-12, 2024, in Anchorage, Alaska. Over the course of four days, the conference attracted some 800 attendees both in-person and virtually. The event was organized by the Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals.
Nixon Piaguaje Yaiguaje is an Indigenous leader, politician, and journalist from the Siona Peoples in the Colombian Amazon. The Siona People are under many threats to their existence. He is currently the Communication Coordinator for OZIP and director of Radio Waira 104.7 FM, which represents the 11 Indigenous Peoples of Putumayo who are members of the Indigenous Organization of the Putumayo Area. Nixon Piaguaje Yaiguaje is part of Cultural Survival's Convention on Biological Diversity COP16 delegation in Cali, Colombia.
By Norberto Farekatde Maribba (Muruy Muyna)- Confederación Indígena del Alto Amazonas COIDAM
In the United States, 21 states and Washington, D.C. now celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day, or a holiday of a similar name, on the second Monday of October, as an official holiday or via proclamation. In 2021, Biden issued the first-ever presidential proclamation of Indigenous Peoples Day, however he did not replace Columbus Day.
By commemorating Indigenous Peoples Day, we recognize colonization persists today and perpetuates oppression and violence against Indigenous Peoples as well as their sovereignty and self-determination.
KatieLee Riddle descends from the Iwi of Rongowhakaata on the East Coast of New Zealand’s North Island. She is a Māori researcher at Te Kotahi Research Institute, an interdisciplinary research hub based at the University of Waikato in Hamilton, New Zealand that specializes in Māori-focused initiatives, research, and capacity-building to support the aspirations of Iwi, Māori, and Indigenous communities.
By Danny Beaton (Turtle Clan Mohawk)
In Memory of Alicja Rozanska
It's time to recognize that celebrating the life of Christopher Columbus also celebrates the erasure of Indigenous existence. While there is a growing movement around the country to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day, more work remains to be done. We are excited to share some local and national events celebrating Indigenous Peoples and Indigenous Peoples Day.
On October 14-15, 2024, Mni Ki Wakan (Water is Sacred) (“MKW”) Co-conveners, Cultural Survival, Indigenous Peoples’ Rights International, Black Hills Clean Water Alliance, UMN-Twin Cities-American Indian Studies Department, and partners are convening the Mni Ki Wakan Summit, themed, “Confluence of Rising Currents: Indigenous Water Justice, Co-Governance, & Indigenous Youth Leadership.” The MKW Summit will take place in the ancestral and traditional territory of the Dakota people, Mniśota Makoce, The Land of Misty & Foggy Waters.
By Tia-Alexi Roberts (Narragansett, CS Staff)
Land Acknowledgement
We acknowledge that we are headquartered on Massachusett land, in Cambridge, MA, and we thank the past, current, and future Indigenous stewards of this territory.
