Our Intentions

The Restoring Balance Collaborative was seeded in 2020, when Red Star International, Inc. (Red Star), an Indigenous-led non-profit organization, brought Indigenous leaders from Arizona and Aotearoa/New Zealand together for a powerful exchange about water.

At its heart was the Whanganui River, which had just been recognized by the New Zealand Government as a living entity through Te Awa Tupua (Whanganui River Claims Settlement) Act 2017. This unprecedented legislation is the legal framework by which the innate relationship of the River to the People and the People to the River is upheld–a relationship built on mutual respect, accountability and care.

That connection grew stronger in 2021, during the height of the global pandemic, when Red Star International, Inc. brought leaders from both regions together again for A Meeting of Sacred Waters—a virtual gathering centered on healing and ceremony. More than 300 participants from 104 Indigenous nations joined in from their homes and homelands, creating a global circle united by shared reverence for water, respect for the environment, and local community.

The experience created a ripple effect. In 2022, Red Star began exploring how Indigenous leadership could guide global action on climate change seeing it not just as an environmental crisis, but as a threat to our collective health and well-being. Over 18 months, through dialogue, reflection, and collaboration, it became clear that something lasting was needed: a space led by Indigenous Peoples, rooted in relationship, and focused on healing both land and community. That space became the Restoring Balance Collaborative.

The following principles and values underpin the Collaborative in all its activities as we seek to restore balance for us all:

• Self-Determination: Respect Indigenous peoples’ right to determine their future.
• Indigenous Wisdom: Prioritize local knowledge, values and practices.
• Relational Accountability: Nurture relationships built on mutual respect and cooperation.
• Collective Will: Uphold shared aspirations through dedication and perseverance.
• Guardianship: Protect and care for the well-being of humanity and the earth. 

The concept of restoring balance is rooted in Indigenous ways of knowing and living, which calls for sustainable and systemic change to reverse the climate crisis and ensure an abundant future.

Restoring Balance Collaborative is led by a team of Indigenous thought partners and practitioners who serve as the backbone of the organization. This coordinating body carries the work forward at the guidance of its international Advisory Council made up of regionally diverse Indigenous practitioners aligned in values and coordinated effort to strengthen ecosystem resiliency.

An international Indigenous advisory council guides the Collaborative, representing Indigenous Nations, organizations, networks and other organizational entities in the U.S., New Zealand and Canada. Collaborative provides a global learning space, or ‘hub’, for people to:

• Generate and explore ideas in a collaborative environment.
• Solve challenging problems through dialogue and exchange.
• Connect with people who share similar aspirations.
• Create new, mutually beneficial opportunities to network.
• Contribute individual strengths to support collective impact.