In 2016 the Vatican, recognizing the need to understand Indigenous religious protocols, invited Indigenous spiritual leaders from around the world to Rome. On May 4, eleven leaders met outside of Rome to prepare for their visit with Pope Francis. JoDe Goudy, as chairman and a longhouse spiritual leader of the Yakama Nation, began with a song and prayer to honor his peers and the occasion. Each leader followed with a similar honoring and mission: revoke the Doctrine of Discovery.
The Doctrine of Discovery is the institutional pillar and origin of systemic racism and the global oppression of Indigenous people. One of the earliest examples of international law, the Doctrine of Discovery holds that when a European, Christian nation discovered new lands which is to say, planted its flag on land unknown to other European nations it acquired sovereignty over that territory and any non-Christian, non-European people living in it. This doctrine continues to influence law and policy in the Un
A communityâs health is tied to the health of its land and rivers, scientists, environmentalists and Indigenous people agreed last week at a two-day Columbia River conference.
Speakers at the âLower Columbia River Estuary: One River, Ethics Matterâ conference shared the myriad ways that the Columbia River shapes their lives and why it needs to be protected.
âWe all have an obligation to save our water. The water is ours to protect, for our ancestors and future generations to come,â said Philip Harju, chairman of the Cowlitz Indian Tribe.
Last weekâs two-day conference helped the approximately 500 attendees examine the history of the local watershed, the riverâs connections to Indigenous peoples and the future of stewardship for the river, especially as the Columbia River Treaty is renegotiated.