Walking through ancient cultural and spiritual landscapes inspires reverence, respect, and a sense of ethics of place. WORDS AND IMAGES    Michael Davis  . Can we perceive landscape as more than “mere” topography, land, or landform? By engaging with landscapes in multidimensional ways, we can reshape our relationships with them, embracing them ethically and respectfully

Three people from different backgrounds weave together their personal and collective histories, deeply intertwined with Country. Sophie Zaccone, David Doyle, and Mark Lock In sunburnt Australia struggling with climate change, land degradation, and biodiversity loss, three people connect to reinvigorate Country — a First Nations Australian way of being. Dave and Mark are First Nations

A woman finds hope and connection on the farm that gave her grandma life and love. Dea Sofie Kudsk     My grandmother is the heroine in this story. It’s all about her hands, her head with the blue and white scarf, her red braids hanging down her back while she is out there in

A Santhal woman embarks on a quest to understand her identity and what makes biocultural diversity thrive. Purabi Bose Reverence, respect, reciprocity: are there any alternatives to these fundamental principles for the survival of biocultural diversity? The answer is negative. One of the take-home messages of COVID-19 is that, for nature, the world is without

An Indigenous community’s respect toward all life offers a hopeful vision to the world. WORDS AND IMAGES    Suprita Chatterjee . India has a large population of Indigenous Peoples, with an estimated population of 104 million (2011 census), a large majority of them living in the northeast region of the country. Often seen as a

Reviving traditional crops and food culture is vital to repairing people’s relationship with the land. Kana Koa Weaver Okada   Nna-ma-matsu Tani-nu-du-yo The seed that we sow now Ju-gatsu-matsu Awa-nu-do-yo The awa seed we sow in the tenth month (chant) Yo-ya-te-ba Yu-ya-na-u-re If they grow well, we will have a good harvest Sa sa Hou-nen

Spiritual values are the key to a harmonious relationship with the earth. Liza Zogib and Sandra Spissinger-Bang     Protecting lands, territories, and the gifts of nature has been a human endeavor for millennia. That endeavor still exists, best exemplified by Indigenous Peoples around the globe and by other communities and individuals who maintain an

At a pond’s edge, a woman muses about waterlilies as metaphors for mother-tongue languages and their power to anchor story, wisdom, and heritage. Dawn Wink . Waterlilies hold a special place in my heart. I did not grow up with them, though. I grew up on a remote ranch amid the sand, rocks, cacti, and

Indigenous artisans rekindle reverence for a plant that has been traditionally used for centuries. WORDS Clare Dowd, Isabel Carrió, and Leah Struzenski | IMAGES Tulio Dávila     Armed with long black spines, the chambira plant, a canopy palm that grows throughout the Amazon rainforest, is integral to the economy of the Bora, an Indigenous

Conversation with J,SIṈTEN John Elliott A respected Elder shares important teachings that are intrinsic to his people’s language and way of life. Luisa Maffi     “Our languages are a part of the winds, the rain, the mountains, and all life as it was given. These are our original laws and our sacred connections to