SACRED WISDOM, SACRED EARTH
CENTERING INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS
What is emerging for us?
The Loka Initiative is excited to announce that we are currently producing a documentary that focuses on Indigenous cultural and ecological resilience among the Indian tribes of Wisconsin. This concept emerged from the 2021 Sacred Wisdom Sacred Earth convening and we are grateful for the guidance and advice from all of the speakers and advisors in helping us develop the concept for this project. We will look forward to sharing visuals as the concept develops.
Loka’s Sacred Wisdom Sacred Earth documentary film will premiere in Spring 2025. The Loka team is grateful for the guidance, involvement, and participation of all the tribal elders, knowledge holders, and young leaders who have worked on this project with us!
Thank You For Attending
In 2021, the Loka Initiative and the International Mayan League, in coordination with diverse organizations and leaders, celebrated International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples by hosting an online convening. The convening brought together and centered Indigenous speakers and moderators from a variety of traditions, regions and backgrounds to share Indigenous ecological and spiritual knowledge as means of sustenance for all Indigenous peoples and all humanity. The event was free and open to the general public and the recordings of four sessions can be found on the Resources page.
The convening covered five means of sustenance: Water, Food, Medicine, Sovereignty and Spirit. In these sessions, we explored environmental and community threats and solutions that traditionally receive minimal mainstream media attention but are powerful examples of Indigenous leadership, adaptation and community resilience. The three-day convening consisted of five panels; Water and Food on the first day, followed by Medicine and Sovereignty on the second day and Spirit on the morning of the third day. Each moderated panel held an Indigenous elder, a knowledge holder (modern or traditional) and a youth leader, and was followed by a “listening room” session so that participants were part of a more intimate community of practice and kinship with one another.
All of these sessions were free thanks to our generous donors. If you wish to support more events such as these, please do so here. Thank you.
Panel Descriptions and Schedule
Vision
To create pathways for Indigenous peoples of all generations and backgrounds so they can come home -- in spirit, in community and as part of the Earth. To create a convening that centers Indigenous knowledge and wisdom, designed and led by Indigenous leaders and features Indigenous Elders, knowledge holders, academics, scientists, activists and youth leaders. To weave relationships where the world presents divides: geography, race, gender, academic fields and pedagogies and hierarchies. To envision and create the future that we seek for Indigenous peoples, all humanity and Mother Earth.
Purpose
Gathering Indigenous peoples and communities and holding teachings from Indigenous Elders, healers, modern and traditional knowledge holders and experts, activists, scholars and scientists for future generations so that we can understand how the Earth sustains us and transform our relationship of being with the Earth and with each other.
Building Partnership
The Loka Initiative (Loka), the International Mayan League (Mayan League), partnering Indigenous-led organizations and leaders are celebrating World Indigenous Day by hosting an online convening from August 9th to 11th, that brings together Indigenous speakers and moderators from a variety of traditions, regions and backgrounds to share Indigenous ecological and spiritual knowledge as means of sustenance for all Indigenous peoples around the world.
This convening was organized by and advised by a number of individuals: Gary Besaw, Aaron Bird Bear, Juanita Cabrera Lopez, Dekila Chungyalpa, Mariaelena Huambachano, Janice Rice, Tawni Tidwell, Sammy Weru and Kyle Whyte. Organizational partners include Center for Healthy Minds, Khoryug, the Loka Initiative, the International Mayan League, REKA and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Indigenous artists who kindly contributed their work to this collective include: Christi Belcourt, Thundervoice Eagle, Losang Gyatso, Sangre Indigena, Tenzin Tsering and Jennifer Younger.
Offering Gratitude
We are able to offer free registration for this convening due to the financial support of the Brittingham Trust, Kalliopeia Foundation and Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation, and would like to thank them and other supporters for their invaluable generosity.
