By Elvia Rodríguez (Ñuu Savi, CS Staff)
Have you ever wondered what life is like in a place affected by mining exploitation? I have, many times: every time I read an article, every time I heard a testimony, every time I watched a video on social media, and I thought I understood what it meant. However, no book, no article, no video can convey what it is like to live day after day in a territory that is being sacrificed.
In 2021, President Biden issued the first-ever presidential proclamation of Indigenous Peoples Day, however he did not replace Columbu
Storytelling is an Indigenous way of knowing. A tradition rooted in listening as much as in narrating. Each year, writers bring vital stories to the world, honoring lessons, battles, and joys passed through kin and community. From searing poetry to thrilling fiction and gentle tales for children and families, these new books by indigenous authors illuminate the ever-deepening circularity of native storytelling. Every one is a testament to the resilience, humor, and imagination that keep traditions old and new very much alive.
By CS Staff: Edison Andrango (Kichwa Otavalo), Roberto De La Cruz Martínez (Binnizá), Michelle de León, and Rosy Sul González (Maya Kakchiquel)
Cultural Survival's community includes people from all walks of life, with beautiful stories to tell of your own about why you decided to become an advocate for Indigenous Peoples' rights. Sharing these stories further connects our community, provides much-needed solidarity and validation to our staff and partners on the ground, and helps us inspire others to join our movement. We are excited to spotlight members and former interns of our community and highlight your contributions and perspectives through our Cultural Survival Spotlight series.
Rematriation is an Indigenous women-led nonprofit based in Syracuse, New York, founded in 2016 by Michelle Schenandoah, a member of the Onʌyota’:aka (Oneida) Nation Wolf Clan of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy.
By Brandi Morin (Cree/Iroquois)
Photos by Julien Defourny
The water that once ran clear enough to drink now flows a sickly brownish-green, carrying the acrid smell of death down what used to be a living river. Where children once played and fish swam freely, garbage now lines the banks and toxic mining waste piles high on either side. The playground sits abandoned and overgrown, a rusted monument to a community that mining has all but erased.
By Jeannette KAZERA, Organization Coordinator
In the Fizi territory of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the illegal and unregulated exploitation of transition minerals such as cobalt, lithium, copper, gold, and cassiterite has long threatened the environment and human rights of local Indigenous communities. To combat this, the Union of Indigenous Women for Integral Development (UFAPDI), funded by Cultural Survival, launched a project to strengthen Indigenous leadership and empower communities through media.
By Victoria Nolasco, Executive Director
In the face of a massive mining threat, a new generation of Indigenous youth in Mindanao is using citizen journalism as a powerful tool of resistance and cultural preservation. Through a project supported by Cultural Survival and led by Mindanao Climate Justice, young advocates are receiving the training and tools needed to tell their own stories and challenge dominant narratives about their communities.
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.
