Indigenous Perspectives
Photo courtesy of Rose Hogan at MonetValley BnB
Books
Becoming Kin: An Indigenous Call to Unforgetting the Past and Reimagining Our Future, by Patty Krawec
Columbus and Other Cannibals, by Jack D. Forbes
Sand Talk: How Indigenous Thinking Can Save the World, by Tyson Yunkaporta
Healing the Soul Wound: Trauma-Informed Counseling for Indigenous Communities, by Eduardo Duran
We Are Dancing for You: Native Feminisms & The Revitalization of Women’s Coming-of-Age Ceremonies, by Cutcha Risling Baldy
An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States, by Roxanne Dunbar Ortiz
The Spiritual Journey of a Brave Heart, by Basil Brave Heart
Sacred Instructions: Indigenous Wisdom for Living Spirit Based Change, by Sherri Mitchell
Deer & Thunder: Indigenous Ways of Restoring the World, by Arkan Lushwala
Wisdom Keeper: One Man’s Journey to Honor the Untold History of the Unangan People, by Ilarion Merculieff
Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants, by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Original Instructions: Teachings for a Sustainable Future, edited by Melissa Nelson
The Time of the Black Jaguar: an Offering of Indigenous Wisdom for the Continuity of Life on Earth, by Arkan Lushwala
Native American DNA: Tribal Belonging and the False Promises of Genetic Science, by Kim Tallbear
Thanksgiving Address, Greetings to the Natural World. Ohén:ton Karihwatéhkwen, Words Before All Else, by Kanawahienton, Rokwaho, and John Stokes
Walking in The Sacred Manner, by Mark St. Pierre and Tilda Long Soldier
The Day the World Ended at Little Bighorn: A Lakota History, by Joseph M. Marshall III
Black Elk: The Sacred Ways of a Lakota, by Wallace Black Elk and William S. Lyon
Lakota Woman, by Mary Crow Dog with Richard Erdoes
God is Red, by Vine Deloria, Jr.
Black Elk Speaks, by John G. Neihardt
Fools Crow, by Thomas E. Mails
Woman Between the Worlds: A Call to Your Ancestral and Indigenous Wisdom, by Apela Colorado
The Wind Won’t Know Me: A History of the Navajo-Hopi Land Dispute, by Emily Benedek
Standing with Standing Rock: Voices from the #NoDAPL Movement, edited by Nick Estes and Jaskiran Dhillon
Elements of Indigenous Style: a Guide for Writing by and About Indigenous Peoples, by Gregory Younging
Articles
The “I” in BIPOC: Not all Native Americans are Leftist Political Activists, by Sherman Alexie
Forcibly Removed: They Were Taken from Their Families as Children. Can That Trauma be Healed?, by Suzette Brewer
From Dominance to Stewardship: Chuck Sams’ Indigenous Approach to the NPS, by ‘Toastie’ Oaster
7 Things I Learned from Collaborating with Indigenous Wisdom Keepers, by Natasha Deganello Giraudie
10 Stunning Similarities Between Irish and Native Historic Experiences, by Christina Rose
Coconino Voices: Changes Times May be Ahead for Snowbowl, by Chris Jocks
White Allies, Let’s be Honest About Decolonization, by Kyle Powys Whyte
Greed Does Not Have to Define Our Relationship to Land, by Robin Wall Kimmerer
An Historical Overview of the Navajo Relocation, by Deborah Lacerenza
Learning New Cultural Boundaries in 2019 America, by Zhawen Wahpepah
The Disruption of White Supremacy, by Mark Trahant
Decolonization is not a Metaphor, by Eve Tuck and K. Wang Yang
If you Don’t Know Treaties and Sovereignty, You Don’t Know History, by Suzan Shown Harjo
For More than 100 Years, the U.S. Government Forced Navajo Students into Western Schools. The Damage is Still Felt Today, by Lucy Tapahanso
Hope for Missing and Murdered Diné Relatives, by Katherine Locke
The Myth of Native American Blood, by Francie Latour
What Decolonization Is, and What it Means to Me, by Tina Curiel-Allen
A Guide to Indigenous Land Acknowledgment, by Native Governance Center
Decolonizing Thanksgiving, compiled by Bioneers
Research and Projects
Reclaiming Native Truth: A Project to Dispel America’s Myths and Misconceptions
History Through a Native Lens, by Dr. Karina Walters
The Carlisle Indian School Project: Honoring the Children, Giving Voice to the Legacy
The National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition
American Indian Boarding Schools: An Exploration of Global Ethnic & Cultural Cleansing, by Amy Lonetree
Center for Support and Protection of Indian Religions and Indigenous Traditions
Interviews
Original Knowing, an Interview with Lyla June
Layli Long Solider - The Freedom of Real Apologies
Corrina Gould on Settler Responsibility and Reciprocity
Dr. Michael Yellow Bird: Decolonizing from the Inside Out
The Impact of Cultural Commodification with Alexis Bunten
What, Why, How of Territorial
Acknowledgements
with Monique Gray Smith
Decolonization Homework
Videos
Broken Rainbow
1985 documentary film about the government-enforced relocation of thousands of Diné people from their ancestral homes in Arizona. They were relocated to aid mining speculation in a process that began in the 1970s.
