Nearly 200 people representing Indigenous Communities from Turtle Island and across the Pacific traveled to the Pueblo of Isleta in New Mexico for A Meeting of Sacred Waters held March 12-13, 2024. From this gathering place, one could see the Rio Grande River, or as it is known in Isleta, the Mother Blue River. Sadly, the river is no longer safe for drinking or cultural purposes due to pollution caused by the City of Albuquerque. Twenty-three sovereign Pueblos and Tribal Nations have fought for decades to protect the Rio Grande River Basin. However, a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision has left more than 90 percent of the state’s surface waters without environmental protections, making them the most threatened waterways in the U.S.This story is just one of many shared at the gathering. Indigenous-led solutions are needed to address today’s water challenges and shift power dynamics in a way that respects sovereignty and Indigenous knowledge systems.

Indigenous wellbeing is based on interconnected social and ecological systems that are being disrupted by the changing climate. Ken Paul will explore traditional Wolastoqey teachings for balancing spiritual, emotional, physical and mental health in the individual, and then expand on these teachings to a societal level. During this interactive webinar, we will discuss some of the priorities necessary to have healthy nations and societies, while examining modern pressures that push us out of balance. The framework that will be shared is based on a traditional 4 directions model and can be applied to many other aspects of our daily lives.

In 2020, concerns for the threatened Colorado River Basin drove Indigenous Leaders from Arizona on a remarkable journey to meet the Māori peoples of the Whanganui River. After winning a 175-year battle, the Whanganui River Tribes inspired the world when New Zealand law recognized their river as a living entity. Indigenous Leaders from tribes in Arizona and the Whanganui River in Aotearoa/New Zealand participated in an Indigenous knowledge exchange about the health and healing of our rivers. Selection: American Indian Film Festival 2021 Best Documentary Hepwesa Award Winner: Indie Film Fest 2023 Director: Anna Marbrook