Voices of the Grand Canyon
Before the Grand Canyon was a national park, it was the ancestral homeland of Native peoples. Hear voices of the Grand Canyon speak.
How Aboriginal Australians Made Australia
Didgeridoos, boomerangs, and an ancient hunter-gatherer lifestyle. These tend to be the first thing to come to mind when we imagine Indigenous Australians. Only with the arrival of Europeans was agriculture introduced. But new research and old documents may reveal the secrets of native Australian agriculture.
Trudell Documentary
Trudell is a 2005 documentary film about American Indian activist and poet John Trudell. The film traces Trudell's life from his childhood in Omaha, Nebraska, through his role as a leader of the American Indian Movement. It also covers his rebirth as a musician and spoken word poet after his wife died in a house fire suspected as arson.
Honorable Harvest with Robin Kimmerer
This video is part of a series called "Seeding the Field: 30 Years of Transformative Solutions," which celebrates some of the best moments of the Bioneers conference through the last 30 years.
Kandi Mossett - Decolonizing the Mind
Kandi Mossett of the Indigenous Environmental Network delivers a powerful address on First Nations, fossil fuels, and decolonization of the mind. In this short clip, Mossett dives into the concept of neurodecolonization through mindfulness as described by Dr. Michael Yellowbird and reminds us, “We have to get to the very heart of the problem of this broken system, which is capitalism and colonization.”
Indigenous Rights Lawyer Sherri Mitchell on Environmental Racism
Indigenous rights lawyer and activist Sherri Mitchell explains why all Americans should care about environmental justice and Indigenous issues.
Dakota 38 Film
In the spring of 2005, Jim Miller, an Indigenous spiritual leader and Vietnam veteran, found himself in a dream riding on horseback across the great plains of South Dakota. Just before he awoke, he arrived at a riverbank in Minnesota and saw 38 of his Dakota ancestors hanged. At the time, Jim knew nothing of the largest mass execution in United States history, ordered by Abraham Lincoln on December 26, 1862.
The Wellbriety Journey to Forgiveness
Documentary on the abuses of boarding schools. Discusses intergenerational trauma in Indigenous communities.
Wisdom Weavers of the World
Inspired by the vision of Alaskan Unangan traditional and environmental leader, Elders from the four directions sat in council and held ceremonies for the purpose of deep listening to the wisdom streams of Original Instructions that were ready to be shared.
Ilarion Merculieff - Womb at the Center of the Universe
This Aleut traditional messenger invokes Indigenous perspectives and ancestral wisdom to guide us through modern times. His elders say that the leadership of women is paramount to transform civilization to conserve Earth's capacity to sustain life. This speech was given at the 2013 Bioneers National Conference.
DAWNLAND
Amidst the echoes of genocide, an unprecedented truth commission attempts to heal the wounds of a foster care system devastating Native American families in DAWNLAND. A documentary about cultural survival and stolen children: inside the first truth and reconciliation commission for Native Americans.
Peace Pipeline
Oil companies routinely build pipelines through Indigenous lands, often destroying sacred sites. How do non-natives feel when the shoe is on the other foot?
Thunder for the People
A story of ancestral healing and forgiveness